January 4, 2014 at 1:46 p.m.
'A day in hell' for US Airways passenger
'A day in hell' for US Airways passenger
She was on yesterday's US Airways flight from Philadelphia that was within 20 minutes of landing when it turned around because it was too windy at LF Wade Airport.
But the real nightmare began when the plane landed back in Philadelphia and the passengers tried to rebook to get back home to Bermuda.
She told the Bermuda Sun: "I'm frazzled. This is really, really ridiculous. US Airways basically left us stranded and that's just not right."
Yesterday's ordeal began with an 8am arrival at the Philadelphia airport. Ms Somner and several passengers did not leave the airport until close to midnight.
Ms Somner, who is an education officer with Department of Corrections, said the plane was about half full, mostly of Bermudians - families who had been to Orlando for the theme parks, and many seniors as well visiting relatives or just enjoying a trip to the US.
Yesterday's horrific weather saw the northeast of the United States blanketed with snow with Boston getting 21 inches and New York up to 18 inches of the white powder. Two flights from JFK were cancelled.
In spite of the terrible conditions, the flight from US Airways flight Philly managed to take off nearly an hour and 45 minutes late after it had to wait for the plane to arrive from Pittsburgh.
She said on Facebook, which the Bermuda Sun has permission to use, once the plane was "airborne the flight from Philly to almost Bermuda was absolutely lovely. We were about 20 minutes from landing when the pilot announced that Bermuda was experiencing winds and that it was unsafe to land and that we would be heading back to Philly.
"We actually thought it was a joke. But nope - we turned around and went all the way back to Philly."
She said they landed back in Philadelphia around 3:20pm and an agent would assist in rebooking their flights.
That's when things went from bad to worse.
"We got off the plane and there was the marquis reading 'BERMUDA 3:30PM' So by now we're all elated - figuring we'll getting right back on that plane for take off. But this is where things got ugly."
She said the passengers were standing in front of the desk at B16 and were told to move across the way to gate B15.
Ms Somner said: "At this point we were all thinking they'll get us another plane and we'll leave out in the evening or first thing in the morning."
She told the Bermuda Sun that the passengers were told they would be met by two agents and a manager to handle their new flights.
Instead, what they received was one agent - initially - and some of "the rudest treatment from US Airways staff. Not one of them addressed our problem - all passing the buck to another co-worker. Every agent who said they were 'coming right back; didn't.
"The managers avoided us - one said he was 'working on getting another plane' and that he would get back to us in 15 minutes.......we never saw him again."
She said the first agent they dealt with told them 'This is above my payscale.'" Ms Somner said the next agent was even ruder.
"People were saying 'We have to stick together so they can fly us all back on one plane.' But instead they were trying to cram us into spaces on other flights. Agents were rudely trying to put every Bermudian in the empty seats of flights already scheduled."
She said many will not be coming home until midweek or later as with the flight disruptions, other people from other cities were being rebooked too.
Ms Somner added: "There was no compensation to be offered of any kind! The most we got was a few sodas (about 12 cans) placed on the agents counter for those who might have been thirsty."
Ms Somner said despite demands for one plane to fly everyone back together no one from US Airways could address their pleas as to why the carrier could not get another plane.
"Agents threatened to call security on one guy. Mind you, I don't tolerate bad behaviour but I think we all felt he was justified in his anger. Most of us were very calm, yet angry. By 9pm, the remaining agents simply packed up and walked away and said they were done for the day.
"My heart ached for the seniors. Those who came into Philly from warmer climates are now left in Philly in frigid temperatures with no coats or warm clothing. I heard one of the agents telling a co-worker that the duty manager and the senior manager who both should have been there to assist and make the new plane decision had simply taken off and were nowhere around.
"It was pure chaos. Bearing in mind that all of us had been in the airport for check in since early in the morning, it was now getting near 9:30pm when the last of us left to find a solution somewhere - anywhere.
"Most people had not eaten and those of us who had funded our food ourselves. By 9pm I had a splitting headache - and most of us had heard by then that other flights had successfully landed in Bermuda from the east coast....despite US Airways still telling us that we can't go because of Bermuda's winds."
When Ms Somner went to retrieve her luggage, one of her bags was missing.
She is at the Philadelphia airport this morning to wait on standby, hoping she can get back to Bermuda this afternoon. Ms Somner said she is resigned that she will miss a funeral this afternoon and said she is not hopeful of getting a seat today and will most likely miss another funeral tomorrow.
"I have a lump kind of feeling in my throat which I know is the verge of a major meltdown I called my son (Ryan) to come get me from the airport and he arrived at 11:45pm. I am NOT a happy camper."
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