VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, [4] ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 22:14:19 02/24/06 Fri
Author: Brooke
Subject: Sometimes I Hate Flying

Last week I went to Orlando/Daytona with my dad. Our main reason for going was for the Daytona 500. We also met up with Dax, Lynn, and John while there and it was so much fun! I hadn't seen Dax & Lynn in about 4 years I think. It was so great to see them again and finally meet John (DaxDad). Well, we spent Thursday & Friday in Orlando and went to Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure (which I LOVE). Neither has really changed much since I last went 4 years ago, but Islands is so much fun to me. Saturday & Sunday we drove to Daytona for the NASCAR Busch Series race & the Nextel Cup race. I LOVE NASCAR with a passion. It's so much fun - except for the weather on Sunday! It had been gorgeous all week long. Saturday I even got sunburned - it was 85 degrees & so sunny. Then Sunday, it was freezing cold and it drizzled all day long! It was so cold that you could see your breath - now that is COLD! The race was great, but the weather wasn't. Monday we headed to the airport. We both were on the flight from Orlando to Memphis and then we were parting ways (dad going to L.A. and me going to Huntsville, AL). Well, we got to Memphis and dad's plane was about to leave. My plane was to depart at 2:50pm for Huntsville. We look on the screens to see what gates we need to go to and wouldn't you know it...my flight is CANCELLED!!! Dad had to catch his flight, so I had to work things out with the airline. They said they "couldn't" provide the reason for the cancellation, but they apologized for the inconvenience. I figure either someone on the crew didn't show up or there weren't enough people on the flight. The woman told me that they had already booked me for a flight the next day (Tuesday) at 9am. They told me they'd put me up in a hotel for the night. I told them I had been in a hotel for almost a week and I was ready to get home, so I wanted to know what my options were. I was told my only other option was to take the 7:30pm flight to Atlanta where I would change over to Delta and leave at 11pm for Huntsville. I was fine with that...just as long as I could get home that night. Well, at around 6pm, we were told that our gate was changing, so I picked up my things and moved to the new gate. We were to board at 7pm, so at around 6:45 we're told that we'll be boarding at 7:30pm instead of 7pm. Then at 7:20 we're told that we're boarding at 8pm instead of 7:30. Then at around 7:50 we're told that we're boarding at 8:30 rather than 8pm. The pilot came out and talked with us and told us that the weather was bad in Atlanta and air traffic control wasn't letting anyone take off or land there. We FINALLY ended up boarding the plane at around 8:15 or 8:20 and the plane didn't take off until around 9:05pm Central Time. We got into Atlanta at 10pm ET (which is what time my flight was supposed to leave). I asked the person at the counter where my gate was and she said D33 (we were in concourse D, so that was great). Then I look at the screens and they say A33 (and that the flight was delayed until 11:10pm Central Time). So I figure I would check D33 first and someone stopped me, looked at my ticket, and said that I needed to go to A33. So I ran to the tram and of course A is the last stop on the thing. Amazingly there was no delay with this one departing and we began boarding at around 10:40pm and took off at around 11:10pm. When we landed in Huntsville, it was 12am Central Time. I went to baggage claim and guess what? My bags are not on the belt. Surprise, surprise. I actually expected that because of how many different flights I took throughout the day. So I went to the counter and there were 2 people ahead of me - I was the last person in line. When it was my turn, I handed the guy my papers and he says, "I may have good news for you...I just came from Northwest baggage claim and I'm prettty sure I saw your bags there." So finally something went right - my bags WERE there! They had made an earlier flight. So after getting my luggage, I started to head home at around 12:35am. I walked outside and it was super foggy because the weather had been terrible - rainy with freezing temperatures, which means ICE. I only live about an hour away from Huntsville, so under normal conditions, I should've been home by around 1:50am. But because of the fog and the icy conditions, I had to drive really slow. So I ended up getting home at 2:35am! My what should've been a short 7 hour travel time turned into 17 (from the time we left the hotel). It was TERRIBLE! Definitely the worst travelling experience I've ever had. I've flown a LOT and I usually love it, but I'm ruined for a while. It was so frustrating! My dad called me from Los Angeles and I was still sitting in the Memphis airport! I just wanted to cry! I could've flown to L.A. and back sooner than I got home! Heck, driving home from Memphis would only take 5 hours! Grr. I've already decided that when I go to Indianapolis in August, I am driving! I will not be flying! I know that some things are beyond their control (especially with weather), but I just don't agree with cancelling flights because there aren't enough people. We choose those certain flights for a reason. I wanted to get home early so that I could rest from my "vacation" before going to work the next day. But, that didn't happen - and I even had to miss half a day of work because of it. We all paid $$ for that specific flight and I just don't agree with cancelling a flight just because they could save a little cash. I had never flown Northwest before, but I won't be using them again unless it's absolutely necessary. Anyway, I'm home now. It's been a very busy week for me at work. I'm exhausted and I'm so happy that I get to sleep late tomorrow! :) Sorry it's so long, but it was a VERY LONG DAY!! haha

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> It was great seeing you again, Brooke--and wonderful to meet your dad. So sorry about your horrible trip home. Flying is really never fun, but especially trying when the encounter is as bad as yours was! What a nightmare trip! Did you and your dad enjoy hanging out at the DMP last Friday? Most of your week sounds like fun, at least! -- Lynn, 14:21:02 02/25/06 Sat [1]


[ Edit | View ]
[> [> Oh we LOVED it, of course! Hanging out with Dax at the DMP is always fun! :) I have been impressed by the things Dax has done for a very long time, but my Dad was very very impressed with all of the things Dax showed us. He told me later, "You never told me he was THAT talented." LOL I have told him a ton of things Dax has done, but I guess it doesn't come across until you actually see/hear it for yourself. I get my love for music from my Dad. So, getting to see/hear the technical side of it all is so intriguing to both of us. I knew my dad would love seeing the studio and he really, really did. It was probably one of the biggest highlights of the trip for both of us. :) Now I've gotta plan another trip down there to do it all again! :) -- Brooke, 16:23:48 02/25/06 Sat [1]


[ Edit | View ]

[> The start of your trip sounded like a lot of fun. Too bad you had crummy weather for the race. Sorry about your travel woes...wouldn't want to be in your shoes. By the way, I like the new default pic you're using from the trip. -- Janelle, 15:59:11 02/26/06 Sun [1]


[ Edit | View ]
[> [> What pic, Janelle? I don't see anything. (that reminds me--I took pics when we met up with Brooke abd her dad, and they are still in my camera! I'll try to post a few soon.) -- Lynn, 06:26:46 02/27/06 Mon [1]


[ Edit | View ]

[> [> [> sorry, sorry...pic is on another site -- Janelle, 23:48:50 02/28/06 Tue [1]


[ Edit | View ]

[> wow. been there & done that. I stuck in Minneapolis for 8 hours just to get on the next flight home to LA from NYC when I arrived EWK airport late (even I was on time to check in... damn ticket desk attendant which later I realized there was longest line to get through security checkpoint). Glad you had a great time in Orlando. :) -- Busta, 00:25:11 02/27/06 Mon [1]


[ Edit | View ]

[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT-5
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.