If you’ve ever flown in an airplane, you know that it’s possible to encounter turbulence. The shaking of an airplane at 34,000 feet is troublesome to some. Ruth and I didn’t react to all the moving and shaking that came our way over the years. We had no control, so we let others do their jobs.
I was flying solo from Detroit to New Orleans several years ago. Our plane started rocking and rolling and the lady in the adjoining seat asked, “How do you keep so calm?” I gave her my standard, “I have no control, so I leave it to the pilot.”
She went on to ask, “If I pass out, and the air masks fall, will you put mine on for me?” I assured her I would.
I find the airline schedule to be my biggest challenge. If you say we’re going to leave at a certain time, I plan accordingly. I want you to be on time. I understand that the weather can play a role in schedules changing, but I expect to be kept informed and dealt with honestly. I feel sorry for the boarding gate agents as they can only provide accurate information if it’s provided from behind-the-scenes personnel.
David and my return trip from Vegas to Grand Rapids last Sunday didn’t go as planned. We flew to Detroit and were scheduled to change planes and continue to Grand Rapids. We did the opposite on the way to Vegas and did so without a problem. Coming back, we had issues.
Our original schedule called for a fifty-minute break between flights so when we arrived twenty-five minutes early, we knew we’d have no problem making our connection. When we learned that our departure gate was four gates down from our arrival, we knew we were as good as gold. When we arrived at the gate, things went south.
We learned that our airplane was on time, but the pilot and crew were coming in on different flights. The inbound airplane came in from “I don’t know where” while our pilot was coming in from Chicago and his crew was arriving from Philadelphia. Both flights carrying our personnel were delayed. Whoever created this rodeo was an optimistic soul.
Our first announced delay was one hour. They added a second and then a third. By the time they were done, we would leave at 3:00 a.m. on the 11th, instead of 11:05 on the 10th. The gate agent was concerned that the Chicago pilot or his Philadelphia crew would “time out”. Indeed, they did. About 2:15 a.m. they announced that our flight was cancelled, and we’d fly out at 7:00 a.m. We were also informed that we’d receive a text message with room options for the night and meal vouchers.
When the texts arrived, they indicated our new departure time would be 10:00 a.m. on the 11th, not 7:00. I double checked with the gate agent, and she doubled checked with her “behind-the-scenes” guy, and yes, it was 10. Meanwhile David was texting his family to let them know we’d be later, and ultimately, tomorrow.
I booked our nearby room while David logged into our “Lift” ride. We arrived at our hotel around 3:00 a.m. and planned to take a short rest. When the alarm went off at 7:45, I jumped in the shower first. By the time I came out, we were flying out at 3:00, not 10:00. It was just another bump in a series of delays.
I’m retired so I didn’t have anywhere I needed to go. David, on the other hand, is employed. He had to cancel meetings and make arrangements for new ones. He decided to check for rental cars. We had discussed this the night before, but a fellow passenger said he had already checked, and there weren’t any cars available. Now, as the new day was breaking, there were cars, so he booked one.
By now the hotel shuttle was running and it took us to the airport where the rental car shuttle took us to the car rental location. By the time we loaded our car, another flight information text read: 3:00 p.m. flight to Grand Rapids – Delayed.
David drove to GR. We picked up our cars and went our separate ways. David went to Holland, and I drove to my Tullymore condo. I was home by 1:00.
I had originally planned to stay with David and his family on Sunday night, because I wasn’t sure what my reaction would be to spending my 52nd wedding anniversary alone. In the end, that part of my life worked out. I was busy thinking about getting back to Michigan. I didn’t dwell on what I didn’t have, but rather, celebrated what I did.
I spent a portion of my September 11ths in 1971 and 2023 in airports. One trip ended in Vegas and the second originated there. The fifty-two years between the two are filled with thousands of memories. They keep making connections in my brain. I celebrate them all.
Lynn and I have learned that a direct flight is always preferable. We will drive to Detroit (our favorite departure location) or Chicago in order to book a direct flight. You can never trust the airlines to make a connection simple.