| Article Index |
|---|
| The Trip from Hell....... |
| Part Two |
| Epilogue |
| All Pages |
Or How I Survived A Canceled Flight, Non-supportive Airline & Travel Agents and Still Made it Home within an Hour and 60 Miles of my Intended Target- A True Story
Author's Note: The original story was written via e-mail to my friends as the events happened to me. I've attempted to retain the flavor of the e-mailing here. Let me know if it works.
Part One - How I Endured the Line from Hell(TM) and wiggled onto a Flight to Dallas.
Author: Anthony Baratta at Internet-Mail
Date: 2/6/96 10:15 AM
Priority: Normal
TO: *Buddies Mailing List
Subject: There should be a course on traveling cross country......
------------------------------- Message Contents -------------------------------
Hi...
Thought I'd type a few notes regarding my return trip from Philadelphia ....thought you would enjoy it.
The install in Philly went real smooth on Tues., in fact the whole trip was very smooth until today. I woke up before the alarm and was ready for the shuttle early. (Embassy Suites offers a cooked to order breakfast as part of the service so I ate instead of taking the early shuttle, my first mistake.)
So I was well rested and fed when I reached the Airport. I get inside the terminal and see the "Line from Hell" (TM). Literally stretching from one end of the terminal to the other (about 100 yards). I noticed that it ran past the American Airlines counter so I laughed and thought "Glad I'm not stuck in that line!!" I fought my way through the line (four to five people deep) and headed for the line queue at American. The line guard, a middle aged lady in an American Airlines Uniform stopped me and asked if I was going to Miami.
"No," I replied, "Dallas-Fortworth - then on to Oakland."
She looked at me sadly, "Your flights been canceled. This is the Miami Line, you need to be there." She pointed to the "Line from Hell"(TM) which was beginning to wrap back the way it had come.
"Excuse me?", I said, shell shocked. "Canceled?"
"Ice and freezing rain in Dallas." She stated. "You need to stand in line to re-book."
I then noticed that there were two line queues for American, and that no one was going to Miami.
Here it goes...I thought as visions of Trains, Planes, and Automobiles played through my head. Now all I need is a jovial fat guy to buddy up with (Those are NOT pillows!!! :). I parked my luggage in the ever expanding line and after a few minutes got a great idea. Why not call the travel agency and get booked on the next fight out before it fills up. That way I am assured a seat on the plane before I get to the ticker counter!!
The line hadn't moved in five minutes so I dashed over to the phones, pulled out my long distance calling card and dialed the travel agency. (They are in Oklahoma, down the street from the our Corporate Offices. I found out through the grape vine that the travel agency is an investor in our company, so the relationship is quite incestuous - but the travel agency's service has been pretty good.) After keying in the required 8 thousand digits, not including the travel agency phone number, I received a strange beep from the phone and a voice stating I am not authorized to call this number. I must have made a mistake I thought....and rekeyed the information. While I was waiting for a connection, I thought about how during the last round of layoffs, our 'wonderful and caring' HR department cut off the calling cards and American Express cards before some people had returned home. I chuckled sickly to myself. Again I heard the strange beep, and "You are not authorized to call this number. Code XT457."
Excuse Me? Since when have I not been allowed to call Oklahoma? I briefly thought that I had been terminated and/or Oklahoma had finally seceded from the Union. What to do I thought.....O.K. I'll call collect!! I dialed according to Larry Bud Mellman and followed the computer voice directions.....the computer operator kindly told me there was no answer. Oh yeah, duh!! They are a least an hour behind me - and its close to 7am in Philly now.
I almost meandered back into the line - it hadn't moved, when a thought stuck me. (Ouch!) Hey, they should have an 800 number, right? I scanned the itinerary.....yes there! Proudly, I dialed and waited. "Whsua edfsh ejh s sjd?" "Hello?" I replied. "Idh sdsi sehh seudh..." it stated. "I can't hear you very well, let me call you back." "Odjs."
I redialed....come on Bell Atlantic - give me a clean line. Who says you need to be in Atlantic City to gamble? The travel agent came on the line, the line was better, but not much.
"My travel code is AD348JY and my 7:30a flight's been canceled, can you book me on the next flight outta Philidelphia? Any Airline."
"Have you been to the Airline Counter, they need to re-book you." she replied, obviously bored with me already.
"They canceled the flight, so I consider my ticker invalid. Plus the line is at least three hours long, there are hundreds of people in line before me. I want to at least book a seat so that when I get to the counter everything is already set."
"Where are you and where are you going?" she replied even blander.
Don't you have that info in front of you, I yell in my mind, I gave you my travel code!!! I exhale and explained, "Sorry, I am in Philadelphia and I am trying to get to Oakland California, sometime today."
"O.K. I have you booked on a 12noon flight from Philly to Dallas...blah blah blah...." It was 7am now, great I've got four hours of seating in comfort and class at the Philadelphia International Airport. I shuffled back to the "Line from Hell" (TM) feeling pretty good about my end around the system - knowing I've got a seat waiting for me even if the line took four hours to complete. I attempt to strike up conversations with people in line - man take about stressed out travelers!! Seems that most of the people were flying to San Juan and their original flight was cancelled too. At least two planes worth of people had to check into new flights. I'd thought they would be in good humor just to be leaving the cold, even if a little late - at least they were going on vacation. I even received frowns and scowls when I tried to hum or whistle. Endless shuffling (about an hour) and I finally made it to the actual line queue!! American got wise about 30 minutes earlier and had every ticket windows open (20 or more), and were feeding everyone to an open window as they appeared. The line guards seemed to me like metering lights during rush hour traffic, "Bing! One traveler per window. Bing!'.
I only had three bags. compared to the tonnage going to San Juan. But after an hour I tired of kicking them across the floor every few minutes as the line surged, stopped, surged, stopped. As we approached the roped area of the line queue I noticed the aisle way the sky caps used for hauling their carts full of checked luggage. It ended right at the front of the queue next to the agent windows. So I strolled over there and deposited two of my bags next to the railing. (I kept my computer with me and left my software box and garment bag waiting for me to reach the front.) Well, talk about an idea spreading like wildfire......until then most people were kicking their luggage like I was. Only a few had deposited their luggage in the aisle way, like I just did. Well, I must have been the 11th monkey, because there was a proverbial flood of people dumping their luggage in the aisle way. It got so bad that the sky caps couldn't get through and my two suitcases were literally buried. (The "Line from Hell"(TM) still stretched down the terminal.) I meandered around the queue, as the line tightened up due to the extra space given up by the luggage. It was kind of funny, people thought they were actually moving because the line was decreasing in numbers of people, not luggage.
While standing in line I felt a tugging need to verify that my luggage was still there. I looked up from reading the paper - no one was in a mood to talk, and spied my garment bag. I couldn't see my software suitcase, but since my garment bag was moved from its original position, I figured that the suitcase was on the otherside where I couldn't see it. As I rounded a corner near the suitcases, I looked again - yes there is the garment bag, but I don't see the other suitcase. I craned my neck to look on the other side - nothing. Oh, great....
I ditched the line and walked over the piled duffel bags, flowered suitcases and large taped boxes. A skycap was collecting a pile of duffel bags. While scanning for my other suitcase I spied a familiar looking black rectangle emerging from the floor pile of duffel bags the skycap was working on....there she is, I sighed. I snatched the wayward case before it could complete its defection to San Juan. Once over the border I suspected it would have made its way to Eastern Europe or South Africa.
Anyhow - I finally reached the front of the line and started talking with one of the line guards, a lady in her mid-thirties. I explained that I was supposed to be on the 7:30a flight.
"That flights been canceled." she interjected.
I rolled my eyes...."Oh, yes..."I replied with a smile, "I've known that for an hour now."
"Sorry." she said sheepishly.
Another Line guard (the first one I talked to.) yelled to the younger one "One?, Traveling is one?"
The younger line guard looked at me and I replied - "I'm just one."
"O.K. follow her to the open windows down there." and she point halfway down the ticket window aisle.
I reached for my bags as the older line guard walked up to me briskly up to me, she seemed impatient that I was not moving fast enough.
"You are going to San Juan???" she queried.
"No - Dallas-Forth Worth." I said quizically.
They both replied "We are only processing San Juan right now, please step back."
At the same time, another window opened up and someone behind me started yelling, "There's an open window!" I had taken a step back at the command from the line guard, but when I heard the frustrated person behind me I stepped forward grabbed my bags and turned to walk towards the open window. The older line guard stepped in front of me and blocked my way. With people frozen behind me, confused - the two line guards trying to figure out me, the yeller pushed past three other people waiting and strode towards the open window.
Take a lude, I thought to myself, you selfish uptight bastard. I started to wait for the next available window, when the line guards complete with their decision for me, came at me. "Please wait over there." They pointed back to the Miami line queue, right where I was refused one hour earlier!!!
"Excuse me??" Trying not to sound riled and a little pissed.
"We need to process the San Juan people." they replied like robots.
"I'm not even suppose to be here. Can't I see the next ticket agent?" I looked at the younger ling guard with what I hoped was a fornlorn look.
Sheepishly, the younger line guard pointed to the aisle where I had temporarily deposited my luggage and said, "Wait here for that agent." And she pointed to a window right in front of me.
I moved out of the line....it surge forward with relief that I was out of their way. I thought to myself, what could I pay the sky cap to take me with the luggage...?Well, the window freed up quickly and I stepped rapidly forward before another crazed vacationer commandeered the agent. I handed the lady my ticket and stated that I was supposed to be on the 7:30a flight to Dallas-Fortworth.
"Oh...that flight's been canceled." she replied.
"My god!" I exclaimed with mock horro. "And I thought I was going to miss it!! How come nobody told me!!"
She smiled and typed on her terminal- I assume she understood my sarcasm. She added that someone should have contacted me and asked for my tickets. I handed them to her. She took the tickets ripped them out of the holder, began typing some more and stated that according the all knowing computer some one had attempted to contact me at 1:30am but there was no contact number.
I replied, "That's o.k. - I'd rather not have them wake the kids at home." Visions of Peggy being up till 4am trying to put them back to sleep.
I added that I had already called my travel agent and booked a seat on the 12n flight. The agent checked me in, with a lot of typing and tearing of paper, and took my luggage. She typed, tore some more paper, typed again, ripped some tickets out of a printer, slammed them between a stapler and handed be back the final result, my new tickets. Booked on the next flight out and luggage checked, I left feeling that the hour was not completely wasted and I had not lost it like the others.
I wandered up to the gate to get my bearings and grab a seat before the rush - I only had four hours before the flight!!!! I camped out and looked for a power outlet for my laptop. I found out quickly that Philly is not a technology center. Not only do they not have data jack in their pay phones, but there are only power outlets by their drinking fountains. I envisioned myself spending four hours sitting on the floor next to a drinking fountain playing DOOM or Pinball. Laughing I found a seat. By now the time was 8:15a and my gate was being used for a Chicago flight. They closed the doors promptly at 8:20a the scheduled departure time and the plane left. Ten minutes later a lady came running up and literally bounced off the door. "No!!" she screamed, "No!!!" She stood fuming, looked out the window next to the door, saw that the plane was gone and stomped off. I leaned over to the gentleman next to me and whispered, "She should have got here four hours early like me." He chuckled, he was on the canceled flight too.
I wandered up to the counter and asked the agent how could I tell if the next flight to Dallas-Fortworth was canceled also. She typed on her terminal and stated that the plane was still scheduled to leave. I asked if I should check every hour because if I can't get out of here I might as well go back to the Hotel. She replied that most flights are operating, the ones that depended on a flight coming here from where the cold storm hit before going elsewhere are having the most problems. My 7:30a flight originated from the storm impact area. (I didn't know that the effected area was most of the midwest from Utah to Chicago to Dallas-Fort Worth). Semi-satisfied I returned to my camping chair.
I finished reading the paper and at a nearby gate American started calling for boarding for a Dallas-Fortworth departure at 9am. 9am!!! How come I didn't know about that one? Yea...its going on to San Diego - but I would be in Texas by the time my flight was scheduled to leave Philly!!!
I jumped up and stood in the ticket window line queue. After standing in the Line from Hell (TM), this was tiny, not worth fretting. I made it to the front as they started calling the second half of fliers. "Hi." I smiled. "I was on the CANCELED 7:30a flight and they booked me on the 12n. Is there a way I can get on this flight so I don't have to wait another 3 hours?" I hastily added..."I don't care if my luggage follows me on this flight."
"Good." she replied typing away, "It's too late for your luggage to make this flight. Please wait until we call your name." She reached for my tickets and ripped them out of the holder. She propped them next to the terminal and began her little ritual of typing some more, picking up tickets, tearing some paper and then repeating.
I stepped aside, nervous. Could it be a break? Maybe I could catch an earlier flight out of Texas, and pick up my luggage later? Too good to be true, I thought.
I paced around and they made the last call for boarding passengers....I paced again. The agents typed, tore and talked. I walked up to the counter and watched them, type and type and tear and chat. Type and type and tear and chat. One of them looked up and asked if they could help me.
"I'm waiting for standby" I tried to state with out a hint of pitfulness.
"Please wait, if we call your name, you can get on the flight."
I'm waiting - I'm waiting - I thought. I paced, they typed and tore and then spoke, "Mr. Johnson. Mr. Johnson?" No one walked up, they typed and tore and then spoke again. "Mr. Franklin. Mr. Franklin" No one walked up, they typed and tore. Long pause, they typed and tore and typed and tore. I paced, they typed and tore and spoke. "Mr. Silvester. Mr. Silvester." A gentleman got up and went to the counter, they typed and tore, pounded on a stapler, handed him a set of tickets. They returned to typing and tearing and then spoke again, "Mr. Ratta. Mr. Ratta."
I walked up to the counter cautiously....."Anthony?" I asked.
"Uh...." she said not looking up. She typed. She tore some more paper and typed, tore and typed. She slammed some paper in a stapler and handed me a boarding pass and I joyfully walked on the plane. I glanced down at my seat assignment 32F.....the back of the plane. Luckily most of the passengers were already sitting and I easily scooted to the back. I found my seat, sopme space for my carry ons and settled in.
But something was gnawing me. I glanced at my boarding pass. The name said Ratta/M. Hmmmm....did they really call Ratta, instead of Baratta? I looked at my Dallas-Fortworth to Oakland ticket and it said Baratta/A. Maybe - but I wasn't going to say anything now. I kept silent and we took off - late. But we were heading for Texas!!!!
I have to leave you hanging for now - because I am typing this on the way to Texas. I don't even know how this is going to work out.
