Tuesday, April 5, 2022

The Friendly Skies

 


Our daughter’s visit – with husband and two teens – was fun, although marred a little by uncooperative weather.

          Still, we found a few things to keep everyone busy. On the last day, at the aquarium, son-in-law received a message saying their flight that afternoon had been cancelled. “Air Traffic Control Problems.” What? Everyone lost their sense of direction? They were re-decorating the tower?

          A seasoned traveler, SIL soon found another flight that evening at a different airport, received dispensation from the car rental company, and all was well. We filled in the extra time at a restaurant, eating, chatting, and appreciating their all-day, two-for-one happy hour.

          Hugs, waves, and they were on their way. We turned toward home and laundry. An hour later, they called to say that that flight had been moved to 6:00 the next morning since there was no crew (begging the question of why they’d scheduled that evening flight in the first place). As it was, at 4 a.m, leaving the hotel room (where all 4 of them kinda sorta slept) and that they were extremely lucky to get, they made it to the airport. Where the check-in scanner failed to work and each passenger had to be laboriously logged in by hand. Finally in their seats (my daughter sitting next to a woman with a cat strapped to her chest in a baby carrier), they waited another 45 minutes because the crew was late.

          Our three day car ride back to Massachusetts is looking better and better.

10 comments:

  1. Geez, airplane drivers, you had ONE job!! what is going on with that?
    sitting next to a cat would make my travel worth it!

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    Replies
    1. I’d probably like it, too, as long as the cat was the quiet type.

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  2. I'm in no hurry to get back on a plane. Yikes!

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  3. A cat in a baby carrier? That cat obviously travels better than any I have ever had, and I wouldn't like to sit beside them.
    Big, big sigh at airline scheduling.

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  4. What a trip. Well, they are relatively young!

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  5. These delays are frustrating and not understandable at all.

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  6. A cat in a baby carrier? my cat would shred me to ribbons if I tried that caper with her.
    Perhaps the evening flight was cancelled because your daughter and family were the only bookings?

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    Replies
    1. As is becoming more frequent, there was no crew available

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  7. There’s shortages of many things lately, but I am a little surprised at these shortages.

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  8. Wow. I am seriously allergic to cats and while I have flown near one in a cage on the floor, I definitely would have asked for a seat change if the cat was out and about.

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Thanks for stopping by and I'd love to hear what you think.