This is the Story of Sun Country Airlines, Flight 504
Update! On June 22, Sun Country reached out and offered a detailed explanation of what happened on flight 504. After hearing them out it seems it truly was the perfect storm of weather, gridlock, and other problems beyond their control. However, I still stand by my belief that communication could have been better on this flight. I was encouraged to find out that Sun Country really listens when their customers are upset, and takes these kinds of problems seriously! Thanks to all those who are working toward continuous improvement.
A little off topic post, but one that needs to be said. I was recently on Sun Country flight 504, Wednesday June 6, 2012, from Cancun to DFW. The original flight was supposed to take 2 hours, but we ended up spending more than 10 hours on the plane without a chance to get off.
The delays were partially because of weather, but also mechanical problems, and lack of planning on the part of Sun Country. The following are things that happened on Sun Country Airlines, flight 504, en route from Cancun, Mexico, to Dallas/Fort Worth, USA. The screen shots are legit, and were taken from Flight Aware shortly after getting home from the airport late last night.
I wish these events didn’t occur, but they did. If you are thinking about flying Sun Country because it’s the cheapest option, pay the extra few bucks and go American or another airline.
1. Don’t Leave Cancun If You Are Having Mechanical Problems
The first thing that upset me was that we were lied to from the start. We sat on the runway in Cancun for 20 minutes in the humidity, the temperature quickly rising past 90 degrees inside the plane. The pilot said it was a maintenance issue, but that it was just a “paperwork” problem. We would later find out that an important light had gone out in the cockpit and the “paperwork” was so they could bypass safety protocol and fly anyways.
Flight 504 Had Problems From The Start, and Should Have Never Left Cancun
2. Don’t Fly Into Inclement Weather If It’s Clearly on the Radar
After we got into the air headed towards DFW, the pilot informed us that there was rain the in the forecast for later that day. There was no mention of possible delays, or even the chance that flight 504 wouldn’t land normally according to plan. The flight time was still a little more than two hours from Cancun to to Dallas.
Our Flight Was Diverted to Houston After Countless Delays
3. Don’t Fly In Circles Over and Over…and Over
A little more than an hour in the air, the pilot informed us the weather had gotten pretty bad in DFW, so we’d have to enter into a “holding pattern” for about 30 minutes until it cleared up. No mention of possibly turning around, or any other alternative plan of action. 30 minutes quickly turned into 2 hours of mind numbing circles.
We Flew in at Least 5 Complete Circles Before Diverting to Houston
4. Don’t Fly Keep Passengers Trapped on a Plane in Houston for 2 Hours
Finally we were told that the plan was to “divert” flight 504 to Houston for fuel and to wait the storm out. Sun Country said this would be another minor delay, and we would be back in the air as soon as the storms cleared up. What they didn’t tell us is that there was really no way we could get off the plane in Houston.
We Sat at the Gate Unable to Get off the Plane in Houston for Almost 3 Hours
Sun Country doesn’t fly to Houston normally, and customs would not allow us to deplane. The other thing they didn’t tell us is the “paperwork” issue back in Cancun, was actually pretty important. We couldn’t take off again until maintenance fixed a light in the cockpit.
5. Don’t Take Passengers On An Aerial Tour of Texas
More than 2 hours after sitting at the gate in Houston, the pilot said we were headed on to DFW at last. He said the weather was clear, and we had priority because we were a diverted flight. The estimated flight time from Houston to Dallas was about 50 minutes.
After 2 Hours at the Gate in Houston, We Spent 2 Hours Flying Over Texas
Once in the air it was a different story. Our “priority status” as a diverted aircraft turned out to be another joke. They just didn’t want the passengers bill of rights to be evoked because we sat at the gate for too long in Houston. Sun Country took passengers on flight 504, who had already been trapped on a plane for more than 6 hours, all the way out to West Texas, before finally heading back to DFW.
6. Don’t Sit on the Runway in DFW for An Hour After Landing
Do you see a theme developing here on this trip? We couldn’t believe what was happening either. Shortly after landing we were informed that there was another plane at our gate, and we parked the plane again on the runway to wait.
Now more than 9 hours after boarding in Cancun, people were becoming extremely restless. There were children crying, and elderly people in need of food and water. Tensions were high, and Sun Country had more than 2 hours to prepare for our arrival once we left Houston. Still, there was no gate for flight 504.
7. Don’t Lie to Your Passengers Repeatedly about Delays
I understand that the weather sometimes causes unexpected delays, I also understand normal maintenance problems is a part of flying. What I don’t understand, is the constant lack of communication, poor planning, and deception by Sun Country on Flight 504. If at any point the pilot had been honest with us, it would have made it a lot easier.
Update! On June 22, Sun Country reached out and offered a detailed explanation of what happened on flight 504. After hearing them out it seems it truly was the perfect storm of weather, gridlock, and other problems beyond their control. However, I still stand by my belief that communication could have been better on this flight. I was encouraged to find out that Sun Country really listens when their customers are upset, and takes these kinds of problems seriously! Thanks to all those who are working toward continuous improvement.
Sun Country flight 504 Cancun to Dallas was the most rediiculous ordeal I have had to deal with, poor planning to say the least. I’m very surprised that someone didn’t go off, 10 hours on a plane that should have been 2 with a few packages of fruit snacks and very little water!! I really felt sorry for the babies and little children, screaming was expected. I too will pay extra next time to fly with a professional Air Line!! I am most upset with the continual lies we were told.
Thanks for the comment Roshell, and your humor definitely made the time pass a little faster. It was great meeting you and your family, and wish you all the best in your future vacations to exotic places!
Dear Keith,
I am the President & CEO of Sun Country Airlines and I would like to invite you to our offices in Minneapolis for a debrief with myself and my staff. I was personally aware of your trip and another aircraft affected by the storms in DFW and respectfully disagree with your conclusions. We will cover all of your expenses to attend the meeting including free travel on Sun Country because I want you to hear the facts about your trip and what we did to accomodate our customers. I look forward to meeting with you.
Stan Gadek
President & CEO
Sun COuntry Airlines
Hey Stan, appreciate the offer but I won’t be able to make it up there. Instead of Sun Country spending hundreds of dollars flying me up to St. Paul and putting me up in a hotel, why not just refund the $500 I spent on the flight?
Take Mr. Gadek up on his deal! You will be flying in an empty un-sold seat and you will probably be put up in a hotel with a crew discount. Total cost…$60
Go to mall of america while your there!
Hey man you should urge everyone to file a complaint with the DOT, make sure this flight is properly investigated: http://airconsumer.dot.gov/escomplaint/es.cfm
Thanks Jerry, I don’t really think that anything illegal occurred (is that what the DOT form is for?). I just feel the situation could have been handled better by Sun Country. Thanks for the comment regardless, were you on flight 504 with me?
I wrote to Sun Country the same day Flight 504 happened. The letter Sun Country sent me in response on June 8 (from Marilyn, Customer Care Coordinator) explained that none of the events that took place were within Sun Country’s control. Sorry, but keeping your passengers trapped on a plane for 9.5 hours, for what is supposed to be a 2 hr flight, is completely within the airline’s control– you shouldn’t be in the airline business if you can’t control that.
If there’s bad weather, divert to an airport that can accommodate your passengers. The crew were improperly trained on how to handle the situation, they provided one Nutrigrain bar during the entire ordeal, and have offered no apology for their incompetence or their actions.
Sun Country inconvenienced all of us, I gave them the chance to respond and make it right, and they chose to basically ignore me. Horrible customer service and never flying with them again.
Agreed QC, and good point about the Nutrigrain bars. I understand that bad weather is beyond their control, but given the fact that bad weather will happen, is your only recourse to divert to airports where passengers will be unable to get off? In this case they should probably not fly international flights anymore (such as the one to Cancun).
In the case of Sun Country flight 504, it does use DFW as a connecting point. Having lived in Texas all my life, bad weather here happens all the time. In fact as I type this there are storm clouds outside rolling into the metroplex. If Sun Country can’t accommodate during times of bad weather, maybe they should rethink the areas they serve?
I think you make a great point about the chance they had to make things right, and I’m still not sure why they don’t just refund our money and let us get on with our lives.
Having been an airline pilot for 30 years now, I can tell you this is quite routine.
Airplanes break when the temperatures are in the extremes. You mentioned paying extra for a ticket on American next trip. We fly ancient MD80′s that break if you look at them the wrong way when it’s hotter than 80 degrees. Not to mention, they’re noisy, uncomfortable and dont have the advanced safety equipment onboard lke the 737s do. My pilot firend at Delta says that they takeoff with lights illuminated all of the time. Think that one through before you spend an extra $9 for “safety”.
Next, weather is unpredicable and can sneak up on you out of nowhere. No airline in the country would knowingly dispatch a flight into forcasted hazardous conditions at the planned arrival time/city. Holding patterns are expensive, the airlines lose thousands everytime ATC makes us do turns in a pattern.
The passengers would be just as upset if the flight didnt depart at a reasonable time out of CUN. The passengers expect that they are delivered on time to their destinations regardless of the forecast.
You can blame air traffic control for the aerial tour of TX. They are the ones that radar vector the airlines around all of the diverting traffic and weather systems. Why would sun country ever want to waste more gas, pay more crew time and pay for the overtime for the ground crews waiting on the airplane. If you are still upset, write a letter to Houston Center.
Major airports close the ramp when it storms so that the rampers dont get struck by lightning. Sitting on the ramp is no fun I agree, but gate space gets limited following diversions.
Your not going to write a blog bashing Fords when your fuel pump goes out, you’re probably not going to yell at your boss when you’re stuck in a meeting and can’t leave, and you’re not going to call into work because there is a chance of a storm when you arrive there.
The highly trained crews are there for safety. They did their job by ensuring you got there safely. If you’re still worried about future delays..take a Greyhound Bus (and hope the tires don’t pop).