Narrative:

Passenger wanted to get into cgx. Have had problems due to center reservation system in past; i.e., had obtained reservations for cgx, but due to bad WX upon arrival had to divert to mdw or gyy. Needless to say, passenger upset. This time I had convinced the company to plan on mdw so that we could minimize our hassles upon arrival and specifically to minimize impact to ZAU--that is the while purpose of the reservation system in the first place. Trip on 2/X0 to mdw during cavu had passenger irate over 30 min cabin ride, so on 2/X1 we tried to arrange to get into cgx. Center agreed and when I informed passenger of destination change they informed me that they didn't want to go to cgw--they had arranged to meet people at mdw. The next 5 mins were spent on the flight phone and arinc frequency mdw trying to contact people on ground to see if they could go to cgx, all to no avail. In the interim, we asked center to change destination back to mdw. Somewhere in the midst of this preoccupation with chasing people and destination changes (just the thing I was trying to avoid by telling the company in effect 'no cgx, regardless of WX'), my duties of communicating with center were put on the back burner. We had been given a frequency change and for the lift of both the PF and me, neither one of us can recall who dialed in the change and whether or not we checked it. After about 5 mins PF said, 'sure is quiet.' I attempted to call center--no answer. Finally called chicago approach and they were waiting for us. I said, 'nobody home on 132.90.' approach answered, 'center is 132.95 out there--just stay with me.' in the meantime we had driven blindly (deafly?) smack into the middle of one of the most congested areas in the us--just what they needed, huh?! Thank goodness it was cavu so the other guy could look out for us (we always have our eyes peeled outside, anyway, so not traffic conflicts, at least). I should have stuck to my original plan--forget the passenger--but the old guild set is when we got out there and it was cavu, after all, who pays my salary? I sat incredulous at my ability to neglect so basic a part of my job for the remainder of the flight. For the sake of helping out ZAU in their quest for increased safety, I had a fight with the company travel department several weeks ago over mdw vc cgx, and won! Then I go out there and do this to ZAU! Sorry folks.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNDER PRESSURE FROM PASSENGERS TO CHANGE DESTINATION, CORPORATE SMT PLT PICKS UP FLT PHONE, DISCONNECTS FROM ATC.

Narrative: PAX WANTED TO GET INTO CGX. HAVE HAD PROBS DUE TO CENTER RESERVATION SYS IN PAST; I.E., HAD OBTAINED RESERVATIONS FOR CGX, BUT DUE TO BAD WX UPON ARR HAD TO DIVERT TO MDW OR GYY. NEEDLESS TO SAY, PAX UPSET. THIS TIME I HAD CONVINCED THE COMPANY TO PLAN ON MDW SO THAT WE COULD MINIMIZE OUR HASSLES UPON ARR AND SPECIFICALLY TO MINIMIZE IMPACT TO ZAU--THAT IS THE WHILE PURPOSE OF THE RESERVATION SYS IN THE FIRST PLACE. TRIP ON 2/X0 TO MDW DURING CAVU HAD PAX IRATE OVER 30 MIN CABIN RIDE, SO ON 2/X1 WE TRIED TO ARRANGE TO GET INTO CGX. CENTER AGREED AND WHEN I INFORMED PAX OF DEST CHANGE THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO CGW--THEY HAD ARRANGED TO MEET PEOPLE AT MDW. THE NEXT 5 MINS WERE SPENT ON THE FLT PHONE AND ARINC FREQ MDW TRYING TO CONTACT PEOPLE ON GND TO SEE IF THEY COULD GO TO CGX, ALL TO NO AVAIL. IN THE INTERIM, WE ASKED CENTER TO CHANGE DEST BACK TO MDW. SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDST OF THIS PREOCCUPATION WITH CHASING PEOPLE AND DEST CHANGES (JUST THE THING I WAS TRYING TO AVOID BY TELLING THE COMPANY IN EFFECT 'NO CGX, REGARDLESS OF WX'), MY DUTIES OF COMMUNICATING WITH CENTER WERE PUT ON THE BACK BURNER. WE HAD BEEN GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE AND FOR THE LIFT OF BOTH THE PF AND ME, NEITHER ONE OF US CAN RECALL WHO DIALED IN THE CHANGE AND WHETHER OR NOT WE CHKED IT. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINS PF SAID, 'SURE IS QUIET.' I ATTEMPTED TO CALL CENTER--NO ANSWER. FINALLY CALLED CHICAGO APCH AND THEY WERE WAITING FOR US. I SAID, 'NOBODY HOME ON 132.90.' APCH ANSWERED, 'CENTER IS 132.95 OUT THERE--JUST STAY WITH ME.' IN THE MEANTIME WE HAD DRIVEN BLINDLY (DEAFLY?) SMACK INTO THE MIDDLE OF ONE OF THE MOST CONGESTED AREAS IN THE U.S.--JUST WHAT THEY NEEDED, HUH?! THANK GOODNESS IT WAS CAVU SO THE OTHER GUY COULD LOOK OUT FOR US (WE ALWAYS HAVE OUR EYES PEELED OUTSIDE, ANYWAY, SO NOT TFC CONFLICTS, AT LEAST). I SHOULD HAVE STUCK TO MY ORIGINAL PLAN--FORGET THE PAX--BUT THE OLD GUILD SET IS WHEN WE GOT OUT THERE AND IT WAS CAVU, AFTER ALL, WHO PAYS MY SALARY? I SAT INCREDULOUS AT MY ABILITY TO NEGLECT SO BASIC A PART OF MY JOB FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT. FOR THE SAKE OF HELPING OUT ZAU IN THEIR QUEST FOR INCREASED SAFETY, I HAD A FIGHT WITH THE COMPANY TRAVEL DEPT SEVERAL WKS AGO OVER MDW VC CGX, AND WON! THEN I GO OUT THERE AND DO THIS TO ZAU! SORRY FOLKS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.