I was booking flights the other day, and was reminded of the last adventure I had on a plane. Remember when American Airlines was cancelling hundreds of flights for like five days straight and all of those people were stranded. Well, I was one of them. I wrote to all of my friends to update them on the status of my flights and also because I was bored to tears...here are those emails with a little added commentary...in italics.So this all started after a weekend at NASCAR on April 9th, Wednesday when I woke up in Austin after 2 hours of sleep, hung over as hell and needing to get up to catch my flight. Yeah right. (You see, I originally booked a flight departing at 5 pm, but 3 wks before I left AA moved my flight up to noon, which means I needed to get up at like 8:30. Problem was, I knew we would see the sun come up Tues night, so this was just all around already bad.) So from bed I call American to see if I can get on a later flight. Hold time was unusually long, but I was so out of it I really didn't notice. I finally get through after 38 minutes and after hearing the same message about using your reward miles to book tickets about 500 times (This is because I used miles to book this ticket so I had to call the miles number to get on a later flight.)
Now keep in mind, I had been camping out for four days and had only got back to Austin a mere 24 hrs ago. And during that entire 24 hrs. I had been back in A-town, I was running around with Saralynn getting ready for and then having the Free Spirit grand opening party. So I finally get through and tell the lady I am calling in reference to flight number 456. She says," ...oh , well I well have to transfer you." Splendid. Then I repeat myself to the new lady and she says yes, that flight has indeed been cancelled.
Wait? ....Cancelled?
I am just trying to fly out later. Why was it cancelled?
She says, "Do you not watch the news?"
I wanted to say something with several expletives, but instead I just say no, I haven't had the chance.
She explains that the FAA has been cancelling all of these flights. She puts me on a flight the next day, Thurs April 10th, and in my still somewhat drunken haze I take it and go back to sleep.
When I wake, many hours later at 11 am, I check out the news.
FUCK. This is bad. They are cancelling flights left and right. For shits and grins I look at my newly booked fight on the internet that is set to depart the next day, Thurs. at noon with a layover in like bum fuck Nebraska then on to LGA. Guess what? Nebraska to LGA, cancelled. SHIT! Last thing I want is to be stranded in Nebraska!
So I get on the horn to AA. I am on hold for, get this, 109 minutes before I get tired and hang up. It is now around 2 pm, so we say screw this lets meet up with my cousin and go get some drinks and tex mex at Trudy's.
At 6 pm, after many margaritas and chips, the calling begins again. It's me, Saralynn and my cousin. I have 2-3 minute calls that keep getting disconnected by American (the message just says please try later) for over an hour. This is verrrry bad. Around seven I actually get through to be put on hold. This time it is for 65 minutes before my phone drops the call. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! It is now 8 pm, and I still don't have a flight home.
Thats me and Saralynn and my cousin on the couch..waiting on hold.I try calling back and again the lines are so jammed AA wont even let the call connect.
I then send out this email...
AA has been cancelling flights since Tues afternoon. I am still in Texas.
1st flight 5:30 wed cancelled
rescheduled flight wed 12:30 cancelled
2nd rescheduled flight 12:30 THURS cancelled (found out on internet) and I do NOT have another flight scheduled because I cant get through to AA
http://ww2.wkyt.com/global/story.asp?s=8144633 or
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/10/business/NA-FIN-US-American-Airlines-Cancellations.php
should have been home already..cant even get through to even be put on hold at all AA phone numbers for past 2 hours. When I got through earlier, hold was hours. ..used up 300 minutes today alone. They say this could go on through SATURDAY. How do you spell fucked?
A fucking A
I say to Saralynn, screw this, let's go downtown. I jump in the shower and at 9 start the process again. Again, call won't even connect. We head down town and bar hop while I have the earpiece in on hold, this time I'm in the 1.5 hr range when my battery dies. F'in awesome. I change batteries and try again. It is now 2:23 am. I get to the hold system and a lady answers after 8 minutes.
(thats me in a club on the phone)
"Thank you for calling American this is Lynn speaking."
"OH MY GOD!!!!!!!"
She laughs..I'm sure she has been hearing that all day. I am on the street corner in front of Pangea and she gets me on a new flight departing in 9 hrs. Sweet. We head home for sleep. I arrive at Austin Bergstrom Airport for my 11AM flight and all is golden. The lines for people trying to get on new flights are ridiculous....I over hear cursing and crying. People have lost luggage and there are several people who are having major problem because now AA isn't taking any pets.
As I wait, I check the board to see how many flight are getting cancelled. It is like every other flight...and lo and behold, mine has been delayed. Of course. OK, screw this, I say, I'm getting a massage. The little booth is right across form my gate so if there are any changes I can easily see them. So I mosey over to the massage booth and right as I do, the lady in the chair goes into cardiac arrest. Yeah, I'm serious. Man, there must be something the air. I quietly sit back down in front of the gate and watch the EMT team do their work.
My flight finally boards and I see they have put me in first class. F'in sweet! I mean the flight is only 45 minutes but this was my first time in first class. A girl can get used to this.
I arrive at Dallas in the early after noon and settle in for my FOUR hour layover.
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