Hurry Up and Wait

No one has mastered the principle of Hurry Up and Wait like the airlines. Bless them, it's not always (or even usually) their fault. But, it is still miserable to be stuck on the runway for an hour. Especially stuck on the runway for an hour just before a 4 1/2 hour flight! Yeah, and then the pilot comes on and says... it'll be another 15 minutes! You know that went down like a lead balloon.

Never mind. we're finally on our way. I'm shattered, but looking forward to meeting my friend. And sleeping. Going to be honest. Looking forward to sleeping.

6 am flight tomorrow's going to be "fun". But, it shouldn't be a full flight. Fingers crossed again!

Psych!

Yeah, you all thought I was either not getting out tonight, or winging my way to Minneapolis on rout to Billings. Well I fooled you! I'm on the last flight out to Phoenix! Yep, I'm going south instead of north. Figured since I was not going to get to meet my friend in Minneapolis, I could at least meet my friend in Phoenix! Ok, so maybe it had more to do with the fact that there was simply no way I was getting on that last flight. I quickly hurried to the rebooking desk and had them switch my ticket to Phoenix, which was leaving in literally 30 minutes, and on the other side of the terminal! I rang my friend as I ran to the gate. And my seat assignment was waiting for me.

I'm in the "nose bleed section" (ie - the very back of the plane) but hey, who cares! I'm ON.

Means I won't get home tonight (which.... kind of is the same as if I'd gone to Billings, which isn't home, either). My friend very kindly said I could crash with her. She only lives 20 minutes from the airport, so it's not too difficult. Of course tomorrow.... it will be an even sillier o'clock of the morning than today. Except, of course, that I don't have to check baggage (it's in Salt Lake). So, even though the flight is at 6 am, I don't have to get there at 4. 4.30 should be enough ;)

Seat!

It's in the FAARRRR back, but who the heck cares at this point?

NEARLY THERE!!!

Watching the list. I'm now #2 on the list, and there are 3 seats.... so.... Eeeek! Adrenaline is FLOWING!

Wait... what?

Ok, that was weird.

I didn't get on the Minneapolis flight. They said all of us had been transferred to the Atlanta flight... What Atlanta flight? The one that was supposed to be leaving at the same time as this one? Because if so, WHY ON EARTH could you do that for this flight, but not the Miami flight, which had extra room?!? And left half an hour after the flight I was originally trying for? So confused.

Anyway, we all trouped back to the Atlanta flight (which was next to the Boston flight we'd all failed to get on earlier) and the desk attendants there looked at us and said, Why are you here? We said, the Minneapolis folks said they transferred us to your flight. They just shook their heads and transferred us to the last flight of the day (JFK).

Bless her, the poor attendant was the same one who'd tried to get us on the flight last night to JFK. She felt SO bad we hadn't got on. Obviously we knew it wasn't her fault! We were really kind to her, and had a chat. She said, "I don't know what gate the JFK will be at." I said, "Probably gate 10. Yes, I have been here that long!" She laughed and told us good luck.

Incidentally, she was the same attendant who'd transferred my listing from the JFK to the Boston flight this morning, in the middle of boarding! (Wait... was it JFK to Boston? Or was it somewhere else.... I've seriously lost track now!)

Right. One more chance tonight. There are currently 14 people on the standby list. I'm towards the bottom (but *shock* NOT the last!) We'll see if I get on. However, the plane is currently +3 (meaning they've still got 3 empty seats) and it's raining, and the M3 is closed.... which means more people might miss their connection.

I'm an evil person to be wishing horrible things on the paying customers!

Right. Hopefully I make the flight. Still have to admit to hoping for a 1st class seat.... I said I was an evil person, not a stupid one!