Politics - why America doesn't work
Duncan Garner is glad to be back home.
David Huebner
U.S Ambassador to NZ
AN OPEN LETTER.
Dear Mr Ambassador,
I hate to write, but I feel compelled. I have just travelled to your country to cover John Key’s visit to the Oval Office. But I ‘m not writing to discuss politics. I’m writing to complain.
Your “service” industry is in turmoil.
Two cabs offered me a ride to Washington’s Dulles Airport. I took the one that charged $75. Some other crook tried to sting me $240, but offered to do it for $160. I told him to take a hike.
I tried to check in electronically for flight UA 975 from Washington DC to San Francisco. None of the machines worked.
I finally boarded the flight after two hours processing through security. We sat at the gate, and finally an hour after we were meant to take off, the Captain explained the plane had been loaded illegally and they would fix it.
They did that and within 30 minutes we headed for the runway. We sat for another 30 minutes. We then attempted to take off and aborted halfway through. The captain explained the plane was overloaded, and we would be boarding a new flight.
We arrived back at the gate and things changed again. The Captain said the load would be rebalanced and we’d have another go. The air crew were apologising every three minutes and promising everyone that connecting flights would be rearranged and hotels organised on arrival in San Francisco – as it would be just after midnight.
Finally, we took off - five hours late - with a muted applause from the back of the plane. But the incompetence of United continued. They put on some dated movie on an obsolete screen twenty metres away. The air crew couldn’t get it to play in English. It played in Spanish only. They kept trying. Two hours later it cranked into English.
You’d think after the delays they might have offered some free food on the flight, but of course they didn’t. I bought a rubbery chicken wrap and some nuts for an over-hyped price. It was only the next day I noticed for my troubles they’d added a packet of $5.49 noodles to the invoice.
So the plane arrived at San Francisco just after midnight, and I was told to take-a-left out of the plane and walk to the customer services desk. I did that, and the first customer services agent told me to go to the next one, thirty metres away where the big queue was. Minutes later I was sent back to the desk I had just come from .
They confirmed I had missed my connecting flight to Auckland by two hours, and put me on the flight the next night. They were sorry that all their cheap hotels were full, and I should try my luck finding something. I went down to get my baggage, but that never showed, because they put it in storage for the following night.
So I made a few phone calls and finally got a room at the Hilton Gardens at the Airport. I don’t know why United couldn’t do that for me while we were flying for five hours. How hopeless are they?
Anyway I finally got home to Wellington 27 hours late, but this trip to America has left a lasting impression. That’s why I’m writing to you David, Mr Ambassador.
Your great country is not as great as it used to be. It’s just my view from this experience.
And I haven’t even mentioned the Washington Hotel that overbooked and sent two of my colleagues elsewhere. I stayed on the floor in my cameraman’s room for the first night because the One Washington Circle Hotel had no room for me.
Also, did I mention the jackhammers that go all day? The same jackhammers were there in 2007!
And all this time, your poorly paid service staff demand tips.
The forces of darkness appear to have won in your country. The big corporates have prevailed. People don’t mean anything. The little people are smaller than ever. Your debt is as big as ever. Unemployment is hitting 10%, more than 15 million people are out of work. Although some experts say it's 20%, because the illegal immigrants can't register. I feel sad. I’m not in a hurry to return. To be honest it would seem like a massive chore to do so. It's hard work.
Anyway, I‘ll see you around Wellington for a good coffee at some stage Mr Ambassador.
Yours sincerely
Duncan Garner.