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So, today was super special.
I knew trying to fly today was going to blow goats, and I was right! The worst was how it lulled me into thinking it was going to be a good day.
Up at 6:30, cab (Did I say cab? Oh no! I got a town car, for the cab price! About the best thing to happen all day) showed up right on time. I was a little worried about traffic, but the roads were mostly clear, and I got to Logan right on time. Oh yeah, and I *HAD* called the airline before we left, and been told my flight was on time. Breeze through the e-ticket checkin machine, get in the *shortest* of the three security lines (one of which was truly horrifying) Got through security with an hour to spare, grabbed a bagel (Au Bon Pain, yum!) and coffee, picked up a new book.
All good, right? I'm amazed at this point. Walk down to my gate and... there's no mention of my flight. Anywhere. Hmmmm. Listen to other people conferring about same flight. Hmmmm. Finally, they make an announcement that all US Airways Express flights are leaving from B9, the little gate downstairs. I amble downstairs to find...
complete and utter bedlam. People everywhere, lines everywhere, no flight information posted. People are all abuzz. I'm hearing words like cancelled, redirected, delays. Argh. Stand in the line hoping to get some information. Finally the guy just makes an announcement that all flights except X are delayed, and they'll be letting us know as soon as they know anything.
Side note: Is it just me, or is it really rude to pile all your belongings on the chair next to you when there aren't enough chairs to go around? I mean, when it's not super crowded, fine build yourself a little fortress if that's what floats your boat. But when people are having to sit on the floor, they shouldn't need to have to ask you to move your crap. I got a seat, but a lot of people didn't. I would have been obnoxious and made someone move their crap if I'd had to
Finally, about 1 1/2 hours after we were supposed to leave, they announce that our airplane is "within range". Then immediately afterward, that the runways are closed for at least 30 minutes. *sigh* Our plane must have made it in though, because suddenly we were next in line for a gate. As soon as the planes that were *at* the gate were able to leave. Which would be when the runways were re-opened. Plane finally gets to the gate, we all pack onto it, and we sit, and sit and sit some more. Suddenly, with NO warning, we lurch back from the gate, taxi onto the tarmac, and sit some more. Sensing a theme?
We got airborn about three hours later than we were supposed to, uneventful flight, and got to Harrisburg, about three hours late. My Focus rental car turned into a Mustang somehow (I'm still not quite sure how) for the secod good thing of the day. Luckily, we had a loose enough schedule that we're ahead of schedule despite having gotten a lat start, and despite on of their techs having broken the server somehow (I have no idea what he did, but I managed to fix it. All that matters). Dealt with the world's surliest AP tech, which was a real treat. Managed to get the AP feed live without his help (Take *that*!).
Now I'm relaxing in the old hotel room, taking a breather. Trying to figure out how I can get to check out the yarn store that seems to be right up the street from my hotel. Oh yeah, I bonded with the imaging tech in charge of the Merlin project over knitting. Scary, eh? The people here are as nice as they seemed. Laid back, pretty relaxed, and pleased as punch with the new system. Makes my job easier, that's for sure.
I knew trying to fly today was going to blow goats, and I was right! The worst was how it lulled me into thinking it was going to be a good day.
Up at 6:30, cab (Did I say cab? Oh no! I got a town car, for the cab price! About the best thing to happen all day) showed up right on time. I was a little worried about traffic, but the roads were mostly clear, and I got to Logan right on time. Oh yeah, and I *HAD* called the airline before we left, and been told my flight was on time. Breeze through the e-ticket checkin machine, get in the *shortest* of the three security lines (one of which was truly horrifying) Got through security with an hour to spare, grabbed a bagel (Au Bon Pain, yum!) and coffee, picked up a new book.
All good, right? I'm amazed at this point. Walk down to my gate and... there's no mention of my flight. Anywhere. Hmmmm. Listen to other people conferring about same flight. Hmmmm. Finally, they make an announcement that all US Airways Express flights are leaving from B9, the little gate downstairs. I amble downstairs to find...
complete and utter bedlam. People everywhere, lines everywhere, no flight information posted. People are all abuzz. I'm hearing words like cancelled, redirected, delays. Argh. Stand in the line hoping to get some information. Finally the guy just makes an announcement that all flights except X are delayed, and they'll be letting us know as soon as they know anything.
Side note: Is it just me, or is it really rude to pile all your belongings on the chair next to you when there aren't enough chairs to go around? I mean, when it's not super crowded, fine build yourself a little fortress if that's what floats your boat. But when people are having to sit on the floor, they shouldn't need to have to ask you to move your crap. I got a seat, but a lot of people didn't. I would have been obnoxious and made someone move their crap if I'd had to
Finally, about 1 1/2 hours after we were supposed to leave, they announce that our airplane is "within range". Then immediately afterward, that the runways are closed for at least 30 minutes. *sigh* Our plane must have made it in though, because suddenly we were next in line for a gate. As soon as the planes that were *at* the gate were able to leave. Which would be when the runways were re-opened. Plane finally gets to the gate, we all pack onto it, and we sit, and sit and sit some more. Suddenly, with NO warning, we lurch back from the gate, taxi onto the tarmac, and sit some more. Sensing a theme?
We got airborn about three hours later than we were supposed to, uneventful flight, and got to Harrisburg, about three hours late. My Focus rental car turned into a Mustang somehow (I'm still not quite sure how) for the secod good thing of the day. Luckily, we had a loose enough schedule that we're ahead of schedule despite having gotten a lat start, and despite on of their techs having broken the server somehow (I have no idea what he did, but I managed to fix it. All that matters). Dealt with the world's surliest AP tech, which was a real treat. Managed to get the AP feed live without his help (Take *that*!).
Now I'm relaxing in the old hotel room, taking a breather. Trying to figure out how I can get to check out the yarn store that seems to be right up the street from my hotel. Oh yeah, I bonded with the imaging tech in charge of the Merlin project over knitting. Scary, eh? The people here are as nice as they seemed. Laid back, pretty relaxed, and pleased as punch with the new system. Makes my job easier, that's for sure.