As a consequence, it is raising havoc with business, tourist cancellations, etc. Some have estimated potential losses to our economy and individuals well in excess of tens upon tens of thousands of dollars.
Last Saturday a friend was trying to return back to Saipan. After spending hours at the airport she was finally put into a hotel, late, only to have to get up Sunday morning at 4 a.m. for her rescheduled flight. She was delayed over half a day.
On Monday, my daughter and her 9-month-old daughter checked in for a 10 a.m. flight to Saipan and after many false starts finally left on a 2:55 p.m. Fly Guam plane. She was delayed five hours.
And just yesterday, our divisional vice president, who came in from Seattle, checked in for his 7 a.m. flight to Saipan which was cancelled and three subsequent departures were cancelled. He finally went back to his hotel and flew out of Guam this morning for Honolulu completely scratching our visit that had been planned for months. This was a rare opportunity for him to visit and address important business but we never got the chance.
Today, my daughter’s husband is expected at 1 p.m. We wish we could plan on his arrival.
If just one person has experienced three Cape Air cancellations in five days can you imagine how many other situations have occurred? So far it must have affected thousands of individuals. Multiply that by 100 or 200 dollars in personal inconvenience and the losses are staggering.
We understand that Cape Air is doing everything possible to correct this problem but it is not enough. Two months ago, Cape Air was down for around two weeks when my afternoon flight was cancelled and rescheduled on a “mercy” flight provided by Continental from Japan at 5 a.m.
Cape Air needs to do better than this. A plan needs to be implemented whereby these disruptions cease immediately with a backup plan which will address future cancellations which are sure to arise. Shuttling your two planes back and forth to the mainland obviously does not work.
JEROLD F FACEY
Million Miler member
P.S. The public also needs to be informed when Cape Air experience these disruptions. A one month @ 99.00 Guam/Saipan would be a great way to encourage passenger satisfaction.
