blogs: bonnie davis: august 2008: flights from hell

Flights from Hell

August 12, 2008
by Bonnie Davis

The old saying "better late than never" applies to me. I'm still catching up from trip to Southeastern Equestrian Trails Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. The Conference was great! It was well organized, informative, educational, had good food and great speakers. Plus the location was IN the hotel so I didn't have to drive -- down in the elevator and into the conference center.

The 2009 SETC will be held in Florida with Helen Koehler acting as Chair, Planner, Organizer, Wrangler. Helen is a real go-getter, so I know she'll plan another great conference. If you'd like to make some suggestions, help, speak, stuff literature into packets or just volunteer where you'll be needed, contact Helen at Blackprong@aol.com. I know she'd welcome the help!!

The Conference was well worth the trip. But the getting there and back I've dubbed the "Flights from Hell." I don't mind traveling but this trip going and coming was unlike any others I've ever been on. Since I've never flown into Chicago O'Hara airport thought I'd try it (against comments from friends). It was a first. And the last!

Going from San Jose to Los Angeles was nice. We were sitting on LA runway when the plane began to rock, I thought it was the wind, but it turned out to be an earthquake. Being from California, earthquakes don't bother me but walking into the terminal one of the gates had its ceiling fall in and water was performing waterfall shows. I finally found the gate I needed for plane to Chicago and it was another nice flight.

In Chicago, it's hike everywhere. I do not consider Chicago a user-friendly-airport. And the United personnel aren't too friendly either. I had two gate changes before getting on plane to Charleston and by the time we all got on the plane, United couldn't find the pilot! Not sure where pilots disappear to but after two hours of searching, he was found. I landed in Charleston two hours late. The pilot was still on the plane but my (and some other passengers) luggage didn't make it. After filling out "Lost Luggage Forms," went to hotel where I had to borrow toothpaste, toothbrush, and a comb from the Sheraton front desk. A day later my luggage came wandering in!

Leaving Charleston, had to be at airport at 4 am. I got to airport, checked luggage (one suitcase). United couldn't find the airplane this time. So was an hour late getting on plane. On the plane, the pilot had "computer problems" so sat there for another hour with engines running which meant I missed the flight out of O'Hara.

We finally left Charleston and about half way to O'Hara pilot announced "don't think we have enough fuel to get to O'Hara so we’re stopping at South Bend, Indiana to refuel," Maybe if he'd turned off the engines in Charleston while working on his computer we would have had enough fuel to get to Chicago! Anyway, after filling up with 851 gallons "the storm" had moved in. So we sat on the runway for another hour. (He was smarter this time and turned off the engines.)

After the storm blew by, we got clearance to leave. We took off and out over Lake Michigan the pilot again announced "Chicago is stacked up and we may be flying around for awhile so going back to South Bend for more fuel." (I really think that pilot had something for South Bend.)

Plane banked and turned back south, but about halfway through turn he turned west again and we went directly into Chicago. Maybe his paycheck was waiting for him in Chicago and not South Bend.

We landed in Chicago about 4 hours late which meant everyone on the plane is now suddenly in what is known as 'Stand By" mode. Which means you don't have a guaranteed seat on a plane anymore, anywhere, anytime. You just sit and hope a plane has a seat on the wing or in the luggage compartment somewhere.

After getting bumped from 4 flights to San Francisco, I finally found a United Customer Service representative (on the phone) who felt sorry for me. Probably because of my whiney voice and issued me the LAST SEAT on a 7 pm flight. I had it made. A GUARANTEED seat on a ticket in my tired, sweaty hand. So I began the gate search.

Going through 3 gate changes, I landed in terminal C. Now terminals aren't close to each other. They’re probably what seems like 4 miles apart. They seem to get further apart as one gallops between them and as the day gets longer. It's like herding cattle from one gate to another. When everyone gets to a specific gate, airline gate assigners decide, "Nope, these critters gotta be moved to another gate." So another gate number comes up and we all turn to gallop to that gate!

At 6 pm I was searching for a seat at the 7 p.m. flight gate. That's another thing O'Hara doesn't have, enough seats to sit in at gates. If one could sell those little fold up chairs IN the airport you could retire in about a year! Or better yet, rent 'em. After everyone leaves a person could go around, collect them and rent 'em out again!

Anyway, the storm kept blowing off and on and at about 6:30 it really began to rain, blow, lightening. Everything Chicago weather is not supposed to do in August. Since luggage loaders cannot be near a plane if "lightening is within 5 miles" nothing moved. The plane sat at the gate and we sat in the terminal.

About 8:30 pm people began to load on the plane. A half hour or 45 minutes later everyone sat buckled in seats -- waiting. Finally the pilot came on and said "I’ve got bad news and good news. The good news, we're ready for take off. The bad news, this flight crew has been flying for about 14 hours and they can't fly any longer so they're leaving the plane and we'll have to find another flight crew."

More sighs of frustrations. So close, yet so far from leaving. My thought was what does it take to get a flight crew? Doesn't United keep track of time a crew has flown? Maybe they could find that flight crew with the lost pilots. If they accepted volunteers, I'd be happy to walk up the plane aisle and give out those little sacks of peanuts!

Finally at 10:21 pm a flight crew arrived. All smiles and happiness to a plane load of growls. We got to the end of the runway, waited and got airborne. It was an up-and-down climb through storm clouds but once up about 39,000 feet the flight was smooth. We landed in San Francisco at approximately 3:30 am.

It took me 26 hours to get from Charleston to San Francisco. 22 hours in O'Hara.

I almost forgot about my suitcase. It was in San Francisco. It didn't get lost this time. But if you're traveling and find an extra suitcase handle or two stuck to your suitcase -- it's mine. Not just ONE but BOTH handles got ripped off my suitcase.......

Bonnie