So I actually have been thinking about this in advance and compiling a list of 'things that drive me totally crazy about traveling', but i have an even better story to tell you. so i've decided i'll tell you my tale, then will drag out posting the 'list' at all at once and just give you 1 a day. and since i'm working from home this week, i can do this and not get fired for blogging while at the client. everybody wins!!!
So on Thursday, I was scheduled to fly from PHL to San Antonio (I went home for my dad's bday...). Since there are no direct flights, I was connecting in DC (Dulles). Anyway - when i check in in Philly, the security line is LONG and takes forever and i am stuck with a very talkative thug behind me in line who insists on telling me how he's going to Phoenix to party with some friends because (and I quote), "My dad just died and settling his estate was kind of a bummer and I'm ready to party". wow. ok to each his own. anyway - he talked to me the whole time I was in line (about 45 mins). So i get to the gate and they're saying we're going to be delayed and if you're connecting in DC then go talk to the gate agent. So i get in line. What follows is our interaction:
Me: Hi, You said to come up here if i'm connecting in DC. I am.
Gate Agent: Ok, where is your final destination.
Me: SAT
GA: Ok we'll just rebook you then! (while wearing a smiling, friendly face)
Me: Great!
GA: Wait, did you check a bag
Me: Yes (in my defense, i dont have w/d in my apt in SF, so i brought about a month's worth home with me. yes i know that's lazy but i dont care)
GA: Ok, i can't rebook you. you're going to have to go back to the ticket agent.
Me: You mean the one outside of security?
GA: Yes
Me: If i do that i'll miss this flight bc i'll be in line for another hour
GA: Sorry (he doesn't look sorry at all, i should tell you)
Me: listen, i dont want to be a huge B here, but i fly all the time, and i know for a fact that you can rebook me at the gate. do you not know how? do you not have access? (in hindsight....this was a mistake to say...he got a little offended)
GA: GO TO THE TICKET AGENT (yelling)
Me: Ok well, i'm not doing that. i'll just call United. thanks.
So i leave the line, go sit in the gate waiting area and call the Status Number for United. They answer and i explain situation and the nice lady says "He must be new, he definitely can rebook you there." (so at least i felt vindicated in my quasi-bitchiness). she tells me to sit where i am, take the flight to DC - which at this point isn't scheduled to be so late that i'll miss my connection - and worst case, when i arrive she'll rebook me on AA flight. very easy. i'm not stressing at all.
Sidenote: as i hangup, the crazy Anna Nicole verdict was being annouced, and the gate agent at the next gate over is making the longest PA announcement in history. and people actually asked her to pause her announcement so they could hear the verdict. isn't that crazy!?! i felt a little sad for our country.
Anyway....arrive in DC. late. i run off the plane, have missed my SA Connection by about 5 minutes. no sweat. i call United back and they tell me my options.
a) they can put me on AA flight to SA in about an hour, but it's oversold and since i dont have status on AA i prob wont get on.
b) they can put me on AA flight to Austin in 2 hours, but it's also oversold and running about 4 hours late. so i would arrive in austin about 3 am then have to drive to SA. not good option.
c) they can put me on first United flight to SA in the morning, which goes through Chicago (obvs on the way...?) but i wont get home until about 6pm
d) they can put me on first AA flight to SA in the morning (connecting in Dallas) and i'll get home at 11am. yay!
So i call keli (thank GOD i have a friend who lives in DC) and she comes to get me and all was fine. they did hold my luggage hostage overnight so that wasn't ideal, but no sweat. i borrowed pj's from her. we went to jaleo (my fave restaurant in dc...besides brooklyn bagel) and watched grey's anatomy. then i woke up at 3am to go back to airport. this sucked. what sucked even more was that since i had a one-way ticket that had been purchased approx 1 hour in advance, i got the EXTRA special security search. every square inch of every pocket of my computer bag and purse were searched and wiped with those TNT-detection pads. she was totally suspicious of the fact that i have 2 laptops (tell me about it) and kept asking questions like....do they both work? are they both necessary? i mean....i wouldn't really volunteer to haul around 90 pounds if it wasn't needed. thanks. but i got to go through the air puffer machine, and as i think i've said before, i love it. it's like an air massage. i want to get one for my house.
Flight from DC to DFW is delayed and i MISS my connection to SA. now is when i'm really feeling the tired. so i sit in DFW for about 4 hours until another flight to SA is leaving. The only benefit of this was that they unloaded a 777 charter jet full of soldiers returning from Iraq at my gate and the entire airport stopped and gave them a 10-minute standing ovation. it was incredible. so neat!!!
So on Thursday, I was scheduled to fly from PHL to San Antonio (I went home for my dad's bday...). Since there are no direct flights, I was connecting in DC (Dulles). Anyway - when i check in in Philly, the security line is LONG and takes forever and i am stuck with a very talkative thug behind me in line who insists on telling me how he's going to Phoenix to party with some friends because (and I quote), "My dad just died and settling his estate was kind of a bummer and I'm ready to party". wow. ok to each his own. anyway - he talked to me the whole time I was in line (about 45 mins). So i get to the gate and they're saying we're going to be delayed and if you're connecting in DC then go talk to the gate agent. So i get in line. What follows is our interaction:
Me: Hi, You said to come up here if i'm connecting in DC. I am.
Gate Agent: Ok, where is your final destination.
Me: SAT
GA: Ok we'll just rebook you then! (while wearing a smiling, friendly face)
Me: Great!
GA: Wait, did you check a bag
Me: Yes (in my defense, i dont have w/d in my apt in SF, so i brought about a month's worth home with me. yes i know that's lazy but i dont care)
GA: Ok, i can't rebook you. you're going to have to go back to the ticket agent.
Me: You mean the one outside of security?
GA: Yes
Me: If i do that i'll miss this flight bc i'll be in line for another hour
GA: Sorry (he doesn't look sorry at all, i should tell you)
Me: listen, i dont want to be a huge B here, but i fly all the time, and i know for a fact that you can rebook me at the gate. do you not know how? do you not have access? (in hindsight....this was a mistake to say...he got a little offended)
GA: GO TO THE TICKET AGENT (yelling)
Me: Ok well, i'm not doing that. i'll just call United. thanks.
So i leave the line, go sit in the gate waiting area and call the Status Number for United. They answer and i explain situation and the nice lady says "He must be new, he definitely can rebook you there." (so at least i felt vindicated in my quasi-bitchiness). she tells me to sit where i am, take the flight to DC - which at this point isn't scheduled to be so late that i'll miss my connection - and worst case, when i arrive she'll rebook me on AA flight. very easy. i'm not stressing at all.
Sidenote: as i hangup, the crazy Anna Nicole verdict was being annouced, and the gate agent at the next gate over is making the longest PA announcement in history. and people actually asked her to pause her announcement so they could hear the verdict. isn't that crazy!?! i felt a little sad for our country.
Anyway....arrive in DC. late. i run off the plane, have missed my SA Connection by about 5 minutes. no sweat. i call United back and they tell me my options.
a) they can put me on AA flight to SA in about an hour, but it's oversold and since i dont have status on AA i prob wont get on.
b) they can put me on AA flight to Austin in 2 hours, but it's also oversold and running about 4 hours late. so i would arrive in austin about 3 am then have to drive to SA. not good option.
c) they can put me on first United flight to SA in the morning, which goes through Chicago (obvs on the way...?) but i wont get home until about 6pm
d) they can put me on first AA flight to SA in the morning (connecting in Dallas) and i'll get home at 11am. yay!
So i call keli (thank GOD i have a friend who lives in DC) and she comes to get me and all was fine. they did hold my luggage hostage overnight so that wasn't ideal, but no sweat. i borrowed pj's from her. we went to jaleo (my fave restaurant in dc...besides brooklyn bagel) and watched grey's anatomy. then i woke up at 3am to go back to airport. this sucked. what sucked even more was that since i had a one-way ticket that had been purchased approx 1 hour in advance, i got the EXTRA special security search. every square inch of every pocket of my computer bag and purse were searched and wiped with those TNT-detection pads. she was totally suspicious of the fact that i have 2 laptops (tell me about it) and kept asking questions like....do they both work? are they both necessary? i mean....i wouldn't really volunteer to haul around 90 pounds if it wasn't needed. thanks. but i got to go through the air puffer machine, and as i think i've said before, i love it. it's like an air massage. i want to get one for my house.
Flight from DC to DFW is delayed and i MISS my connection to SA. now is when i'm really feeling the tired. so i sit in DFW for about 4 hours until another flight to SA is leaving. The only benefit of this was that they unloaded a 777 charter jet full of soldiers returning from Iraq at my gate and the entire airport stopped and gave them a 10-minute standing ovation. it was incredible. so neat!!!
ALSO - since i was in the nice new shiny intl terminal at DFW, they have great bathrooms!!! with a nice marble shelf to hold your stuff against the wall. i took a picture with my camera phone...i know that's sad, but its really handy and i was pretty excited. :)
Story is almost over. when i finally arrive in SA, i now have to tromp over to the next terminal to claim my bag. my sister got there first and said the bag was just sitting out. apparently all night. and all day. just sitting out with no guard. great. very secure.
Lessons:
1. For being so delayed, i was in a surprisingly good mood the whole time. After traveling every week for 3 years, that was only the 2nd time i've been delayed overnight. which i think is pretty remarkable.
2. It's not wise to go for 16 hours and eat only a bag of sun chips and a diet pepsi. that's when i got really cranky.
3. save the Airlines Reservations numbers in your cell phone. you never know when you will need them. and the line for the customer service counter is ALWAYS 20 people long.
i can't think of any others right now, but i'm sure i will.
next time: the list begins! :)
2 comments:
My god, what a nightmare! I know the travel drill, but I'm not sure I wouldn't have lost it myself after the first day.
Loved the DFW bathroom photo. Airports with newer terminals are *finally* realizing that restrooms need to be larger and have shelves for the assorted bags and purses. Take a look at the ones at Boston Logan's Terminal A the next time you're there. I know for a fact that a woman (with children) specifically designed those restrooms, and it shows.
We are living parallel lives - I am originally from SFO, my parents live in SAT so I'm there at least 4-5 times a year (they are addicted to their granddaughter) and living in DC, Jaleo is one of my favorite restaurants (my office is about 4 blocks away). My husband became friendly with the bartender and has almost replicated -- with perfection -- their sangria recipe.
Where to next? I'm living vicariously through you because my travel has been *severely* curtailed since the baby was born. I have Las Vegas, Quebec, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Tucson between now and June.
good idea to save the numbers in your phone. kinda like hoyamarshall and EVERY FAST FOOD PLACE in dc ;)
hahahahah
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