Ugh. Had to book airlines...again.

CJones

CJones

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[rant]

Wellp, yet another attempt at using GA for XC travel just bit the dust. Was hoping to fly the family to Iowa this weekend for a nephew's graduation party, but the WX is just too darn iffy - or maybe I'm just getting wussier in my old(er) age. It has literally been years since we used GA for travel at this point. Booked on Delta which was ~$1500 more than it was when I was tentatively looking at booking last week.

As the wise man says.... *sigh*

[/rant]
 
Yeah, depending on where you live, piston GA for reliable travel is a myth.
 
What was the Delta upcharge for fully refundable? I've backed up flights like that by paying the refundable premium vs the last minute premium.
 
Larry Enticer is disappointed. So am I.
 
OneCharlieTango said:
Yeah, depending on where you live, piston GA for reliable travel is a myth.
Click to expand...

It works pretty good for me, even as a VFR only pilot. But, i never have to be or be back home on a specific date. i usually have a 2-3 day window and that works out almost every time.
 
OneCharlieTango said:
Yeah, depending on where you live, piston GA for reliable travel is a myth.
Click to expand...
It's all a probability game. Your plans can get screwed up trying to go on an airliner. Your plans can get screwed up trying to drive there too, for that matter. It's just that the odds are different for each mode of travel, as are the possible plan-B's.
 
With the low or no change fees, you can book then unbook and just keep the credit with the airline. That way you are backstopped at a reasonable-ish airfare.
 
CJones said:
[rant]

Wellp, yet another attempt at using GA for XC travel just bit the dust. Was hoping to fly the family to Iowa this weekend for a nephew's graduation party, but the WX is just too darn iffy - or maybe I'm just getting wussier in my old(er) age. It has literally been years since we used GA for travel at this point. Booked on Delta which was ~$1500 more than it was when I was tentatively looking at booking last week.

As the wise man says.... *sigh*

[/rant]
Click to expand...
I'd guess I have about a 75% dispatch rate for any specific day I want to travel. Probably more like 90+% if I give it two days on either side. So far I've found GA a pretty reliable way to travel if I have a bit of flexibility.
 
CJones said:
the WX is just too darn iffy - or maybe I'm just getting wussier in my old(er) age.
Click to expand...

So it looks like you want to go from the lower right to the upper left in this picture, right?
DCT_SPECIAL41_1280x720.jpg
 
pfft, you should try the trifecta: AOG. You get to eat the GA cost AND the airline cost AND the recovery cost. #winning. I get the ptsd's just thinking about it (VA said....not service connected :fingerwag:)

This public service announcement brought to you by, U-Haul: U-haul, when you positively have to be there.
 
hindsight2020 said:
pfft, you should try the trifecta: AOG. You get to eat the GA cost AND the airline cost AND the recovery cost. #winning. I get the ptsd's just thinking about it (VA said....not service connected :fingerwag:)

This public service announcement brought to you by, U-Haul: U-haul, when you positively have to be there.
Click to expand...

Speaking of #winning, this old Lufthansa bird is in our backyard at Kestrel.

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OneCharlieTango said:
Yeah, depending on where you live, piston GA for reliable travel is a myth.
Click to expand...
Murphy's Law will probably get me for posting this, but knock on wood, I haven't been let down yet by using GA for travel.
 
You did the right thing, especially with family. Must have flexibility for sure with family. I love to fly GA, but when I start to get those butterflies, wondering if it’s time for plan b, the decision has already been made. Airlines, car, change day of departure/return. The last thing I want to do is scare my wife.
 
I faced the same reality after many years of plane ownership. It is by far the best way to travel when it works, but you have to make a lot of sacrifices.

If you’re visiting friends or family that can pick you up and your schedule is flexible, then game on.

The reality is that usually somebody has to leave or come back on THIS date, and you are limited to what you can take. Going to the beach? Then forget the beach chairs, umbrella, scooters, cooler, etc.

I sold my 182 because it mostly sat. Too expensive and sluggish to fly for fun, and that looming $60k overhaul in the back of my head plus 15gal/hour fuel burn sucked away any fun. The family trips I envisioned rarely happened. I sold it and went LSA. Now it’s much cheaper and the money doesn’t factor in that much, but it really doesn’t justify its existence. I remember why I have a plane when I’m lined up on the runway and push that throttle forward.

I treat it like any other toy- boat, motorcycle, etc. No real “need,” but I do enjoy it….in nice weather.
 
Hang 4 said:
What was the Delta upcharge for fully refundable? I've backed up flights like that by paying the refundable premium vs the last minute premium.
Click to expand...

It's usually around $120/ticket. So in this case, if I had bought them last week when I was looking at ~$500/ticket + $120 refundable upcharge, I would have still been better off than what I paid last night. DOH!
 
asicer said:
So it looks like you want to go from the lower right to the upper left in this picture, right?
DCT_SPECIAL41_1280x720.jpg
Click to expand...

Yep. GA to IA.

What hosed me on this trip was that we NEEDED to be there by a certain time on Friday (for the graduation party). Usually we have somewhat open-ended arrival/departure times so I can take the long way around or sit a line out somewhere, but the schedule demands were too tight and I didn't want to push it as I am (still) not IR current - not that that would matter much when fighting lines of storms, though it might help with cloud remnants on the backside of lines.
 
Eldorado said:
You did the right thing, especially with family. Must have flexibility for sure with family. I love to fly GA, but when I start to get those butterflies, wondering if it’s time for plan b, the decision has already been made. Airlines, car, change day of departure/return. The last thing I want to do is scare my wife.
Click to expand...

We've had experience doing the "wait out a passing line of storms at a sleepy FBO in the middle of nowhere", so that's not new to her. But I don't want to think about the steely glare I would be getting if we were sitting in that sleepy FBO at the time that we were *supposed* to be at the party with her family.
 
AlleyCat67 said:
I'd guess I have about a 75% dispatch rate for any specific day I want to travel. Probably more like 90+% if I give it two days on either side. So far I've found GA a pretty reliable way to travel if I have a bit of flexibility.
Click to expand...

That's what got me this time - less flexibility than normal. A "gotta get there" time on Friday combined with a "can't leave too early on Thursday" forced me into a window that I didn't like.
 
CJones said:
Yep. GA to IA.
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I'm an Iowan transplanted to Michigan. The trip basically seems to require an instrument rating, and even then, it's still tornado alley, so the instrument rating should only give you additional training to say "nope!".

It doesn't help at all that the commercial market in the state is seemingly lower volume and not priced particularly attractively if you are used to, as I am, flying out of a hub.
 
When I was traveling for work, I would always get a "provisional" ticket if the distance was too far to drive. Provisional meaning that I could change it for a minimal or no fee. As soon as I was confident that I could fly myself, I would cancel the ticket and use credit towards the next trip. I think that used the provisional ticket a couple times during 15 years.
 
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