Charleston, SC

Hi my loyal readers!


I just returned from a week of family vacation and got to experience a brand new airport (new to me)! CHS - charleston, SC.


Before i get into the details, a comment. When i flew out of ohare, the flights for charleston, SC (CHS) and charleston, WV (CRW) were right next to eachother, and the flights were leaving at right around the same time. talk about confusing. i can't believe they dont have more people accidentally 1) book the wrong city, 2) get on the wrong plane. if i was gate control at Ohare, I would probably put a little space between those gates, but i guess they have a method to their madness.


Now, the airport.


Overall - I arrived and had about 30 minutes until my family arrived, so i got to explore the airport a little. um, 30 minutes was about 25 minutes too long. the airport is lovely, but pretty teeny. I think there were 5 gates in my terminal (term A). Within Terminal A, there was a magazine shop, a sam adams bar, and attached to the bar, a bagel cafe. i pretty much just bolted to baggage when i landed, so i didn't really explore. dont worry - i had plenty of time to explore when i departed. we'll get to that

Baggage - Slow. i know, i know...shocking. It was slow and it was small. there were 2 carousels for the whole airport, and the area around them was very cramped. lots of crazy behavior exhibited at baggage claim (the crazies who canNOT bear to wait 10 extra seconds and must push and shove to access their bag rather than waiting for it to circle to them).

Car Rental - EXCELLENT. not ONLY have they not implemented the dreaded 'rental car center' shuttle....but they dont even have rental car buses. the cars are literally parked like 10 feet outside the terminal. so you just stroll right over with your luggage and load on up! the Avis man was very nice and friendly and gave us a nice big car. 2 thumbs up!

Distance to City - Excellent. Just about 10 minutes to drive downtown. Even in the rain. EVEN including a small detour (aka - getting lost).

Now, we spent a week in South Carolina, then I was flying out of CHS back to ORD (on a direct flight, thankfully). So I get the helpful email from United that we're already running an hour behind, so i time my arrival appropriately. Then i sit and wait. I have a nice seat where I can see the plane at our gate...and there are some mechanics working on the door of the plane. After awhile, a mechanic walks out with a ROLL OF DUCT TAPE and all the passengers (who are staring out the window) start stirring nervously. they cancel the flight within like 2 minutes. mass panic ensues.

**Now, I have to think that many of these people have been reading this oh-so-widely-read blog, because some of them had the United Reservations # in their cell phone (a tip i recommended a while back). So they start calling all around me, and they've all been rebooked on the 545am flight the next morning. So...then i finally talk to the lady on the phone, and turns out I have been rebooked on a flight that same night to IAD then continuing on to ORD. i waved goodbye to all my new friends, as they left to go back home, and settled in for my flight in just about an hour. i was very excited to hear I'd be getting home that night, but a little confused as to why noone else was on this flight? curious, huh?

So....finally I board to DC, fly there (no problems whatsoever), then in DC i get to my gate, and it's completely packed to the gills. DC has the helpful screens with lots of info about your flight (ie - arrival time, list of standby passengers, list of upgrades available, etc). So i can quickly tell that there are 81 people on the standby list. EIGHTY-ONE. and united had just rebooked me on there and given me a seat.

now i know i bitch and moan about united, but come on....how can i possibly break up with them when they treat me THIS well? i can't. i cut a line of 81 people and had an aisle seat in economy plus. woo!!!

once i arrived back in chicago (late late late), i go to claim my luggage...and...nothing. i suspected my luggage might not be onboard, but the lady at the counter was just so incredibly stupid, i have to comment. She says 'your bag was checked onto flight XXX (whatever my original flight from charleston was), that flight landed several hours ago, so its here somewhere!" now you brilliant readers will recall that this flight was cancelled. so i tell her this. she reiterates "the flight landed and your bag is here". i say 'Maam, the flight never left, it's sitting on the ground in South Carolina". "oooooooooooohhhhh, well then yes, your bag is not here"

Fast Forward to Saturday about 5pm....my bag arrives at my house in Chicago. This actually wasn't that big of an issue, since i was at home (where i have lots of other clothes & toiletries) and not on the road. however, i did get an important tip out of the experience - pack your glasses in your carry -on, not your checked bag. those of you who dont wear glasses/contacts - i'm jealous...and in the words of katy's hilarious friend heston, "you are so lucky to have the gift of sight". haha

Next up - I'm flying to Boston on Thursday evening, so I am excited to see that airport too. I know its going to be big and exciting :)