Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Don't Be Jealous

Sunday, December 21
6:15pm - Leave for airport in the snow.
6:45pm - Finally make it out of the city after searching for a freeway entrance that didn't include a giant hill.
7:11pm - Arrive at Sea-Tac after seeing a car facing the wrong direction on the freeway.
7:38pm - Bags are checked. Despite being the 3rd person in line and having checked-in online, it still took 30 minutes. Two people working the counter.
7:55 pm - Arrive at gate S7 and prepare for "2 hours" of waiting. Flight is still showing an ON TIME departure of 10:40pm.
9:00pm - It is announced that the flight will be delayed until 12:15 am due to the late arrival of the inbound flight crew. I miscalculate and think the delay is only 35 minutes.
9:30pm - Finally realize that the delay is 1.5 hours. Bummer.
10:00-11:00pm - Watch five episodes of Rob & Big with commentary on. Best decision I made while packing. Worst decision - not packing all of seasons 1 & 2.
11:45pm - Inbound flight crew arrives.

Monday, December 22
12:30am - It is announced that there will be further delays due to mechanical problems with the de-icer. What they should have said, "We have no de-icer".
1:14am - Announced that flight will leave at 1:35am.
1:30am - People start lining up at the gate. I stay in my seat.
1:55am - Still waiting on the de-icer. Told it will be another hour.
2:45am - Flight delayed until an unknown time but it definitely won't be until morning. News flash Northwest Airlines- it is morning.
3:00am - Flight delayed until 1pm. For the mathematically challenged that's 10 hours.
3:15am - Make my way back to my chair and try to mentally prepare for another 10 hours.
4:00am - Sleep.
8:00am - Wake up after the most uncomfortable, interrupted night of sleep.
8:30am - Call work and let them know that I won't be able to work from home.
8:45am - Head to Hudson News to find a toothbrush. They were sold out. Buy gum instead - NOT THE SAME.
10:30am - Call in for a team meeting at work.
10:35am - Announce that the plane we will be taking to Detroit has finally arrived.
12:00pm - Announce that the flight will leave at 12:30pm.
12:25pm - Waiting for flight crew (again) because they were told the flight was leaving at 1pm.
12:40pm - Flight crew shows up.
12:59pm - Sitting in my seat and trying not to breathe on my neighbor.
1:20pm - Wake up to the plane clapping and cheering as we lift off the ground.
8:30pm (Eastern) - Land!
9:30pm - Bags show up after a slight heart attack thinking they were lost and get picked up in the freezing cold temperatures.

6 comments:

Lindsay Jane said...

Steph...that sucks, but you left out one part. Call Lindsay at 3:20AM giving her a heart attache because no call at that time is good news.

stephanielynn said...

Oh, right. Sorry about that...

Matthew said...

Sounds like my trip to Boston a couple of years ago...except that happened to me on the way there and on the way home. Granted, the flights left on their normally scheduled airtime, but I was riding buddy pass style and was left behind to try and catch the next plane twice. Add to that, there was no possible way to get home for a couple of days unless I flew to Las Vegas and bought a Southwest ticket to fly up to the SLC.

So yeah, I slept in both the Salt Lake airport and the New York airport...one trip.

Not fun. I feel your pain.

Anonymous said...

man that sucks. but hey, you're home and had a good Christmas. :)

Sarah said...

I'm so glad you made it! We very nearly had a similar experience flying the opposite direction and narrowly escaped spending the night in Denver, but ended up having a bit more luck. Enjoy MI, and say hi to all the old friends. I wish my family were still there so I could come visit!

Anonymous said...

laughed out loud when you said "newsflash Northwest, it is morning." Too funny. Glad you finally made it