They got there anyway.
Posted on 08/01/2009 9:12:19 PM PDT by rawhide
Even though there was a slight hitch in their plan, a group of Boy Scouts who while on their way to a national competition in Indiana found themselves stranded in Atlanta, are now on their way.
After exhausting all other options to find a flight that would get them to Indiana before 8 a.m. Sunday, the Scouts were able to rent a charter bus, which Delta will be covering the cost, said Carlos Santos, Delta spokesman.
Although they bought their plane tickets in April, the group of 30 Boy Scouts and their eight chaperones were forced to rent the bus Saturday afternoon when the airline overbooked their flight.
On their way to the National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC) at Indiana University, the scouts and chaperones arrived in Atlanta shortly after 4 p.m. said Andrew Carranco, one of the chaperones.
“The boys have spent hours preparing for this competition and spent thousands of dollars in costuming,” Carranco said. If they do not make it to Indiana by 8 a.m. Sunday morning, 21 of the 30 boys will be disqualified, he said.
Delta officials initially offered to put the group up in a hotel for the night and on a first thing in the morning. However, that wold have caused them to get to Indiana by 10 a.m. Sunday, Carranco said. That would have been too late.
The group tried feverishly to find other means of transportation. While Carranco was dealing with the Delta officials, another chaperone was on the phone with bus companies and the others were catering to the boys.
They expect to arrive in Indiana around 3 a.m. The 611-mile trip is a nine and a half hour drive.
(Excerpt) Read more at ajc.com ...
When there’s a will there’s a way. Go, Scouts!
What’s the matter with people today? If I had been on that plane, I would have given my seat to a Scout. I bet others would have, too.
Go Scouts!
Be prepared. Bless these young men!
I almost always am willing to volunteer - used to be a free ticket anywhere in continental US - now I think it is a $ voucher for some amount. Delta must not have offered enough of an incentive?
I have had to deal with United in April and again in June and July as connections for overseas flights. The overbooking, cramped airlines and TSA checking people as they are boarding is getting tiresome. If I can avoid United I do.
How did they overbook a flight by 38 #%!@ tickets?
WTH?
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The irony here is that air travel is now no more luxerious than bus travel. You just get there a little faster...sometimes.
Ditto. WTH?
> The irony here is that air travel is now no more luxerious than bus travel. You just get there a little faster...sometimes.
Here in NZ bus travel is often more luxurious with plenty more leg room. Sometimes faster, depending on weather.
True Romance quote.
Yep me too. Makes me wonder how many seats they were short and if Delta even bothered to ask the passengers to let the scouts on. Bet if Delta would have explained the situation to the other passengers the scouts would have found more than enough seats.
It’s a cult classic and worth a view. The story reminded me of that quote.
I am wondering the same that you wrote, “How did they overbook a flight by 38 #%!@ tickets?”
There is a big difference between getting to your destination via your paying for the tickets and the airline confirming your schedule, and spending many hours on a bus to get there.
I think Delta “got a whole lot of splainin’” for bumping these 38 folks. Bump of 2 or 3 understandable, but how the hell could Delta screw up with 38? Is Delta now hiring the mentally handicapped? The PR department will have their hands full trying to dig out of this.
A bunch of the other leaders in my son’s troop work for Delta. I will happily give them a load of grief at our next meeting on Monday night.
I don’t know—one or two, maybe, but 38 people who don’t have strong business or family reasons to get back? Maybe Delta wasn’t offering enough money, too.
Delta blew it by not providing an extra flight.
It could have meant more to them in PR then the flight would have cost them.
I say it was stupid on their part, but I know that Delta is not the Delta that I knew in years past.
I knew it from Delta C and S.
A ham radio friend of mine was a Delta pilot in Atlanta.
He flew their first 747 to Paris, on its maiden flight.
For those not in the Order, NOAC is a training conference held every two years, not a competition per say. They do have competitions in Native American Dance, and OA Ceremonies but they are not the main focus of the gathering.
I have a Ceremonies team there right now. I wasn’t able to go with them this year but they and several other Advisers flew out Thursday morning. I wonder why this group was flying in so late?
Ghostcat - Ordeal 1970 - 2000 Vigil - OA Adviser - WWW
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The Order of the Arrow is Scoutings National Honor Society!! So these aren’t ordinary Scouts, these are the Best of the Best!!!!!
They probably didn’t overbook by 38 but the group didn’t want to get broken up.
In fact, scouting helped me to get my first real job after high school. Our troop met in a local volunteer firehouse. When I was sixteen, I asked the volunteers if I could join as a volunteer fireman, and after my dad approved, I joined. Being a volunteer fireman for two years became my Eagle Scout project. When I was nineteen years old the fire dept decided to hire some volunteer firemen full-time and I became one of the new hires. Thanks Scouting for all you did for me.
I kept my Vigil last November.
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I wasn’t quite clear on how many kids actually got bumped. They all booked on one guy’s credit card — presumably that’s got something to do with how they got bumped? Dunno.
If it was only 5 or 6 kids bumped, maybe that was enough for the whole team to decide they wanted to stick together (good kids! That’s the Scouting way).
I still would have offered my seat. A long bus ride is nothing to an old fart like me, but the bus’ arrival time in the wee hours of the morning is a bit too late for kids, even if they are Scouts.
I love to hear stories like that!!!!
Congratulations Brother!!!!!! Well done!!!!
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Thank you for continuing the traditions of the Order in service!!
He wrote it. Didn't direct it.
Great flick. Well worth the time.
My son is both Order of the Arrow and an Eagle Scout.
I'm very proud of him of course.
He has a Black Belt in Okinawan Karate as well.
/gloat off
Meanwhile waiting in the terminal, they were continuously propagandized by CNN at every turn and every concourse
Not gloating....you’re just a proud parent!
That is worth a gloat!!!! I am fortunate enough to be able to say the same.
But, when I returned to the US from the Persian Gulf in '91, I (along with two other guys who were also returning) caught a Delta flight from Atlanta to the west coast. We were still wearing our "chocolate chips" when we boarded the aircraft and the flight crew prompted an ovation from the other passengers. Once we were airborne, the flight attendants told us that they had asked the passengers in the rear of the plane if they would mind moving forward (the bird was nowhere near full). They gave three tired Soldiers the entire rear portion of the aircraft, gave us the headphones for the in flight movie, and parked a beverage cart in our private little section and told us to enjoy whatever we wanted from it, that the crew had agreed to split the cost for whatever we consumed.
I'm sorry this happened to the Scouts, but sometimes "stuff" happens. Delta's folks did right by me, and for that I have to cut them a little slack.
To the OA Brothers on the thread, I just got word back from the Pre-Ordeal team that I have been coaching for the last 2 years who are competing at Noac. They are officially in the top five teams in the Nation and are under consideration for the #1 spot. I hope to know the final standings by Thursday!!!! To say I am stoked would be an understatement!!!
Ghostcat - Ceremonies Adviser - Lii Chapter, Tu Cubin Noonie Lodge 508.
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