So You Think You Had a Bad Day?
Well, today is the day that I leave for the great country of Denmark. My plane left the airport at a not-so-prompt 1 hour and 15 minutes late leaving Kansas City at 8:30. The snow had begun to really get bad, and soon the visiblity out the plane's window was null and void. Soon after, we get the news. Our plane is being diverted. No air traffic to or from Chicago for the rest of the night. and this is at 10:00. Oh, right, I forgot to mention that we had to taxi around in the air of O'Hare since all but one of the runways was iced over from the sleet. We taxied for about 20 minutes before we got the news... So our flight was diverted.
We ended up in Indianapolis, completely missing my connecting flight to Denmark, which was supposed to leave at 10:05 pm. It didn't leave, because of the weather, and instead it was scheduled for Saturday at the same time. Well, as you can imagine no one was happy to be in the good ole city of Indy. However, instead of waiting out the storm, and quickly being on our way, there was a mechanical issue with the plane, due to all the ice. So.... we were delayed again. The time is now close to Midnight. The airline booked everyone into a hotel, and provide shuttle service to and from. The shuttle was late. We waited outside, in 35 degree temperatures, for 30 minutes. Finally, we arrive at the hotel, bussed over in groups of ten, only to stand in another line. A little old lady behind the desk, oblivious to the fact that there are some 60 passengers waiting in line(which just so happens to extend outside and bend around the corner of the building), takes every nimble finger and proceeds to hen peck at the keyboard to try and find us all accomodation. At this point, I decided to sit down.
Next to me, a girl that had travel on the plane as well asked where I was from. Turns out, she is a KU girl/fan. We got to talking, more over me insulting their baskteball team, and her having nothing to retort except, "Well, so..." As luck would have it, it was her birthday, and I had just happended to take 2 beers with me on my carry on. So, after a long day, we cracked open two, slightly warm, very strong beers. The time is now 1:30 am.
After we finished our beer, our place in line fell to dead last. Once we got inside, we were astonished to find that only 2 suites remained for us. A nice king size suite. plush carpeting, huge couch, jacuzzi bath, large shower, the works. Needless to say, a very nice room. Granted, the time is now creeping just past 2:15 once I stroll into my room. Also, did I mention that our departing flight for Chicago the next day was at 7 am? And we were required to check-in at 5:30 am. once I took a shower, it was 3:00 am. My scheduled shuttle to return to the airport had been set at 4:00 am. This was also since I was last in line. So instead of sleeping for an hour, I stayed up.
At the airport, reluctant to expect anything accomdating, or comfortable, we stand in line for nearly an hour before United Airlines even opens. Then, they tell us we're in the wrong line, and move all 60 of us 6 feet to the right... 6 FEET!!! ugh.... My turn finally came, and so began the last dance of my night. I had missed all direct flights to Copenhagen from Chicago. Not a single seat left. I would have to wait until Sunday night to fly out. However, after argueing with the lady for about 20 minutes, telling her I have to be there Sunday afternoon, she miraculously finds a seat flying out of Newark to Copenhagen at 5:30 pm. So, I was to fly from Indy to Chicago, from Chicago to Newark, and from Newark to Denmark. if that isn't the biggest run around of all time, I don't know what is. So here I am, stuck in O'Hare, for 5 hours while, again, I have to wait. I can only imagine what adventures await me as I step off the plane and, yet again, wait at the airport in Newark. Oh well, at least they got me in on 1st class half the way!!
We ended up in Indianapolis, completely missing my connecting flight to Denmark, which was supposed to leave at 10:05 pm. It didn't leave, because of the weather, and instead it was scheduled for Saturday at the same time. Well, as you can imagine no one was happy to be in the good ole city of Indy. However, instead of waiting out the storm, and quickly being on our way, there was a mechanical issue with the plane, due to all the ice. So.... we were delayed again. The time is now close to Midnight. The airline booked everyone into a hotel, and provide shuttle service to and from. The shuttle was late. We waited outside, in 35 degree temperatures, for 30 minutes. Finally, we arrive at the hotel, bussed over in groups of ten, only to stand in another line. A little old lady behind the desk, oblivious to the fact that there are some 60 passengers waiting in line(which just so happens to extend outside and bend around the corner of the building), takes every nimble finger and proceeds to hen peck at the keyboard to try and find us all accomodation. At this point, I decided to sit down.
Next to me, a girl that had travel on the plane as well asked where I was from. Turns out, she is a KU girl/fan. We got to talking, more over me insulting their baskteball team, and her having nothing to retort except, "Well, so..." As luck would have it, it was her birthday, and I had just happended to take 2 beers with me on my carry on. So, after a long day, we cracked open two, slightly warm, very strong beers. The time is now 1:30 am.
After we finished our beer, our place in line fell to dead last. Once we got inside, we were astonished to find that only 2 suites remained for us. A nice king size suite. plush carpeting, huge couch, jacuzzi bath, large shower, the works. Needless to say, a very nice room. Granted, the time is now creeping just past 2:15 once I stroll into my room. Also, did I mention that our departing flight for Chicago the next day was at 7 am? And we were required to check-in at 5:30 am. once I took a shower, it was 3:00 am. My scheduled shuttle to return to the airport had been set at 4:00 am. This was also since I was last in line. So instead of sleeping for an hour, I stayed up.
At the airport, reluctant to expect anything accomdating, or comfortable, we stand in line for nearly an hour before United Airlines even opens. Then, they tell us we're in the wrong line, and move all 60 of us 6 feet to the right... 6 FEET!!! ugh.... My turn finally came, and so began the last dance of my night. I had missed all direct flights to Copenhagen from Chicago. Not a single seat left. I would have to wait until Sunday night to fly out. However, after argueing with the lady for about 20 minutes, telling her I have to be there Sunday afternoon, she miraculously finds a seat flying out of Newark to Copenhagen at 5:30 pm. So, I was to fly from Indy to Chicago, from Chicago to Newark, and from Newark to Denmark. if that isn't the biggest run around of all time, I don't know what is. So here I am, stuck in O'Hare, for 5 hours while, again, I have to wait. I can only imagine what adventures await me as I step off the plane and, yet again, wait at the airport in Newark. Oh well, at least they got me in on 1st class half the way!!
posted by wyankey at 07:38
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