Let's be honest, this was overdue
Jun. 17th, 2008 11:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jianantonicGiven all the traveling I've done in the last year, it's a miracle I've never had any major problems. No lost luggage, no delayed flights, no bumps, nothing like that. Sure, there were lots of smelly, crying babies and lots of anxiety and stomach issues, but these are minor inconveniences in the grand scheme of things. Yesterday, my lucky streak ended.
Through Priceline, which I've had issues with in the past, but still has some of the best deals, McKenzie booked my flights west. The best deal was Reagan to JFK on Delta, then switching to United at JFK and flying the rest of the way to Medford on United, via SF. I was sort of sweating the airline switch, because I knew I had a short (90 min) layover and would have to probably hustle from one end of the airport to another and check in and all that. I was prepared for this to be a hassle even if everything went smoothly. What I was not prepared for was a completely unnecessary one-hour delay leaving Reagan. It was all because too many assholes were trying to bring oversized carry-on bags on a TINY plane. Seriously, more than half of the people on this flight had to check bags that they were trying to carry on. The gate agents were none too efficient, either, thus the hour delay. Before we even took off, I knew I'd miss my connection. I freaked out the whole way to JFK. We landed with 30 minutes to go before I was to catch my other flight. But where the fuck was the United terminal? On the other side of the whole giantest airport in the US. Not only on the other side, but here's the stupid part. You can't get from one terminal to the other at JFK without going outside the airport, which means going through security again. I ran like hell, and got to the United terminal right as the plane I was supposed to be on was leaving -- a good 45 minutes too late to board it, that's without even trying to go through the long security lines. So even if my first plane had been on time, going through security and checking in again would've been impossible. I never had a chance to catch that plane. Fuck you, Priceline. You booked me an impossible itinerary. You must not have realized that I am a professional travel writer, hmm? Well that's just too bad for you.
Anyway, the ticket agent at the United desk was VERY sympathetic and helpful -- she was the only one all day. She couldn't get me on anything better than standby to get to Medford on United, but she did find me a Delta flight through Salt Lake City, leaving in one hour. That's one hour to get back to the Delta terminal, through their security lines, and get checked in over there. Because of the last minute switch, gate agents at Delta had issues with this and I was really concerned I'd miss this flight, too. They let me cut to the front of the security line after they got it FINALLY figured out, and I got to the gate as the flight was boarding. I did not go to the bathroom or eat anything all day.
When I boarded the plane for my 6-hour SLC flight, there was no space in the overhead bin for my carry-on, so I asked a flight attendant what to do with it. Before I could take out the book I'd brought, he grabbed the bag and stowed it for me several aisles back. Fuck. No reading material for six long hours. I tried to sleep; couldn't. I tried to read the in-flight magazine; it sucked. I ended up just staring out the window the whole time, badly having to pee but not wanting to wake the two men I'd have to ask to get up if I wanted to get to the bathroom. It was an incredibly uncomfortable six hours. And boring. My god.
In Salt Lake, I had thirty blissful minutes before my flight would board. I had time to pee, call my husband, get out a book, and relax. It was the best possible way to spend 30 minutes surrounded by Mormons. Only a 90-minute flight stood between me and Medford, and I'd never been happier to arrive in a shithole town like this than I was last night. When the flight attendant announced that we were beginning our descent, I started grinning like a fool and didn't stop until I was asleep. It's a damn good thing I didn't check baggage, because it would've gone on without me (or also missed the connection) and that would've been another huge source of stress. Hmm, another point to hit Priceline with. After all, how many people do you know that fly cross-country without checking luggage?
So in the end, I did make it to Medford on schedule, just on a very different path. I'm bummed that I didn't get to see SF, pissed over all the stress I went through yesterday, and happier than ever to be in the same place as my husband -- except that he's already gone to work for the day and I won't see him for another eight hours or so. But we're both on the ground in the same state, and that is a glorious thing. I just wish every muscle in my body didn't ache so much.
Peace.
Through Priceline, which I've had issues with in the past, but still has some of the best deals, McKenzie booked my flights west. The best deal was Reagan to JFK on Delta, then switching to United at JFK and flying the rest of the way to Medford on United, via SF. I was sort of sweating the airline switch, because I knew I had a short (90 min) layover and would have to probably hustle from one end of the airport to another and check in and all that. I was prepared for this to be a hassle even if everything went smoothly. What I was not prepared for was a completely unnecessary one-hour delay leaving Reagan. It was all because too many assholes were trying to bring oversized carry-on bags on a TINY plane. Seriously, more than half of the people on this flight had to check bags that they were trying to carry on. The gate agents were none too efficient, either, thus the hour delay. Before we even took off, I knew I'd miss my connection. I freaked out the whole way to JFK. We landed with 30 minutes to go before I was to catch my other flight. But where the fuck was the United terminal? On the other side of the whole giantest airport in the US. Not only on the other side, but here's the stupid part. You can't get from one terminal to the other at JFK without going outside the airport, which means going through security again. I ran like hell, and got to the United terminal right as the plane I was supposed to be on was leaving -- a good 45 minutes too late to board it, that's without even trying to go through the long security lines. So even if my first plane had been on time, going through security and checking in again would've been impossible. I never had a chance to catch that plane. Fuck you, Priceline. You booked me an impossible itinerary. You must not have realized that I am a professional travel writer, hmm? Well that's just too bad for you.
Anyway, the ticket agent at the United desk was VERY sympathetic and helpful -- she was the only one all day. She couldn't get me on anything better than standby to get to Medford on United, but she did find me a Delta flight through Salt Lake City, leaving in one hour. That's one hour to get back to the Delta terminal, through their security lines, and get checked in over there. Because of the last minute switch, gate agents at Delta had issues with this and I was really concerned I'd miss this flight, too. They let me cut to the front of the security line after they got it FINALLY figured out, and I got to the gate as the flight was boarding. I did not go to the bathroom or eat anything all day.
When I boarded the plane for my 6-hour SLC flight, there was no space in the overhead bin for my carry-on, so I asked a flight attendant what to do with it. Before I could take out the book I'd brought, he grabbed the bag and stowed it for me several aisles back. Fuck. No reading material for six long hours. I tried to sleep; couldn't. I tried to read the in-flight magazine; it sucked. I ended up just staring out the window the whole time, badly having to pee but not wanting to wake the two men I'd have to ask to get up if I wanted to get to the bathroom. It was an incredibly uncomfortable six hours. And boring. My god.
In Salt Lake, I had thirty blissful minutes before my flight would board. I had time to pee, call my husband, get out a book, and relax. It was the best possible way to spend 30 minutes surrounded by Mormons. Only a 90-minute flight stood between me and Medford, and I'd never been happier to arrive in a shithole town like this than I was last night. When the flight attendant announced that we were beginning our descent, I started grinning like a fool and didn't stop until I was asleep. It's a damn good thing I didn't check baggage, because it would've gone on without me (or also missed the connection) and that would've been another huge source of stress. Hmm, another point to hit Priceline with. After all, how many people do you know that fly cross-country without checking luggage?
So in the end, I did make it to Medford on schedule, just on a very different path. I'm bummed that I didn't get to see SF, pissed over all the stress I went through yesterday, and happier than ever to be in the same place as my husband -- except that he's already gone to work for the day and I won't see him for another eight hours or so. But we're both on the ground in the same state, and that is a glorious thing. I just wish every muscle in my body didn't ache so much.
Peace.
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no subject
Date: 2008-06-17 05:04 pm (UTC)The really tight connection is bad as a result, especially considering they could've just booked you on a flight 30 minutes earlier from DC to JFK... with flights occuring that regularly.
6 HOURS FROM JFK TO SLC!? What were they flying, a blimp!?
All in all, sounds like my Paris / Munich flight. However, good to hear that you got there safely and in the same day with all your belongings intact.
no subject
Date: 2008-06-17 05:07 pm (UTC)