First Class Interruptus

So much for first class.
Oh, I got to experience the cushy, wide seat for 50 minutes, but when the flight arrived in Charlotte and I sat in my seat waiting to take off again, the crew announced that there had been a “change in equipment” and I’d have to “deplane.”
It turns out that they canceled the second leg of the flight — because the crew didn’t show up.
I got into the line at the service desk behind 3 other people. The lone service desk lady took 20 minutes to help each person — do the math. I waited one hour in that line.
When I finally got to the desk, they rebooked me on a new flight… in coach. That’s right, all that money for first class, and now I’m sitting in row 22… with the great unwashed masses. You know, where I really belong. They no longer have any seats in first, and they won’t put me on a standby list for a seat there because the “tier” passengers get that privilege. I guess they deserve it for the gamble involved in being such a good customer of an airline that has to cancel flights because the crew doesn’t show up.
About that: do you think that the crew members called each other this morning and all agreed to play hooky together? If this is an action on their part to force some kind of labor concessions, did they think about the consequences of their actions: I won’t be flying US Airways again. If enough people feel the same, that crew is going to be out of a job very soon.
Oh, man. I’m really pissed now. I expected to get in to San Francisco rested and comfy. Now I’ll get in late, sore, cramped, and angry. I reiterate my constant complaint: air travel sucks.