I’ll try to make this quick, you really don’t want to read how my morning started or the fact that I accidentally ran a red light in downtown Charleston. Nope, don’t want to read that.
Quick count: Delta out of Charleston to Atlanta was a no go. Delayed is an understatement. Try canceled. Two missed connections, two airlines later and a rental car and I'm home. Read on if you want the details!!
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Basically, I got to the airport early to see if I could get an earlier flight. Nope, all booked/overbooked. So I went to lunch and waited for my flight. With free WiFi I actually got some work done. The majority of the monthly status report is put together. Good employee.
So I’m sitting there doing the report when I look up and notice our flight was been delayed 45 min. Ok, no problem, I went to see about my connecting flight. Here is what the lovely gentleman told me: “Well, you will land nine minutes before your next flight, so if you run, you can make it!”
Uhhhh, I don’t think so, so he confirmed me on the next flight from Atlanta to DC. Done, now I’m covered or so I thought. We didn’t board until 4:45 and oh did I mention we had to go outside to board. Anyway, that will be fun in about 2 more hours.
So as we sit there and see the rain start to come down, the wind picks up, and bammmm; lightning. Ok, let’s go ahead and go to the tarmac! Sure, I want to sit in a metal tube with lighting all around!
At the tarmac we sit and sit in that lovely weather. Then the pilot comes on and says “we think the air control was just hit by lightning and they have evacuated the tower. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to sit out here so we are going back to the terminal.”
We get there and wait some more then exit the plane, outside again, in the rain and wind. Once inside, it’s a zoo. Lines of people trying to get out, Atlanta airport has shut down since the second storm was coming in. So there I am in Charleston, in a long line of people trying to get out and can’t. Delta’s hub is Atlanta and no flights are coming or going. Period.
I called my company’s travel agent while standing in line and she found me a flight on a different airline going to Charlotte and then to Baltimore. Ok, I can drive from Baltimore, no problem. Book it Danno!
I ran to the ticket counter, got my boarding passes, and ran to the other terminal with carry on and laptop bag in tow. The flight was in less than an hour and the weather appeared to be letting up; appeared being the operative word.
The boarding started getting closer and no airplane. I was on the phone with Mom when the plane landed and everyone ran off. We were actually going to board on time or close to it. I’m saved!!! Or so I thought.
We get on board and can’t leave. Lightning again. Finally it let up and we made it to Charlotte. If I thought the Charleston airport was bad, I had a whole new outlook once I got to Charlotte. It was a mad house. Security had closed already and people were piled on top of each other. It seems Charlotte had the same storm and the same issues.
I tried to get a direct flight to DC but that wasn’t going to happen. At least not last night. Maybe Saturday evening or Sunday but not last night and I wanted to get home. So I kept my flight to Baltimore and just went with it. Just when I thought we were never going to leave and I was about to change my flight and get a hotel; our plane arrived. 11pm but it was there. Yes, there is a god and he likes me; I think!!
We get on the plane, shut the doors, and sit; then sit some more. The pilot informs us that they are still loading luggage and then it happened; he flight attendants run to the front of the plane, there is a commotion and I swear I heard them say “Are you kidding me?” Then the doors to the airplane re-open!
Some first class passengers bumped from another flight board and find the few empty seats available and they were in coach!
Now, I know Karma is a bitch and I’m going to get mine for thinking this was funny BUT one woman threw a fit that she had to sit in coach. She held us up for 10 minutes arguing with the flight crew and finally gave up when she was told “Ma’am, you don’t have to sit in coach, we can open the doors, and let you out of the aircraft, and you can take your chances on another flight.” I was seated at the bulk head and the best view and ear shot in the house/plane, whatever. It was great. I got a giggle out it. She shut up and went to the back of the plane. I can understand being pissed though; all that money for first class and you get stuck in coach.
So we land in Baltimore at 1am. I got my rental car around 1:30am and made it home at 2:50 am. Now I’m wired and can’t sleep. Go figure.
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