I tried to make it to Dallas/ ftWorth for work Monday. And needing to be there by 15:30. Monday-Thursday Morning.
Short version. :
Had I booked it, I would of flown in the night prior. However, this was booked through the corporate office.
The flights went like this. 5:30 wheels up. PSC- SLC- DFW.
Wake up at 2am, shower, coffee. Delta canceled flight. (3am txt msg)
Rebooked me 11:30 PSC- SEA-SLC-LAX-DFW… This would put me in DFW at midnight. Go Figure that flight plan…. Take the work truck, and stop by the office so someone can bring it back to the yard. ( I was planning on RNO for the return flight and driving the 04 and Outfitter home)
Got into LAX, and was notified the LAX-DFW was delayed two hours. This would put me in DFW at 2am. Deplane and source some food, close to my gate. Delayed another hour. Wander to gate, lots of folks milling around. Do another lap, back to gate. Ticket agents are gone. And the board is flashing flight canceled. No one seems to have noticed. I check the app, and see I was rebooked to a red eye, flight the NEXT NIGHT. I say some pretty words, and get a txt shortly after saying the flight was canceled. Other folks start to take notice, as I start making phone calls and stare at the board. A few come over and ask me what I know. (I’m not sure why I became the point of contact).
No Agents to be found. Wander the entire Delta wing, and find one ticket agent for another flight. He makes some calls, and informs me they had no crew. And directed me to the delta help counter. I find it, made a few friends as we are standing in line. After an hour, it did not move 1 person. One of the gals next to me who had befriended me and asked advice when this started happening. Was waiting next to me, she starts messaging Delta on their app. It was also a connecting flight for her. (we had no bags, due to work I had to use a checked bag) They told her it was a mechanical problem. As her and I are talking, another gal says “, hey, were you guys supposed to be on this flight last night as well?” Turns out they canceled the LAX-DFW the day prior as well.
She finds out if we leave the terminal we can find a Delta agent at baggage claim. We find one, it takes an hour for them to find our bags. I book a room close to the hotel. (Thanks Hilton app, you work well). Get a bus to the uber lot. Uber to the room. It’s now pretty late, midnight or so.
Call DELTA and am on hold for another hour. When I am able to speak to someone, they inform me its ok, Ill get to DFW the following evening….. I explain, that won’t work. I’ve missed why I needed to be there at this point. She says but they can get ne to DFW it will just take a few extra days. I am no longer a cool cucumber and use my “ boss voice” to explain. AGAIN; they messed up, and need to get me back to PSC. I don’t live in Dallas and that won’t work. They Book me on a flight the next morning using United.
LAX-SFO-PSC.
That 05:00 alarm works well. Shuttle to LAX, Shuttle drops me at the wrong terminal. LAX is not a small airport, and current construction is hampering the walking paths. Thank Goodness for Global Entry. Makes quick work of TSA. Just enough for breakfast. Board, and sit on the tarmac for an hour. SFO has some flooding runways and is down to one.
Make it to SFO, just as my connection to PSC is Boarding. Only 6 gates away… those 6 gates are two different wings of the terminal. I am in the rear of the plane, deplaning is pretty slow. As I get the txt msgs and app notifications that my flight is currently boarding. I run like a crazy person through the airport. A great way to remind me, I have neglected my cardio the last few months.
I make it to the gate agent, breathing like im about to die. HE smiles, and says “You, the one we holding for? “ I reply, “yes sir PSC, Pawley”
He informs me I have plenty of time. As I scan the app he closes the gate behind me, and follows me down the jet bridge. As soon as I step foot in the cabin the jet bridge starts to move, and door closes.
United, Thank you so much for holding for me.
I step through the door, and the entire plane is looking at me. I breathlessly say, Thanks yall I appreciate it. It was either the way I was dressed, or I looked bad. They all just kind of smiled, with a few nods and “its ok(s), and thank yous”
My Uniform is Khaki Pants, Polo shirt and hat that says my last name and Medic. Sometimes the uniform really helps. I have to wonder if the other passengers would have been so nice had I been dressed differently.
The plane was probably ¾ full. Quite a lot of turbulence. They actually stated then canceled the snack/drink service.
Arrived in PSC, and mouthed “ Thank you so much for holding” to the flight staff. They all shook my hand and said “Glad you made it” The Piot said, you must have been the one sprinting through the terminals. We heard you were coming and laughed.
The Delta flights of the previous few days, had me a tad over cranky. In direct compassion to Yesterdays experience (United). What a juxtasposition. With any luck, my luggage should be here tonight.
I have flown, quite a bit. And flew a lot through the pandemic. This was the most effed ive been on flights. Including international, tiny bush planes, remote and austere medicine. Go Figure, it really is my fault for saying just a week prior. I’ve flown out of PSC hundreds of times with no issues…… I should of knocked on some wood.
No pictures of the travels, But here is one of Mishka the day prior on a walkabout. And a stupid meme that really made me laugh harder than it should of…
