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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
A Photographer's Horror Story
Dave Doonan, Photographer
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Steve Allen, Photographer
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Concord | CA | USA | Posted: 4:19 PM on 11.04.09 |
| ->> Lesson learned - Don't stow water bottles in your camera bag. Duh |
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Michael McNamara, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Phoenix | AZ | USA | Posted: 5:46 PM on 11.04.09 |
->> (this is assuming there was no water bottle, which there probably was)
Um, if you're worried about your camera equipment being ruined, don't scramble to make your connection. Get your problem resolved with the agents where the problem occurred instead of catching a connection and trying to get people in San Jose away to care about what happened to you in Phoenix (no matter what the agent tells you). If you miss your connection and have to stay in Phoenix for the night, I'm sure a hotel room can be found for less than the cost of your insurance deductible (and for a lot less than the replacement cost of your gear).
And speaking of the agent in Phoenix, try being nice to her next time. Yes, it sucks that your gear was ruined, but it's not like it's her fault. If she works in customer service for a low-cost airline, she probably gets yelled at all day long. Yelling at a gate agent for what a baggage handler did is like yelling at a busboy for your dinner being horrible...they had nothing to do with it, so why should they care? How about being calm and getting rid of the sarcasm. And if she is still rude and doesn't want to listen, ask to speak to her supervisor.
This isn't a cautionary tale for photographers who fly....it's a cautionary tale for people who have no common sense. |
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Alex Witkowicz, Photographer
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Denver | Co | USA | Posted: 5:58 PM on 11.04.09 |
| ->> www.PelicanCase.com |
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Michael Fischer, Photographer
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Spencer | Ia | USA | Posted: 7:34 PM on 11.05.09 |
->> Let me amplify what Michael addressed. It's VERY important that you understand this and believe me, I have watched so many people make this mistake it's nothing short of UNBELIEVABLE.
Repeat after me: When I am having trouble with checking in, my ticket, my reservation at the gate I NEVER SCREAM AT THE GATE AGENT. The gate agent is THE ONE PERSON THAT CAN HELP YOU.
I don't care how many miles you have, or if you have Elite status ( I DO), you never do this. A GATE AGENT that LIKES YOU can make your problem a lot less of a problem. When I check in, check on a potential upgrade or just have a question - I am SUGARY SWEET to gate agents. You never know when you will need them to help you out. They have too much work, not enough pay, and if you smile and ask them how they are, maybe offer them a extra Cine-bon, you will be amazed how well things can turn out.
Repeat after me: NEVER SCREAM AT THE GATE AGENT.
Is that clear?
Michael |
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Joseph Zimmerman, Photographer
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Howard | Pa | USA | Posted: 7:56 PM on 11.05.09 |
->> Ahh that's Sam Hassas. He a great wedding/people photographer. According to his post on Fred Miranda part of his reason for putting his gear in the belly of the beast was because he had a wedding the next morning and was worried he wouldn't make it there if he had tried to change flights. If your interested his post is:
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/830207
Joe |
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Mark Peters, Photographer
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Highland | IL | USA | Posted: 10:34 PM on 11.05.09 |
| ->> Perhaps he was flying with fish? |
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Thomas Boyd, Photographer
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Portland | OR | USA | Posted: 11:42 AM on 11.06.09 |
->> I'm sitting here at PDX waiting to board knowing the the tiny overbooked commuter jet will not accomodate my ThinkTank roller. I will have to gate check.
I wish I wouldn't have seen this post!
So far this season I've been able to get my bag on board. On one flight, I was able to strap it in an empty seat.
I think I'll just take out the 400 and carry it on. I think the most likely thing to break would be the hood. |
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Sam Santilli, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Philippi | WV | USA | Posted: 5:58 PM on 11.06.09 |
| ->> Micheal Fisher, so let me get this right, NEVER, EVER, YELL AT A GATE AGENT???? You are so right. The gate agent's real name is always Gozar, and he is the gate keeper. Just keep the Stay-Puff Marshmellow man out of your thoughts. |
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Michael Fischer, Photographer
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Spencer | Ia | USA | Posted: 8:19 PM on 11.06.09 |
->> So, Sam, it was YOU three people in front of me at MSP a year or so ago yelling at a gate agent because you were late for your flight and she wouldn't give you a seat?
Hmmmmm... as I recall, she told you to find a hotel room because there weren't any seats left in coach and it was the last flight to Texas that night. Thing was, there were a couple of seats in first, and had she upgraded another elite to first, there would have been a seat. Not the first or last time I've seen someone act like a friggin idiot with a gate agent and you know, the one thing that always happens? The passenger loses if they abuse the agent. That was my message.
Over my lifetime, I've flown 950,000 BIS miles. Go ahead and mock me. By the way, you'll notice it's spelled FisCher. I'm not sure who Mike Fisher is. But this Michael Fischer did get upgraded to first that night, and that's how I knew there were seats available.
No matter how badly Sam Hassas thinks he got treated, the trick with the airline front line people is to treat them with dignity and respect.USAir doesn't have the best reputation for customer service, so you really have to hold your breath and work with them. Sometimes that dignity and respect thing can be used on forum boards, too.
Michael |
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Keith Simonian, Photographer
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Martinez | CA | USA | Posted: 9:06 PM on 11.06.09 |
->> Where in the Fred Miranda story, which is where the full details can be found does it say Sam yelled at the gate agents that were boarding the plane?
"The plane from Memphis to Arizona was small. Sat like 50-75. About 30 passanges had to have their carry-on bags
placed in the plane cargo because the overhead bins on these smaller planes don't accomidate standard carry-on.
(The over head bins barely fit a womens large purse). I tried to convince them I could place the bag inder my seat
in front of me. (I've done this MANY times). I informed them of what was in the bags and wanted to try and use the
under the seat metheod. The let me. It DIDN'T fit. I asked if we could place the bags in the flight attendants cubby.
"this plane doesn't have one sir". I was nervous but what could I do. I gave them my bag."
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/830207
Where in that story does it say Sam had water in his bag? He didn't.
He wasn't so smiley with the folks who accused him of putter water in his bag.
I don't know who would be. |
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