Airport Sitting Round #2 and #3
July 2, 2018
Austin International Airport--1st Bump
Dallas-Fort Worth Airport-Texas--2nd Bump
Ok, well, I'm back at the airport... the Dallas Fort Worth Airport that is. I am trying to get to Seattle for the second leg of my trip. I was scheduled to leave Austin for DFW at 7:58am... I was bumped. I am flying Standby and that can sometimes happen. I made it on the next flight at 9:20 but once here in Dallas I was bumped AGAIN. So I'm scheduled on the "next flight" leaving DFW at 2:50. We shall see. Oh, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE. My son, Jared, is already there. Hopefully, he will be able to get out and explore a bit while I'm trying to make my way there. (he was there five hours ahead of me, and yes, he did get out an explore Seattle for a bit before I got there)
Let me tell you what. DFW is a HUGE airport. Since I've been here I've been on the SkyLink twice. I guess I've made an entire loop around the place by now. They've started calling "standby names." I'm sitting here chomping at the bit and praying to make it on this one. (PS. I did make it on the plane; I was the last passenger. I arrived in Seattle at 5:00 pm)
July 8, 2018
SeaTac International Airport- Washington
It's midnight and my flight is FULL. I'm not going to get on that airplane with my son. We had arranged our flights so that we could fly back to Charlotte TOGETHER. The passengers are boarding the plane and Jared waits until the last possible minute in hopes that I just "might" make it on. It becomes crystal clear that I'm not going to make it. I have to tell him "bye" in a hurry so he can board. After he leaves the tears start running down my face. You know the kind that no matter how hard you try, you just can't stop them? Well, I couldn't help it. I was so. sad. I wasn't on that plane with him. Not how we planned it but it's how it ended up, but before he got on the plane we took a couple of pictures.
I checked with the American Airlines girl and the next flight to CLT wasn't until 5:20am and this flight was also very full. The chances of me making this flight were also slim to none. There were 16 people in front of me on the stand-by list. OMG!! She told me I could fly into Chicago or Phoenix and try that route but I would only be taking the same chances there as well. It could be Monday before I got home. In a panic, I began looking up flights on AA. There was ONE seat available. ONE. So get this..a one-way ticket to Charlotte, NC, cost $605. SIX HUNDRED and FIVE DOLLARS. I'm not even kidding. Did I purchase that ticket? I sure did. I HAD to get home on Sunday. I was to start teaching summer school on Monday morning; I couldn't be absent. I was trying to maintain steady breathing as I typed in my credit card number and was telling myself, "It's only money. It's only money. This was an amazing trip. Just do it. You have to get home!"
I ended up spending the night in the airport waiting on the 6:00am flight to roll around. I got a few moments of "dozing" and I froze, but I made it through. Let me tell you, airports are pretty deserted between the hours of 2:00-4:00am, but right around 4:30 the people start pouring in. It's crazy. I used to enjoy flying. I preferred flying over any other form of transportation. Now, not so much. It's a pain. The planes are small and cramped and overbooked. You don't get free snacks or meals anymore. You have to pay for everything... more leg room, checked bags, a seat closer to the front, food, etc... Will the "pain in the ___" flying situation cause me not to travel anymore? Heck, NO. I love traveling, but it will make me pause and rethink "Buddy Pass" flying especially over a major holiday. Oh, and as an added kicker, the Special Olympics were held in Seattle that same week. What does that mean? It means another reason why flights were so incredibly full on the return back home. I had lost my seat before I had even arrived.
However, I had a wonderful amazing trip visiting my three boys. I will write it about it in another post. The horrible flight problems were worth it. I loved every minute of my time in Texas and Washington. I just won't be flying anywhere anytime soon. ;o)
Enjoy your adventures wherever they may take you!
D~
Austin International Airport--1st Bump
Dallas-Fort Worth Airport-Texas--2nd Bump
Ok, well, I'm back at the airport... the Dallas Fort Worth Airport that is. I am trying to get to Seattle for the second leg of my trip. I was scheduled to leave Austin for DFW at 7:58am... I was bumped. I am flying Standby and that can sometimes happen. I made it on the next flight at 9:20 but once here in Dallas I was bumped AGAIN. So I'm scheduled on the "next flight" leaving DFW at 2:50. We shall see. Oh, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE. My son, Jared, is already there. Hopefully, he will be able to get out and explore a bit while I'm trying to make my way there. (he was there five hours ahead of me, and yes, he did get out an explore Seattle for a bit before I got there)
Let me tell you what. DFW is a HUGE airport. Since I've been here I've been on the SkyLink twice. I guess I've made an entire loop around the place by now. They've started calling "standby names." I'm sitting here chomping at the bit and praying to make it on this one. (PS. I did make it on the plane; I was the last passenger. I arrived in Seattle at 5:00 pm)
July 8, 2018
SeaTac International Airport- Washington
It's midnight and my flight is FULL. I'm not going to get on that airplane with my son. We had arranged our flights so that we could fly back to Charlotte TOGETHER. The passengers are boarding the plane and Jared waits until the last possible minute in hopes that I just "might" make it on. It becomes crystal clear that I'm not going to make it. I have to tell him "bye" in a hurry so he can board. After he leaves the tears start running down my face. You know the kind that no matter how hard you try, you just can't stop them? Well, I couldn't help it. I was so. sad. I wasn't on that plane with him. Not how we planned it but it's how it ended up, but before he got on the plane we took a couple of pictures.
I checked with the American Airlines girl and the next flight to CLT wasn't until 5:20am and this flight was also very full. The chances of me making this flight were also slim to none. There were 16 people in front of me on the stand-by list. OMG!! She told me I could fly into Chicago or Phoenix and try that route but I would only be taking the same chances there as well. It could be Monday before I got home. In a panic, I began looking up flights on AA. There was ONE seat available. ONE. So get this..a one-way ticket to Charlotte, NC, cost $605. SIX HUNDRED and FIVE DOLLARS. I'm not even kidding. Did I purchase that ticket? I sure did. I HAD to get home on Sunday. I was to start teaching summer school on Monday morning; I couldn't be absent. I was trying to maintain steady breathing as I typed in my credit card number and was telling myself, "It's only money. It's only money. This was an amazing trip. Just do it. You have to get home!"
I ended up spending the night in the airport waiting on the 6:00am flight to roll around. I got a few moments of "dozing" and I froze, but I made it through. Let me tell you, airports are pretty deserted between the hours of 2:00-4:00am, but right around 4:30 the people start pouring in. It's crazy. I used to enjoy flying. I preferred flying over any other form of transportation. Now, not so much. It's a pain. The planes are small and cramped and overbooked. You don't get free snacks or meals anymore. You have to pay for everything... more leg room, checked bags, a seat closer to the front, food, etc... Will the "pain in the ___" flying situation cause me not to travel anymore? Heck, NO. I love traveling, but it will make me pause and rethink "Buddy Pass" flying especially over a major holiday. Oh, and as an added kicker, the Special Olympics were held in Seattle that same week. What does that mean? It means another reason why flights were so incredibly full on the return back home. I had lost my seat before I had even arrived.
However, I had a wonderful amazing trip visiting my three boys. I will write it about it in another post. The horrible flight problems were worth it. I loved every minute of my time in Texas and Washington. I just won't be flying anywhere anytime soon. ;o)
Enjoy your adventures wherever they may take you!
D~
Comments
Post a Comment