Slamming the table won’t scare away a typhoon! Former ground staff shares 11 tips, earns thousands of likes online

▲ Erik Huang shares 11 tips on adjusting one’s mindset after flight cancellations due to typhoons. (Photo/ Illustration of Taoyuan Airport, unrelated to the report, photo by reporter Chen Rui-zhong)

By Chen Rui-zhong, Taipei

Flight cancellations and delays caused by typhoons often leave passengers frustrated at airports or even lead to irrational behavior. Erik Huang, a former airline ground operations supervisor, shared 11 typhoon-related coping tips based on his experience on his personal Facebook page. His insightful and educational advice garnered thousands of likes from netizens.

With 15 years of ground operations experience, Erik Huang said he was initially prompted to share his thoughts after a friend emailed him asking what to do since they had a group of eight planning to fly during a typhoon. After replying to the email, Huang was inspired to write down his 11 tips. “After all, I’ve worked in ground operations for 15 years, and this happens every year,” he said.

In his post, Huang urged the public to respect the expertise of airlines and stop pressuring them about when flights will resume. “Because no one knows — we can only adapt as we go!” He also emphasized that flight cancellations are always made with safety in mind. If passengers insist on flying, they should also be prepared to waste time at the airport. Bring enough food and drinks, as airport restaurants can’t handle the demand of so many stranded travelers.

▲ Typhoon impacts caused numerous flight delays at Taoyuan Airport. (Photo/ Screenshot from Taoyuan Airport’s official website)

Huang also sincerely advised that whether to travel or not is a personal decision — no one is forcing anyone onto a plane. If you have business meetings, conferences, or work appointments, try rescheduling or asking someone local to represent you, rather than yelling at ground staff at the airport and demanding they make the flight happen. A typhoon won’t be scared away by table-slapping. In closing, Huang added solemnly: “Remember what happened with TransAsia Airways in Magong last year!”

The full text of Huang’s post is as follows: (Authorized for use)
1. Weather is an uncontrollable force of nature. No one — including ground staff — knows what will happen in ten or twenty minutes. So please stop asking when the flight will take off, because no one knows. We can only adapt as we go!! Otherwise, maybe try divining the will of the gods — I’m sure everyone would love to know.

2. Every action taken by ground staff is meant to help you. Please think carefully about that.

3. Stop asking ground staff, “What should I do now that my flight is delayed? Who’s going to compensate me for my losses?” Take your grievances up with the heavens. Also, you’re all adults — think it over and decide what to do yourselves.Don’t act like a three-year-old, asking everyone else for answers and then blaming them.。

4. Also,please respect the professionals,and understand that you’re not the only one being delayed. More often than not, you’re probably not the one who needs help the most either.Flying often doesn’t mean you understand aviation.By that logic, if I go to 7-11 every day, can I just open my own convenience store?

5. If your flight is unavoidably canceled (because airlines actually want to fly and make money), you’ll just have to go home and reschedule. It’s all about safety. At the scene, you can only join the standby list, because the next flight already has passengers who booked it in advance (some people are just lucky). It’s not like the next flight suddenly has a whole plane’s worth of empty seats for you. You might say, “So I’m just supposed to accept my bad luck?” Yes. You’re unlucky enough to be hit by a typhoon.

6. Don’t blame the airline just because Airline XX could fly while yours couldn’t (or was delayed).Each airline has different considerations — just like some people prefer rice, others prefer noodles.Besides, flight scheduling varies by route. Some airlines have planes available, while others’ planes just happen to not be back yet. So there’s no need to compare.

7.Airlines do not offer any compensation for weather-related issues.However, you can request a delay certificate from the airline and see if your insurance company will cover it (if your travel inconvenience insurance includes weather-related coverage).

8. If you insist on flying, be mentally prepared to waste time at the airport.Bring enough food and drinks,because airport restaurants can’t handle the demand of so many stranded travelers.

9. If you’re flying a low-cost carrier,Be prepared for the possibility that airlines may not provide any accommodation or meals..

10. There's no need to keep calling the airline to ask when your flight will depart. Even if they had ten thousand customer service lines, they still couldn't handle the volume.You can simply check online yourself!!

11. There’s no point in turning to the media — it only makes everyone see how oblivious you are. Besides, the ground staff have heard those complaints so many times they could recite them in their sleep.

<<<以下是给各位的唯一真心良心建议>>>
Whether or not you choose to travel is entirely up to you — no one is forcing you onto the plane. If you’re feeling uneasy, you can reschedule your flight and depart when you feel ready. Or, you can cancel your trip and get a refund. If you have business meetings, conferences, or work commitments, try rescheduling them or asking someone local to attend on your behalf — instead of yelling at the ground staff at the airport and demanding they make the plane fly. A typhoon won’t be scared away just because you slam the counter. A deal worth ten million dollars isn’t worth risking your life over.

No one can fight against the forces of nature. Thank you. Please remember what happened to TransAsia Airways in Magong last year.