Oh, The Joys of Air Travel
The following happened to me about four years ago as I was leaving Indianapolis on a Friday afternoon for London via Chicago with American Airlines.
My meetings that day in Indianapolis had ended a bit earlier than expected, I was due to leave from the Airport around 5.30 pm and fly up to Chicago and connect with the London flight from there. The Airport Hotel where I was staying had sent round a notethat morning to say that the Hotel would be fully booked that night and so no room extension time would be possible, in other words get out latest by 1pm.
So rather than hang around in the Hotel reception area for a couple of hours I decided at 2 pm to head to the AA terminal to see if there was an earlier flight to Chicago which would give me extra time in transit rather than the 65 minutes allotted. There seemed to be lots of people in the terminal when I arrived and considering the time this was surprising. Anyway I checked in and asked about an earlier flight and the check in lady said there was a flight which should go at about 3.30 pm, great I thought. As there were no bags to check in, nothing like travelling light, off I went to the AA lounge or so I thought. When I got to near the gate it was full up with adults and children and the board with my flight number was showing it was delayed from 1130 AM, this morning what I thought, how can this be, what is going on?.
So I went to the gate attendant who said that Chicago Airport had been closed most of the morning and the flight I had been put on was the delayed earlier flight and she did not know when it would leave. Come back to the desk in about one hour or so and we will give you an update. As time went by it was reaching 5pm and no sign of a flight. So I rang American Airlines to check on the alternatives, they said there was a flight from New York to London that night but they did not have a flight from Indianapolis which would connect. They also mentioned that the weather was so bad they did not think there would be any flights out of Chicago at all today.
So I sat on the floor of the Airport departure lounge and turned on my computer and looked at the ABC flight book. I could not change airlines as I was travelling on restricted tickets and as a flight via Chicago was most unlikely today let alone tomorrow morning, and as there were no Hotel rooms in Indianapolis (there was a marching band competition on), I decided not to hang around here but find some other way to get home. AA had a flight from JFK Airport New York at 9am the following morning and so further investigation showed that there was another airline with a flight to JFK that evening from Indianapolis and so I purchased a ticket. Know I needed a Hotel Room at Kennedy and this took a little while to arrange. My new flight from Indianapolis was not due to take of until about 6.30 pm.
So having made the new arrangements for flights and Hotels etc I started to walk to the new gate, on the way I passed the original gate, and just as I was passing by the girl on the AA desk shouted at me that I was going to Chicago and that whilst I had been away from the gate the flight had loaded and they were leaving in five minutes so get on board quickly, which I did and I don’t know why but I followed her instruction.
I sat down in my seat and suddenly thought what the hell am I doing here?, I have booked another ticket to JFK, I have a Hotel at JFK and changed my seat with AA from Chicago to the JFK flight, so what possessed me to get on this AA flight to Chicago which will, knowing my past luck, will or will not leave. I could not get off the aircraft as the door was closed and we were being pushed back and very soon afterwards in the air. I thought what a stupid thing to do Groves. What happens if the flight to Chicago gets delayed, what happens if they have a flight to London but I have cancelled my booking, then Icould be stuck in Chicago Airport with thousands of other people? What a fool!!! I need my head examined but I guess it was the pressure of the gate staff to board the flight, I suppose years of waiting to board flights I guess.
I was very aware of the need to get home as I was leaving on the Monday for the Far East for two weeks and I would like at least one night at home before leaving. My travel plans during the past few months were very heavy.
My mind on the flight to Chicago worked overtime and kept going over the various scenarios, could I change the AA flight ex JFK back to Chicago, what happens if the flight was cancelled from Chicago, what happens if it wasn’t cancelled but they had given my seat away., what should I do about the Hotel at JFK, was the other airline looking for me in Indianapolis as I had a boarding pass, my mind was a in a whirl. Anyway after a few minutes I realised that nothing I could do would make any difference and so as per the Beatles song, Let it be.
As we got closer to Chicago and let down for arrival the snow outside the window got worse and I thought here we go, perhaps a diversion to somewhere else, but no we landed about 20 minutes before the London flight departed. Those of you who know Chicago Airport will also know that is a very large Airport and it took me almost 30 minutes to get of the first plane, go though security and get to the new gate. I arrived breathless and sweating from the run of about 10 miles it seemed like and asked what the flight position was. She said that the flight had been delayed by one hour and yes we still have your booking on this flight and who did you change it with as it had not been changed? Wow I thought, had I gone to JFK I am not sure what would have happened. She then checked the flight for the next day from JFK and said I was not listed and the flight was totally overbooked anyway and with my restricted ticket the chance on getting on this flight was remote, In fact all JFK flights that Saturday were over the top for some reason and it would be unlikely for me to get a seat. WOW.
So, whoever made me get on the flight from Indianapolis (perhaps my fairy godmother) had without realising it enabled me to get home to my family for two nights prior to leaving for the Far East rather than hanging around JFK indefinitely.
Just out of interest when I got home on the Saturday I decided later in the day to see if the weather affected New York, and it did as most of the flights that day from JFK were heavily delayed or cancelled.
Stress, what stress!!
