The airline flies the baseball team on the planes through a charter service. But Midwest voluntarily grounded its fleet of 13 MD-80s last week in response to the FAA's grounding of American Airlines flights on MD-80s after problems showed up in inspections.Hey, it's good to be a baseball team.But the Brewers made it to New York last Thursday because Midwest used one of its Boeing 717s instead. Those planes normally fly commercial routes but one was used to take the Brewers to play against the Mets.
Spokesman Michael Brophy says the Brewers took only one trip on the plane.
The (momentarily division leading) Chicago Cubs would never do this. They would volunteer to ride cursed goats all the way from Chicago to NYC. Both ways. Up hill. Except for Lou Piniella, who would instead propel himself to the Big Apple with the power of his screaming. Not really.
Midwest Airlines flies Brewers to New York while other passengers wait [Minneapolis Star-Tribune]
(AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)
@radio1: "What's next Consumerist, women who used the men's room in bars and restaurants when the lines are long for the women's room?" I complain about that whenever I see it. It's annoying.
]]>AirTran bought quite a few B717s; in fact, they were the launch customer IIRC.
If you ever pass through the airport in ATL, mosey over to concourses C & D; you're likely to see many of them.
]]>@Greasy Thumb Guzik: A Boeing 717 is NOT an MD-80. The 717 is larger than a commuter jet but smaller than a 737. AFAIK, only Midwest Airlines bought them domestically. Boeing has announced that it will stop production of the 717.
]]>I wonder if the airline could get Howard Stern's Kielbasa Queen to fly to Milwaukee and enter the sausage race--just to make everyone happy...and do it when the Cubs are in town and call it Choke Night.
]]>Who in Chicago or has ever watched a nationally televised Cubs game doesn't remember the curse of the goat? Its mentioned at least once a game any time the Cubs are on Fox or ESPN, especially now in the centennial year of the World Series drought.
]]>IMO, the plane in question was probably a 'hot spare,' an aircraft held in reserve in case of mechanical or other issues. If another plane goes down for some reason, roll out the hot spare and put the pax on board. Problem solved.
And as far as the Brewers go; better pax get better treatment. I don't fly for work any more, but when I did, I had top-level frequent-flyer status with two different airlines and mid-level status with two others. If you're on one of those airlines when delays come up, they will go out of their way to accommodate you. Not so much for the once-a-year flyers who booked on Priceline.
I know it sounds unfair, but if you were shelling out two or three thousand bucks a week to fly around the country for work, you'd expect better treatment from your preferred airline, too. The Brewers are no different.
]]>must suck to be you
Brewers FTW!
]]>You mean the Cubs who threw the 1918 WS, Meg? It could only be 90 years of suffering instead of 100...
And Cards fans would carry their team across the country on their broad midwestern backs, cause that's just how we do.
]]>Of course, it takes some level of common sense to deduce that business consideration, which it seems some people here lack.
]]>Each time Douglas Aircraft was merged, the DC-9 got a new designation.
]]>Different plane and a CHARTER service. Good God, The Brewers clearly have a contract with MA.
The outrage, a 'safe' plane used by the organization that chartered it?
What's next Consumerist, women who used the men's room in bars and restaurants when the lines are long for the women's room?
]]>Sounds fair in a sick sort of way.
Still - screw those guys. All of 'em. Twice.
]]>Exactly. And the Brewers contract will most certainly have a Service Level Agreement. Certainly, there would be heavy recourse if said SLA were not met.
It's probably the best alternative Midwest had -- rebook no more than 88 passengers on a flight within the rules of the carrier agreement (assuming 100% load factor), or violate an agreement with a corporation which probably employs several lawyers in search of something to do.
]]>I thought the long-suffering Cubs fan was a universal archetype.
(Disclaimer: Astros fan, bound to be suffering far more than any Cubs fan this season).
]]>I say let them fly ahead of all.
AND
MW Airlines is the best in the country. Great seats.... cookies?
]]>/kidding
]]>@mmmmdoughnuts: Hey, come on; the Cubs thought spring training had come early-they played those games with a split squad.
]]>As an Astros fan, no I can't be happy for the Brewers. I go agree that Midwest did the right thing.
]]>Nowhere does the article state that the 717 that was used was pulled from active use. Airlines do have a spare plane or two that aren't being used on any given day that they could have pressed into service for this.
I'd also be willing to bet that other airlines that have contracts to move sports teams around the country did the same exact thing as Midwest. Did anyone else notice that this article is not from a Milwaukee newspaper, but from the Minneapolis newspaper? Now, why would people in Minneapolis care about such a thing?
]]>Anyways, I flew Midwest a couple weeks ago and it was the best flying experience I've ever had. So maybe I'm feeling biased when this doesn't really bother me as much as it could. The Brewers paid for their plane and a LOT of other flights; Midwest made it happen.
Also, they bake cookies onboard! Warm, delicious, free chocolate chip cookies!
]]>For starters, I wasn't dissing the Brewers or the fact they took the plane. In fact, I thought I was supporting them by saying that the money they bring into the city would more than cover the passengers refunds, so who cares? But I also think it would kinda suck to be one of those stranded passengers.
Or did y'all not get that? You didn't? ::shrugs:: Oh well, moving on...
]]>If Dusty Baker was still running the Cubs, he'd make the pilot throw 148 pitches every 4 days until the pilot needed Tommy John surgery and a shoulder scope, then let him go fly San Diego's charter flights on the cheap. Or he'd turn the pilot into a closer and only let him fly really short routes where the landing would involve a close call.
]]>By your logic (equating Mary Kay's revenues to your own), you still lose. MLB exceeded $6 billion in revenues last year.
]]>why is the consumer nation slighted by not being allowed to fly on a potentially unsafe plane?
]]>Good choice MWA...I'd have been surprised to hear it happened any other way.
]]>The people (or their expense account backers) who pay for business/first class are also more important than me.
]]>I can hear my wallet crying now...
]]>And you?
]]>This is news? Let's be frank here, there's more than a slight difference between the Brewers' flight contract and the nonrefundable discount ticket you buy on Priceline. You pay more, you get treated differently. That's not unreasonable.
And what about the 46,000 people who made plans and bought tickets to see the game? It helped them too, didn't it?
]]>Personally I've liked the few times I've flown Midwest. Their cookies are yummy :)
]]>That doesn't make it right tho'...
]]>We have to realize that celebrities and the wealthy will ALWAYS be treated differently. We need to stop pretending that we live in some kind of ridiculous utopia.
]]>