Since airlines invite travelers to “fly the friendly skies,” I’ve discovered that our spacious skies prove far more congenial than the air carriers themselves. Although I had my first plane trip just four years ago, I’ve jetted along the fast track of flying foibles.
At 2 p.m., July 20, Tom, my husband, Dan, a family friend, and I arrived at O’Hare International Airport with plenty of time to board our 4:45 p.m. flight to Bradley International Airport in Connecticut. We quickly passed through all checkpoints and then sat at the assigned gate to await our boarding call.
After missing our flight last summer when our designated gate was changed without an announcement, we’ve learned to walk past the departure boards every half hour to make certain that the gate has not changed. Sure enough, after an hour, we’d been rerouted to a distant gate. Calmly, we relocated and then waited for the boarding process to begin.
Possibly due to corporate downsizing, no airline employee was at the service desk. We kept waiting for the announcement for No. 2 passengers to board plane 554. Finally, 15 minutes before takeoff, we approached the airline agent at the plane entrance and asked if we could now board the plane. She looked at our boarding passes and then said, “I’m sorry you weren’t here when we called, so we gave your seats to away to standby customers.”
“Isn’t there anything you can do?” Dan asked.
“I’m sorry,” she tersely replied. “We can put you on standby for the 6:53 p.m. flight to Hartford. You’ll be the first three passengers on standby.”
For the next 10 minutes, we sadly stared out the window as our plane prepared for takeoff then flew away without us.
Undaunted, we ordered cheeseburgers and iced coffee from McDonald’s and then moved our carry-on luggage to the gate for the 6:53 flight. Tom’s vigilant eyes caught another gate change, so we again moved our stuff, arriving in plenty of time to see our names listed as the top three on the standby sign.
While waiting anxiously for our standby seats, Tom and Dan befriended a troubled traveler, Craig, who also had missed his flight. Dan advised Craig to explain his dilemma to the agent at the plane entrance. Finally, “Dan C., Alice H. and Tom H.” appeared for boarding on the electronic sign. When we approached the plane entrance, the agent said, “I’m sorry. We only have seats for two of you. But there’s another flight to Hartford at 8 p.m.”
Tom insisted that Dan and I take the two seats. He’d catch the next flight, and we’d wait for him at the Hartford Airport. As Dan and I found our seats on the plane, we were greeted with a high-five by Craig, who had managed to talk his way into Tom’s standby seat.
“I prayed to get this seat,” Craig smiled.
“We were praying for seats, too,” I said.
“I guess your friend didn’t pray,” Craig added.
“My prayers were intended for all three of us, including Tom. He’s my husband,” I sighed.
As the flight attendant passed, Dan asked her if Tom’s 8 p.m. flight would depart on time.
“Oh, I’m sorry. The 8 p.m. flight has been canceled. The next plane to Hartford leaves at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow,” she said.
Tom spent the first night of our vacation at the O’Hare Hyatt. Dan’s friend drove through a downpour to pick us up at the airport. I spent the night sleeping on a comfy chair in a family room.
At 5:30 p.m. July 21, Tom finally joined Dan and me in Massachusetts. Of course, the rental car we reserved was no longer available, but the kind associate located an Aveo for Tom instead.
By rolling with the flying foibles, the three of us enjoyed a wonderful vacation.
The following lesson is an effort to assist others in avoiding the pitfalls perpetrated by air carriers...
1. The earliest bird catches the plane: Book a flight earlier than the one needed to reach your destination on time. If you lose your seat or the flight is delayed, you’ll still arrive punctually. The first will be first and the last will be last when boarding a plane.
2. Departure gate scavenger hunt: So you’ve lugged your luggage over to Gate C 23. Don’t be lulled into thinking you’re where you ought to be. Check the departure boards every 30 minutes for possible gate changes.
3. Standby stud poker: The object of this game is to figure out which standby passengers will get a seat on the plane and which ones will have to spend the night in a hotel by the airport.
4. Weigh down: Has your luggage gotten too chubby for the return flight? Since the airlines now charge for extra suitcases, consider mailing your souvenirs home.
5. Suitcase shuffle: When you miss your flight, you are separated from your luggage. Be sure your carry-on bag is an overnight bag, filled with emergency toiletries and a change of clothes, so you’ll be clean and fresh in the morning no matter where you spend the night.
6. Find the silver lining: Whatever happens at the airport, smile, be kind and make the best of it. Bring a book or a travel-sized Scrabble game in your carry-on. Missing a plane is no reason to spoil a great vacation.
