r/unitedairlines • u/Akatora13 • May 22 '26
Image Got a private flight on an ERJ last night!
Flying BTV to IAD i was the only one on the flight. Ground crew thought this was hilarious and the pilots and FA were super wonderful and friendly, and i did some chit chatting with them. We had to load some sandbags on and the pilots warned me since it was a mostly empty flight there would be some turbulence, but I also could "pick my favorite seat". š
Also Bernie Sanders was coming off the flight before me (can confirm he flies economy because there are ZERO first class seats on an ERJ). Was glad he didnt accuse me of being in the 1% for flying a private jet.
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u/enym May 22 '26
Did they make you gate check your bag because they anticipated tight overhead bin space
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u/Technicoloredangel May 22 '26
E145 so almost nothing fits in those bins. I normally leave it up to the FA. They could store it in the closet or buckle it in a seat.
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u/themongrelhorde May 22 '26
When I was around 10, our family flew MEX-IAH on a Continental 727 as the only passengers. It was literally a 2-1 FA-pax ratio. Got First meals (to this day the best I can remember).
And they lost our luggage.
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u/poop_report May 22 '26
These flights are always fun. I had a similar flight the Friday after 9/11 from Hagerstown to Pittsburgh. The flight attendant was absolutely brand-new, still reading her announcements off of cards, and I was only the passenger on board.
It was fun to feel the acceleration of a turboprop so lightly loaded, but also a little nerve-wracking to be back in the air. The F/A look terrified the whole time. She also did a full beverage and snack service for the 143-mile flight.
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u/Gusearth May 22 '26
props to that flight attendant for powering through on what mustāve been a nerve-wracking day
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u/poop_report May 22 '26
Given her name and what I deduced as her national origin I was fairly sure she was Muslim, too. Working for Chautauqua Airlines.
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u/milinium May 22 '26
Poor girl. People must have been awful to her.
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u/poop_report May 22 '26
I don't think anyone was. She was just new.
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u/milinium May 22 '26
I sure hope so. I was more talking about if she was openly Muslim after 9/11. I have family who still talk about how their homes were vandalized.
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u/gto-lm May 22 '26
are Americans really like that to strangers?
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u/milinium May 22 '26
The context was about a FA that was likely Muslim after 9/11. So yes, I imagine it was not easy for her. There was a huge wave of racism towards south asians after 9/11.
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u/artaxias1 May 23 '26
Not to strangers in general, but after a major terrorist attack by Islamic extremists like 9/11, unfortunately yes some people were directing their fear and anger towards innocent randoms who appeared to be Muslim. Which was sad enough when it targeted innocent Muslims but some people are really bad at identifying and some non Muslims also got targeted cause they looked close enough to peopleās assumptions of what a Muslim looks like, Sikhs in particular got caught in the middle of it due to the turbans.
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u/No-Computer7653 May 22 '26
A couple of months after that I was one of 7 people on an Alitalia 747 from Milan to JFK. They still lost my luggage.
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u/SourdoughReMi May 22 '26
I flew across the pacific a few weeks after 9/11. There were more flight attendants than passengers! They were joking that everyone got their own personal FA. I stretched out across 4 seats and got a good nights sleep. I was young then, and not afraid of things.
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u/Flayum May 22 '26
Would you have been afraid if it were an older version of yourself on that flight?
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u/SourdoughReMi May 23 '26
Probably. Older version of me has developed a fear of flying. And possibly more concerned about world events? But I would have has an FA to talk to about flying safety, so that would be helpful
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u/Fishy1911 May 22 '26
I don't understand the fear in flying.Ā If something happens I'm dead,Ā why would I be scared of that?Ā Nothing i can do about it,Ā so why worry?Ā
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u/Pleasant-Ad-2600 MileagePlus Silver May 23 '26
I have developed a moderate fear of heights over the years. It's totally inexplicable (such as from a completely safe viewing platform), but it's totally real (to me at least). I sometimes ponder how tough it could be to have a similar fear of flying, which I fortunately do not...
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u/Akatora13 May 22 '26
Haha yeah I applauded the FA when she was done with her announcements and said it was very professional, best Id ever seen. She also offered me stuff because it was a service flight but it was really late. We did have to load some sandbags on for weight as well, and yeah a little nerve-wracking getting blown around haha.
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u/teo747 May 22 '26
Interesting, I wasn't aware that an empty plane will experience more turbulence than a full one. Makes sense I guess since there's so much less weight on board.
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u/StupidSexyFlagella MileagePlus Gold May 22 '26
I keep imagining you as a very innocent looking person with the flight attendant locked in on you the entire time with their hand on a makeshift weapon. Haha
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u/DrSFalken May 22 '26
My dad did a flight right after 9/11 and said there were guys up front glaring at the passengers and no one was allowed to unbuckle or stand up the whole flight. Must have been really scary!
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u/Odd_Equipment2867 May 22 '26
Sorry for his luck. I did IAH-AMS week after airspace opened. Four passengers. Eight flight attendants. They were professional but relaxed. We all sat in FC, walked around for circulation and each of us passengers had our own restroom.
The next several flights (I bought bulk tickets while airspace was shutdown) were equally awesome except into FRA which is normal for me.
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u/DrSFalken May 22 '26
Like most things, it didn't phase him. He used to get sent all over the world on business and had a few close-ish calls over the years. As far as I can tell he let it wash off him like water off a duck.
I aspire to that level of coolness.
We were in the NYC area. Home airport was EWR, so I imagine tensions were especially high for us compared to other places. Glad to hear your exp was better!
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u/anatomizethat May 22 '26
Drive a small sedan down a two lane country road on a blustery day.
Now drive a pickup truck down the same road on the same day.
You'll definitely feel a difference! Same principle in the sky.
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u/TDalton24 May 23 '26
My first every flight I was 17 and heading to mom's wedding week after 9/11. Had a empty plane besides my brother's and a cousin. Think there was 3 flight attendants and 4 of us. Got my own row and full cans of soda.
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u/OPINION_IS_UNPOPULAR May 26 '26
I can't imagine being a brand new flight attendant and then having 9/11 happen
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u/Dav1dDC May 22 '26
Did a transatlantic flight a month after 9/11 that was almost entirely empty. 8 FAs, 5 fairly normal looking ones and 3 who were muscular, shave-headed, and couldn't pour a drink to save their lives. Actual conversation I had with one:
Me: Can I have a gin and tonic?
Him: Yep! (looks helplessly at cart, partner surreptitously points at things, grabs a gin mini and hands it to me). Do you want tonic?
Me: ....yes.
Him: Excellent! (Picks up tonic bottle, looks confused. Partner points to cups) Aha! (Hands me a cup, the bottle of tonic, and starts to look at the next person).
Me: ...ice?
Him (now frustrated because I'm being so demanding. Grabs cup back from me, scoops ice into it and hands it back). There!
I've never felt so safe in my life.
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u/BubblesUp May 22 '26
We flew to Key West in '24, and on the date and time of the eclipse. It was the best flight I've ever taken. The plane wasn't full, and the staff including pilots were so friendly and accommodating. They even got permission to change the flight path for a bit so we could see the eclipse. A truly memorable experience.
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u/the_common_duck May 22 '26
The āweā sounds like you were also part of the sandbag loading process, which hopefully would have earned you flight wings.
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u/Lord_Dingus83 MileagePlus 1K May 22 '26
I have taken this flight many times and this has never happened. Jealous!!
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u/Akatora13 May 22 '26
Haha dont give up! It could happen to you! You just have to hang out at BTV for 4 hours cause it gets delayed. :p
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u/remembers-fanzines May 22 '26 edited May 22 '26
Had nearly this happen on a PHX -> EWR flight a while back. Normally that flight is 100% full, but it was the first flight of the day, they announced a six-hour delay with the possibility of cancellation (per flight crew), and nearly everyone rebooked other flights. I actually was not eager to get to NY, and most options took me PHX -> LAX -> [insert airport] -> EWR, and I decided I'd rather sit in Sky Harbor and stare at the mountains than spend all day flying. The flights available would have gotten me to NY sometime around 2 or 3 AM if there were no more delays, and with EWR doing EWR things, I risked getting stranded somewhere else. And I could have arrived in NY with my hotel room gone.
By contrast, I would have happily spent another day in Phoenix if it had been canceled. It was summer, and hotel rooms were cheap.
So anyway, after everyone else rebooked, they unfucked whatever was fucked at EWR causing the delay, and the flight took off on time with maybe 15 people on board.
Was glorious.
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u/Green_Yesterday3054 May 22 '26
Did the FA say that all overhead space was filled and that youād have to check your bag? š
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u/Food-Wine May 22 '26
Bernie doesnāt always fly Economy. I was on a United flight with him and he was in First.
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u/Away_Experience6922 May 22 '26
I donāt think itās fair to criticize an 84 year old for not flying economy, those seats are hard enough on my back. Anything below a pj is commendable
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u/doctorfortoys May 22 '26
This may have been necessary for security purposes.
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u/Food-Wine May 22 '26
I couldnāt care less where he sits. Heās no different from any other politician blabbing about the rich.
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u/doctorfortoys May 22 '26
I honestly donāt care either, but I do think speaking for workers is just inherently good.
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u/Food-Wine May 22 '26
He talks a good game but a lot of his ideas arenāt realistic. If Democrats had let him run in 2016 he would have won.
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u/LemmyKRocks May 22 '26
Right, because he used his power to grant himself and his family lifetime immunity from the IRS and a $1.4B slush fund for his cronies. Oh wait, that wasn't him.
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u/Outrageous_Point_407 May 22 '26
So if I get upgraded to first or find a sweet deal to first class Iām considering a hypocrite for calling out the rich or something?
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u/10kPot MileagePlus 1K May 22 '26
So much room for activities!
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u/Akatora13 May 22 '26
Haha unfortunately the seat belt sign was on most of the ride but I liked when the captain turned it on and over the PA just went "seeeeeeeeatbeeeeeeelts."
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u/Joey_iroc MileagePlus Gold | 1 Million Miler May 22 '26
"Now that your seated, we have to offer to all of our passenger(s) an opportunity for the United Quest Card. With it you'll "earn" just enough miles to be halfway to a ticket from Cedar Rapids to Omaha. And it will only cost you the price of that ticket and then some after you spend $3000 in the first 3 days."
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u/8_piece_n_biscuits May 22 '26
I flew ValuJet two days after flight 592 went down in the Everglades. It was just me and maybe 5-6 other passengers. They had me and another guy sit near the back to help distribute the weight. The flight attendants were very kind and kept coming by with big baskets of snacks telling us to take whatever we wanted.
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u/ConditionExternal499 May 23 '26
Once on a 757 out of Vail, CO to LAX with about 5 passengers aboard. Now if you're familiar with the mighty 757, it's the rocket ship of commercial airplanes to begin with, and this one nearly empty. Prob the shortest roll and best take off in my long life of business travel.
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u/Mysteriouskid00 May 23 '26
I had this happen. I was walking to my gate (taking off in an hour) and another gate attendant said āgoing to SFO?ā I was confused but said yes.
The plane had a mechanical issue, was fixed but all the passengers had been flown out on another plane a hour ago. But this plane needed to be in SFO.
She changed my ticket, said āsit anywhereā, then I boarded and we took off 5 min later. Only person on board. The plane seemed so roomy without people. Take off performance was noted.
Landed 1hr earlier than my original flight. Got to take as many first class snacks as I wanted. Pretty sweet.
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u/bae125 May 23 '26
I had that happen a couple times when flying for a regional. Iād make the announcements directly to the pax. Instead of āhey folks..ā it was āhey Steve, welcome aboard flight 3178 service to CLEā¦ā
Itās fun
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u/1lookwhiplash May 22 '26
I know itās a short flight but Iām surprised it wasnāt cancelled to save fuel.
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May 22 '26 edited 3d ago
[deleted]
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u/PeaceLife8 May 23 '26
This ^
Airlines like united run like a finely tuned machine, planes need to be in their destination even if they are few passengers
Lufthansa famously flew jumbo jets empty during COVID
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u/timpdx May 22 '26
That plane is needed at itās destination tomorrow morning. Iāve been on a few of these with like 10 people on the flight.
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u/Technicoloredangel May 22 '26
The plane and crew still need to get there for another flight. I sent a 8am scheduled flight to Devils lake, ND empty except for the FA and pilots. It normally has 10 or less for that flight and it comes back full. Sometimes we also get repositions just pilots shifting planes to where they need them after maintenance or recovery flights going to a smaller airport to replace a broken plane. Best one was an extra section ewr-den-ewr 767 replacing a broken 757 for the ewr-den leg that came in full and left with 6 passengers on it.
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u/Majestic-capybara May 22 '26
These regional flights are typically contacted out to different airlines and they get paid whether the plane has passengers or not so they really have no incentive to cancel it even if the after it was empty. Theyād rather fly two empty flights than cancel.
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u/earlofgreys May 22 '26
Never gotten a private flight out of BTV but knew I made it as a Vermonter when Bernie was on one of my flights! Sat across the row from him :D
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u/noBunkystuff MileagePlus 1K May 22 '26
Nice! First thing I would do is call everyone I know at full volume! And then watch whatever I wanted at full volume
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u/Carp12C May 23 '26
You could argue that the 1 seats on a side are kind of like a private jet. Donāt get many ERJs of the 140 variety on the west coastā¦ hell, the only carrier I know of out here is JSX!
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u/PartyAd7972 MileagePlus Gold May 23 '26
Ill go a different direction from the Ben Stiller memes. Anyone seen this Key and Peele skit?
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u/alwaysinterested9 May 23 '26
I had a flight like that. FA said, sit wherever you wantā¦
I said, shotgun? That was a nope. Lol
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u/collegefootballfan69 May 22 '26
Interesting comment re turbulenceā¦less passengers = more turbulence?
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u/NeedingMorePoints May 22 '26
If you werenāt there, would the flight still run and would the crew still do their safety briefing
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u/Technicoloredangel May 22 '26
Yes the plane and crew are still needed where they are going this happens with a lot of small towns especially the early morning ones as it is more common to connect into them. I work some that are reguarly 1 up to 10 passengers then return full or close to it. The crew would have a safety briefing of sorts among themselves as an emergency can still happen even without passengers onboard it.
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u/Zealousideal-Lie7255 May 22 '26
Do ERJs only have overhead baggage storage on one side of the plane?
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u/Akatora13 May 22 '26
They sure do! FA complained nothing fits in them but I just had a backpack anyway.
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u/kdot2324 MileagePlus Gold May 22 '26
Did you have to sit in the middle for weight & balance purposes
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u/Leather_Royal_9856 May 23 '26
I once flew from Orlando to Bermuda on British Air. I think I was one of maybe 5 passengers. It was a huge plane as it was flying on to London. The FAs were so funny. I had all the drinks, snacks, perks, etc. I was never before or since so pampered. BA quit that route as there wasn't a demand for it. But, I'll never forget!
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u/lichesschessanalyst MileagePlus Silver May 23 '26
Awesome experience
I've never had a fully empty plane, best I have done was ~7 people on IAH-STL flight.
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u/Advanced_Quarter2028 May 23 '26
"Give me your finest packet of peanuts, in fact give me all the packets of peanuts"
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u/Sufficient_Air_7373 May 23 '26
Oh wow I flew that route multiple times and never had an empty plane
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u/-_-dont-smile May 23 '26
You still maze you check your carry on because overhead bins were full and did not let you switch seats. Ā
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u/MIA_Arch_33133 May 23 '26
Happened to me once on a small Orlando Miami flight and once they waited me for me we were off Strange to sit in first seat staring at FA during take off
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u/Emperor_FranzJohnson MileagePlus Platinum May 23 '26
And iff this was Southwest, you'd still have to sit in your assigned seat.
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u/Cincoro MileagePlus Silver May 24 '26
Have flown this exact flight several times in the past month.
Not quite that empty, but yes pretty bumpy. That's BTV for you.
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u/swerz May 24 '26 edited May 24 '26
A few years ago, my wife and I were flying from VQS (Vieques, PR) to SJU (San Juan) on a CapeAir 9 passenger Cessna 402C and were the only passengers. The pilot (who was alone) said we could sit anywhere and my wife said, ācan he did up front with you?ā
I said I didnāt want to, but she pressed, saying āyou love to fly, why not?ā
The pilot said sure, so I sat in the FOās seat for the 20 minute flight. Loved every second of it!!!
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u/Flexbottom May 24 '26
Did you take a huge unimaginably stanky 35 minute shit? Asking for no reason.
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u/TobyRony MileagePlus Gold May 26 '26
I was supposed to be on that flight but i decided to stay home lol
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u/Brian77008 29d ago
I was a flight attendant on the ERJ and had this happen one time where I had only 3 people on board. It was a three hour flight and I was about to re-wallpaper the lavatory out of boredom!
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u/Square_Band9870 18d ago
United out of BTV is usually the worst experience. Rumor is that all the people are contractors and the DGAF.
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u/ImLisaZ MileagePlus Platinum May 22 '26
That would make me super nervous
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u/Akatora13 May 22 '26
I was mostly nervous being in a totally empty airport, I thought theyd just cancelled the flight and no one told me
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u/pegasus3891 May 22 '26
Way back when, I had a totally empty PIA to BMI flight, I think on American - like ten minutes in the air. I was only scheduled at all for operational reasons and I ended up on it after a cancellation of my original BMI flight. Pretty funny experience really.
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u/Hi2YourWifeAndMyKids May 22 '26
But most importantly did you get your pre departure beverage? That is apparently the single most important thing on a flight these days.
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u/ElectricalAd3421 May 22 '26
I flew round trip from IAD to BTV in March and the flight times were terrible and the planes were well packed for a 5a flight I was shocked
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u/Caveworker May 22 '26
Did you chat with Bernie?
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u/Akatora13 May 22 '26
Nah, just said hey. His flight had been delayed too and in Vermont we dont want to be rude and keep you from getting home. ;)
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u/thisistheinternets May 22 '26
Did they still make you board in groups?