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Yesterday really had nothing on Saturday for stress. Despite sitting in the airport all day, we felt better about making our flight. No crowds, smallish lines, and better treatment by airport staff helped.
Saturday? Near anarchy at airport check-in where we spent several hours in line. I don't know how to describe the frantic passengers, the stress, the yelling, and the Port Authority police coming to the aid of airport staff as customer after customer went nuclear.
The first line stretched around the outside of the building. We skipped that by having used online check-in, but we had to cue for a particular bagcheck kiosk for online passengers, and then we cued for bag check. That final bag check line made us miss our flight -- the conveyor belt broke, so bags piled up behind the counter to the point staff forced passengers to leave bags in front of the counter, out in the open, and essentially blocking it. What's that rule about unattended bags at airports? I couldn't believe TSA allowed this, but they did. One had to climb the bag stack to get to the bag-check agents. Lots of line jumping at the front of the line. Lots of competing to get an agent's attention. Agents serving line jumpers instead of those who'd followed directions. Despite the airline holding flights for twenty to thirty minutes to accomodate everyone trapped at chek-in, many of us missed our flights. Ours left ten minutes prior to our reaching the gate.
Another long line to rebook the flight, and the agent there told us she had nothing for that night or the next day. A stare-down commenced. I left husband to it as at this point daughter lost it. Much crying. Much comforting. Husband refused to leave his position at the rebook counter. He stared at the agent for forty minutes until she put us on that flight to Austin. I watched the entire exchange. She typed, saying nothing and not looking at him. He stood his ground. She glanced up, saw him still there, and kept typing. She glanced up, said "There's nothing available," he gave her a scolding look, shook his head, and she put her head back town to type more. He just. wouldn't. leave. I can't believe it worked, especially since I saw passenger after passenger at that counter turned away in tears or outrage. But not only did she book us that Christmas Eve flight to Austin, she put us in seats 1A, 1B and 1D. First class.
First class.
After one last attempt to find our missing bags, renting a car, driving from Austin, returning the car, and completing our drive home, we got in at 3:30 a.m.
Christmas with in-laws in a couple of hours. Glad daughter will receive gifts there.
Ah -- husband on phone w/ baggage check now. I hear him asking, "What? What does it say? They're in Sri Lanka?" And now he's explaining our odyssey.
Btw, why am I not doing any of the talking? Lost my voice two days ago. I can croak briefly, and then it gets sore. I always get sick when I travel.
*waves*
Happy Yule. It's good to be home.
*hugs*
ETA: Bags with our tag numbers and matching the description we gave the airline have turned up in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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Oh, dear.
*hugs*
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*hugs back*
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We think rather than having them shipped home the airline should fly us down for a week to pick them up. *nods*
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The champagne is helping. Oh yes.
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Good for your husband!
I'm so glad your family made it home safe and sound.
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We're glad to be home. *hugs*
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I hope you never have to go through anything like that again!! That's INSANE.
*hugs tight and offers lozenge*
I too am glad to be home, only having gone through family sh*t.
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It was Delta. Apparently they're in bankruptsy, but I didn't KNOW that, and I didn't book the trip. Someone near and dear to me did that. Ahem. BUT, I finally got him out of town, so this is actually mock complaining. I only came close to losing it over the pizza. Otherwise, the trip is more than worth any inconvenience. It was the trip of a lifetime. No understatement there. :)
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We must meet soon and compare notes. Trip of a lifetime and family crap *g*
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We saw a mention on the news, but hearing this first hand is amazing. I'm so glad you're home safe!
Sri Lanka? Brazil? *face palm*
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*hugs*
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Merry Christmas to you. :)