FWIS3

So how about my family and I were skiing in Snowmass for our annual ski holiday this year, meaning we were flying in/out of the Aspen airport. I left two days ago to fly to Chicago for a weekend (watching my delayed plane through the snow now), rest of the family was due to fly out today.

Yeah, their plane was heavily delayed (cause United sucks) and they were on the runway as the next to take off when this happened- link

Bro says they smelled jet fuel and saw the wreckage after- everyone in my family is safe, they rented a car and are now driving to Denver in hopes of getting on a plane from there, as the airport in Aspen is closed for several days. (Crazy thing about that place- there were literally hundreds of private jets lined up that you could see as I flew in/out. Never seen anything like it before.) Not looking likely anyone is making it to work tomorrow, they'll be lucky to just fly out tomorrow, but I don't think anyone really cares right now when there's such a staunch reminder of what really happens.

Hard to not pause when something like that happens, I guess. Even though it was in most ways a coincidence, you don't like to think of your entire family being so close to it for sure.

I'm glad your family's safe, Rommie.

Yeah.
Definite holy crap moment.

Gullible Jones wrote:I'm glad your family's safe, Rommie.

Yep

What they said.

Oh, shit. Good to hear they're fine, Rommie.

Thanks all. Got back to Amsterdam safely myself, sounds like they all made it to Denver fine (normally 4 hour drive, took them 6 due to bad weather). No word on when anyone will leave Denver, but that's not seriously bothering anyone as much as it should I think.

The co-pilot who died was identified as Sergio Carranza Brabata, 54, of Mexico, Mr. Burchetta said.

The aviation agency said it would not release the identification number of the plane until the victims’ relatives were notified.

Umm, the cat is already out of the bag??

Thumper wrote:

The co-pilot who died was identified as Sergio Carranza Brabata, 54, of Mexico, Mr. Burchetta said.

The aviation agency said it would not release the identification number of the plane until the victims’ relatives were notified.

Umm, the cat is already out of the bag??

Seriously!


And re:OP - really glad your family is okay. The fact that you had already left and it was your whole family definitely gives one a moment's pause. And maybe United doesn't suck as much as you think.

Haha I think airlines in the US just generally do compared to ones abroad, or at least that's my experience. (United I don't like in particular because of other stories- let's just say my Hungarian relatives had an awful time traveling to/from the US this past summer.)

Everyone miraculously made it home yesterday, so that's good (and bro enjoyed a brief burst of Twitter fame).