opinion wanted

[big blue]

my wife and i just returned from a two night three day fishing trip in ucluelet with a fishing resort. on the trip over we experienced in our and others opinions, disturbance in getting to our destination. we boarded a flight at the south terminal of yvr. flight and staff was great till we circled around tofino waiting out a decision if the rookie piolot rendered a decision as if he wanted to land due to the low ceiling of 500 or so feet. apparantly 600 is the preferred ceiling height. so we were told that the piolot waas not comfortble in attempting a landing and that we would be preceeding to nanimo airport where arrangements had already been made for a chartered bus. which would be waiting and simply take us on the remainder of our trips destination. after plainly seeing the runway many times we ( all others aboard ) shrugged it off and respected the safety call made by the piolot. 20 min later we landed in nanimo airport, no bus in sight. no bus for 1.5 hours. those not familar with nanimo airport, it is very small, with only one restaurant / cafe and one attendant. whom did her absolute best to accomodate the 30 or so people at this time despirately starving. at least 20 of us just consumed snacks for dinner. we unloaded the plane ourselves and loaded the bus. off we go! yay! lol. the time was now 6:30 we departed van at 3:15. we were told a short scenic bus ride to ucluet. lol try just shy of 3 hrs. and man let me tell ya that bus couldn't of been driven any harder than mario andretti himself! the bus driver should be givin a medal! so its 9:22 and we have reached our destinantion! aya! we were notified that they have specifically left the kitchen open for us because we must be starving! lol my stomach and many other had already eatn itself be this time, but we ordered food non the less. just shy of 10:30 i was eating. so my request of you who have taken the time to read this, is what if any compensation should people that have endured this innconvienence fairly see from a resort. there was also a neglect to send a coho that i had caught lol as well as many other peoples fish when we returned to yvr. of this matter i have little concern. i mean this is bc coho are plentiful.

[BearStump]

hmmmmm......compensation eh? the company went out of their way, and at their own additional costs,a nd expenses they got you and your party to your destination. then they kept the kitchen open late to make sure you were all fed. Sounds like they were as proffesional as they could be given the circumstances. Lets be real here, the weather is not their fault, or yours. Why does everyone in this day and age tink that they deserve something for free. IMO, the only thing owed here is a big THANKYOU to the people who took care of you and your safety during a storm that had the potential to kill you.

[yota]

IMO, the only thing owed here is a big THANKYOU to the people who took care of you and your safety during a storm that had the potential to kill you.

I couldn't agree more. My family and I go to Ucuelet ever year for 2 weeks and know usually 3-5 of those days are spent at camp due to weather. I think the outfit did a great job of trying to compensate for the "losses" yoou and your party experienced.

If I were you I would go again and make new memories of your trip so you can forget about this one if it truely does leave such as sour taste in your mouth.

[huntcoop]

Hypothetical question... if the plane had crashed, he and his wife died, would the mourning family have sued the airline for neglect 'cause the pilot landed under the 600' fog ceiling?

[Big Lew]

I would think 'Canadian Princess Fishing Resort' should offer a future package at a reduced rate just as a good will gesture. Bear in mind though, the decision to divert to Nanimo was beyond their control and a charter bus was arranged (don't know if they, or the Charter Co. did it) as well as leaving the kitchen open for your convenience. The problem with fish transport is another matter which those effected should be properly compensated for.

[835]

I deleted my post because it didnt really say what i meant after reading it.
The only thing really that went wrong that was a controlable thing is the fish. The rest was un controlable. The pland would get to nanaimo in like 10 minutes, The bus would have needed the three hours to get there. And yes as for the fish i would offer a Free Cod trip for the next time you came, and that would be just as good will. Or send you another fish.

[Ourea]

I am sure it was an inconvenience for you and your wife.
The key is it appears every effort was made with their contingency plan to get you to the resort and get you fed.
If there wasn't much of an effort and poor planning your situation could have been waaaay worse.
Appears they did what they could with what they had and executed it reasonably well.
If it was me I wouldn't have anything negative to say as I, like many others, have been left hanging and incurred additional expenses along with a loss of time.
It is pretty much a given that you should fully understand the potential of flight diversions and cancellations when flying to remote regions of coastal BC....comes with the territory.

More importantly, hows was the fishing!!??

[4 point]

Better to land safely somewhere than badly anywhere.

[anglo-saxon]

Everyone knows that the best laid plans of mice and men rarely survive the first round down range. I don't think you have much to complain about, given the safety-minded pilot, the accommodation by the airport staff, and the bending over backwards of the fishing lodge folk. Odd that yuor fish wouldn't have shown up. I think that's all you could really complain about and that sounds like the only real fault of anybody. Other than that, the evnts you describe sound like an annoyance, but certainly not something you'd be able to make a claim for or anything like that. Better luck next time!

Having said that, next time the damned moose won't stand still long enough for me to shoot it, I'll complain to the COs and see if they'll put me in for an extra draw the next year!!

[MB_Boy]

Just curious, was the flight part of the entire package or did you book separately through Orca?


I have flown over there many a time and have been diverted to Nanaimo on a couple of occasions; it's a pain but you have to be prepared it "may" happen.

Better to be safe than unsafe as a good friend was in a plane crash flying out of Tofino a few years back and it has changed their family forever.

[brian]

My brother trains pilots, one of his good friends died earlier this year trying to bring his plane in for a landing although the ceiling was too low. Apparently that is how a lot of accidents happen on the northern bush routes. There are safety standards for a good reason.

Seems like a pretty small inconvenience considering you couldn't land directly in Ucluet, you took a few extra hours to get there and had to wait to eat. What do you really want to be compensated with?

[Bowzone_Mikey]

when you book a package like that ... expect shit like that to happen ...
suck it and quit yer fackin whining

[springpin]

I think you got your opinions.. I don't have to add mine.

[doubled]

when you book a package like that ... expect shit like that to happen ...
suck it and quit yer fackin whining

X2

Be appreciative that you can afford a trip like that. Alot of people can't even do that.

[Gateholio]

I'm much happier with a pilot who takes the safer option rather than the pilot who says "well, lets' give it a shot"

[Darksith]

When you go on a chartered fishing trip its not generally to fill your freezer with fish, more so to have a great time fishing with someone catering to your wants and needs, sounds like you got what you paid for. You could bitch at the airline, but even they seemed to accomodate you by getting a charter bus...I'd just be happy that that was the only problem, honestly Ive had way way worse and never looked for compensation, simply called it more of an adventure.

[MB_Boy]

When you go on a chartered fishing trip its not generally to fill your freezer with fish, more so to have a great time fishing with someone catering to your wants and needs, sounds like you got what you paid for. You could bitch at the airline, but even they seemed to accomodate you by getting a charter bus...I'd just be happy that that was the only problem, honestly Ive had way way worse and never looked for compensation, simply called it more of an adventure.


Agreed.....I travel via air a lot for work and personal travel; if weather causes delays or inconvenience in travel you just have to suck it up. It's different if the airline is at fault or problems with the plane. We had about a 5 hour delay flying out of Kauai in February due to a part that was not working on the plane and WestJet had to bring a replacement part in from Honolulu. We were compensated with I believe $100 each off our next flight which was a nice gesture but definitely not "expected" by either one of us.

[Hanrahan]

A couple things that you may or may not know. There is no "preferred ceiling" when it comes to approaches into an airport. There are published procedures that MUST be followed to the letter. These are called approach plates and are published by Transport Canada. They are not a suggestion. If a pilot were to break the minimum altitude trying to approach an airport he or she WILL be fined, and probably disciplined by the company, if not fired. If, God forbid, an accident were to occur because of his or her actions he or she would be criminally liable and, if they survived, face jail time. If they did not survive, their family and estate can be sued.
Also, when you are sitting in the back of the airplane, you are looking straight down at the ground. Visibility is much greater vertically in most cases. But the pilot is looking out the front window, trying to see the airport with enough time to land an airplane that's moving at well over 100 mph. Many times there is just not the time to safely slow the airplane down from the minimum altitude and land on the runway without risk of running off the end. I have flown "bush planes" in this country for nearly 15 years and I never, ever complain about weather delays. Those that do are ignorant. Odds are that the pilot called the lodge and said that there was a risk of not making it in. I'm guessing the lodge said to try anyway, because sending a bus to Nanaimo to pick you up was cheaper than putting you all up in a hotel.
That being said, it's up to the lodge to compensate you if you think you deserve it. If they've operated a lodge on the west coast of Vancouver Island for any length of time, this isn't the first time this has happened. I say ask the lodge if you want, but thank the pilot for not succumbing to the enormous pressure that was probably put on him to try to push it "just a little further". And probably on about $500 a week. The west coast is littered with wrecks from pilots with much more experience than your pilot trying to push it just a little further. I've seen it a hundred times if I've seen it once.

[Moosehunter64]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESsfK5HVboE&feature=plcp&noredirect=1
At least you didn`t have this happen to you on your trip,LOL. The langauge is a little colorfull.LOL. Think these people should have been weariing there life jackets.Was in the local paper today here in Port Alberni happened in the Broken island group.

[solo]

My wife's dad died in a plane crash when the pilot decided to risk flying when conditions were not favourable. Happened when she was a child, and it still affects her. You have to wonder if that "inexperienced" pilot just saved all your lives.

[Brew]

If the flight was there own private plane then Maybe something. I worked in a lodge in rivers inlet for 6 years. The plane and weather have nothing to do with the package. We have had customers leave a day late and customers arrive a day late due to weather and they don't get anything. Most lodges will have this listed on there brochure.

[Ruger4]

I guess the pilot could have tried to land potentially ending in disaster................but fortunately your here able to write this thread.................go hug your kids dog wife girlfriend.............my freezer will be full of salmon soon if you want one

[BlacktailStalker]

You're lucky you got a ride. Weather or flight conditions are not a reason to receive compensation. They're no more responsible for weather than you are when you drive.
Fortunately most companies do accommodate you somewhat when things like that happen now.
I fly all the time, those arrangements are a luxury, not mandatory.

[srupp]

hmmm when I fly for hunting or when I fly when @ work and lives depend on me arriving..it is always the pilots decision, and several times we have come far too close to having serious issues it has always come at pushing the envelope..on a hillside above a camp we use at a high mountain lake are the remains of a private airplane that crashed .5 kms from the lake pushing that envelope to get his wealthy boss out..

respect the pilots call he could have just saved all lives on board by his decision.And I personally would not expect, nor feel you should expect compensation, had the same delay at THE most expensive lodge in BC at the time , roll with the waves(punches) enjoy your time...look at your wife and THANK the pilot for his decision.Flying in BC anywhere involves risk, only mitigated by experienced pilots making astute decisions flying in well maintained machines..

on some fly in trips it was our choice go to a different lake?? or go back and try again tomorrow, some times we wait several days to get into that special moose lake..on the occassion of flying into Kwatna the pilot FIRST TRIP into Kwatna international airport..lol went the short cut going through the pass it started to fog in fast at 100 mph he delayed untill we were forced up against the vertical mountain walls and he yelled hang on and pulled 180 and dove back down through the only opening in the clouds..pucker factor.. off the charts..we went out to the ocean and came in the regular route...irronically when we pulled the 180 the ground below still had the remains of a plane who had tried the same thing ..and didnt make it but survived the crash.. the very next year plane crashed on final @ Kwatna pushing the fog envelope..

Steven

cheers
Steven

[huntcoop]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESsfK5HVboE&feature=plcp&noredirect=1
At least you didn`t have this happen to you on your trip,LOL. The langauge is a little colorfull.LOL. Think these people should have been weariing there life jackets.Was in the local paper today here in Port Alberni happened in the Broken island group.

"Joe" needs electric downriggers.

[big blue]

thanks for all the input guys. were by no means bitter by the experience and stil had fun. we were just very out of sorts by the late arrival / dinner then early trip and never seemed to shake the side effects the whole weekend. but whatever. the answer to how the fishing was, it was great. our first day ended with a few salmon hooked and two boated keeper red spring about 6 lbs. next day i only went out, boated many hali, kept a 20 lber. seen a 37 lber. killed a 12 lb ling. and released many coho to find a nice hatchery at about 6 / 8 lbs. i had the hot rod for our boat that day. defenately an experience. not to forget we did see a few wales make a breech, pretty kool.

[anglo-saxon]

I was flying with Perimiter Air in MB From Lynn Lake to Oxford House and onto W'peg four years ago. The ceilings were very low and we'd already been warned we might have to turn back. The pilot/co-pilot (femaile) both looked about 12 y/o. When he came out of the cloud, we were too low to line up with the runway, plus he'd gone in a little fast. He started to pull up hard and then his co-pilot reached over and started pulling back hard on the same stick. Gave me pause for thought. He got the plane back up after a bit of a struggle and came around for another try. When he came out of the cloud base this time, he was lined up with the runway but just as he was about to put down a big gust of wind took us partially over the grass and he pulled up hard again. This time the (co-pilot had her foot on the dash to pull the stick back. I saw her nervous smile turn to a look of significant concern and that's when I started getting concerned. We were heading right for the tower, it seemed. They finally got her back up again and came around for a third try. By now I was thinking "this isn't good!". The winds were nasty, causing all kinds of crazy turbulence. I looked around and the only other passanger on that little Metroliner, a FN guy, had his head buried in the back of headrest of the seat in front of him, which he was clutching with both hands. Of course, that made me feel a whole lot better! I could see both of the pilots peering out of the side windows, trying to get their bearings again. Finally, we started to descend, but this time he was really going for it. When we came out of the cloud we were not just descending, we were in a dive, like a bloody Jap Zero. I couldn't believe my eyes. If Skippy the pilot had screamed "BANZAI", I wouldn't have been at all surprized. I confess to thinking "OMG, this is how it's going to end. Killed by some bed-wetter rookie pilot". At what seemed like the very last second, the nose came up and BOOM, we were on the ground (for a second or two), then BOOM, we were on the ground again. Felt like the landing gear was going to come crashing right through the fuselage. My heart was in my bloody mouth. I've done some scary shit over the years, incliding some damned interesting flying in fixed wing and rotary wing a/c, and I've jumped out of plenty, too. But this took the biscuit! Once we finally stopped, the co-pilot shepishly welcomed us to Oxford House and apologized for "the excitement". I hadn't been so glad to get off a flight since my Delta Airlines experience a couple of years earlier when about nine babies all shat themselves at once 20 minutes into the trip from Orlando to Colorado. Since that Perimeter flight, though, unless it's an operational military flight and the situation dictates otherwise, I'll take a cautiouse pilot any time! Oh, well, as the saying goes: "The closer you come to death, the more alive you feel".

[scottwh]

Brother in law sent us there 3 weeks ago! We were treated like kings. They didnt even charge us for one of the evening fishes for rock fish. We all got out limits/posessions for everything but ling cod. Could have got 1 more... Those big boats are not really my type of fishing, but it was productive and fun. And best of all, it was bought for us :) I would go back again :)

[kishman]

$hit happens.....

[pnbrock]

you got what you paid for with the puker boats!!