Oh, the airlines.
We all have horror stories about complete nightmares experienced while flying. Until very recently, I was blissfully isolated from such experiences (with the exception of a couple of flights a year wherein inevitably I would be seated next to the screaming, Veruca Salt child or the snoring obese man with extreme body odor).
Yesterday, however, I lived my very own FUBAR situation. Luckily, nobody was hurt or killed by my head repeatedly exploding.
It all started after my American Airlines leg from Oklahoma City to Dallas (side note: I’m going to need a straight shot from OKC to Houston from now on). After a two-hour layover, they called our flight. I had been working and so when they said “last call” I obviously was in a frenzy. I pulled up all my electronics and ran to board. So far, so good.
I was seated in an exit row–alone! Things were looking good!
ONE HOUR LATER sitting on the tarmac the captain informed us there was an oil leak that they couldn’t fix and we had to deplane. Now, the last time this happened to me (a month ago) they had to re-book everyone on other flights….mine left four hours later. (Another lovely story.) As everyone groaned, I told some passengers what had happened to me and it didn’t sound good. The airline told us all to wait.
So we did…along with the other two completely full flights at the gate that were being postponed because of our mishap.
Naturally, being a hopeless iPhone addict, I tried to charge it while we waited. But wait–no charger! I had left the main part (not the cord) in the outlet while I was rushing to make the flight and naturally a lovely soul had stolen it. I guess they thought I wasn’t coming back for it so why not?
Thinking we’d be there for awhile, I bought another charger….for $50. I sat down, start to charge the phone and IT’S NOT WORKING. Then, the gate rep let us know the plane WOULD be fixed, and we would board in 20 minutes. I left all my stuff on my seat (a very nice lady watched it, and of course I let her know I was NOT a terrorist, and she laughed) and went back to return the charger. The saleswoman told me her manager was at the OTHER Hudson News juuuusst a bit down the way and I’d have to go over there to return it. So, I ran juuuuuust a bit down the way and when I got there, of course–no manager! The salesman got her on the phone and naturally…she was stuck in another terminal. I’m thinking I’ll never get rid of this thing THAT DOESN’T WORK and cost me $50.
So!
I went back to sit down, and after about 20 minutes a manager did appear and so, happily, I was able to return the crappy charger. At this point my phone had about 5% life left and I knew I had to save it to call the shuttle when I landed.
We finally boarded the plane. Again. And then sat there for ANOTHER HOUR. Why? You tell me! When we finally started moving the entire cabin erupted in applause.
At last we landed in Houston. I took my time getting to the baggage claim. Suddenly, I realized that I was the only one left standing there and the same bags kept popping out…all except mine. My big ole toiletries bag finally scooted out, but no sign of my main suitcase. This wasn’t good.
I headed to the American counter where a man from the same flight was already in front of me. They had lost his luggage too–and not just his luggage, but his golf clubs (he had a tournament the next day). His keys to get in his house were in the golf club carrier. His luggage was still in Dallas! And, lo and behold, so was my suitcase. I asked the lady (prefaced with how I wasn’t mad at HER but that this was ridiculous) how in the world one piece of my luggage made it here but the other is still hanging out at the airport bar in Dallas? She said the bag would be delivered tomorrow but that she didn’t know when. I asked if we (this gentleman and I) would receive some vouchers or something for all this hassle and she said nope….SORRY!
I came to the aggravating conclusion that the airline industry is the only industry where customers basically have no redress–you have to just suck it up and take it.
Needless to say, I’ll be calling the 800 number today to get a little redress. And I want some vouchers!
Final side note: the man who had been on my flight, whose luggage they’d lost, was the only other person on my shuttle back to the hotel where I parked…and his truck was parked right next to my car. Now THAT is weird. Wherever you are, Glen from Winnie, TX: I hope you got your clubs back in time for your tournament and that you kicked some butt. It was a pleasure being in Misadventures in Flying Hell with you.
