For the trip I’ve looked forward to for years, it isn’t starting well. I got Jimmy to cover my last two hours of my shift (3-5pm Sunday) so I could get to the airport with enough time (via cab) to have a couple of drinks and a light supper before the first leg of my flight.
Here are the text messages I started getting from United:
2:59PM – Your 7:06PM flight to San Francisco is delayed due awaiting aircraft. UA771 now departs Seattle 8:30PM and arrives San Francisco at 10:27PM
Now you know why I always plan multiple hour layovers if possible…since their goes an hour and a half of my two hour layover.
3:41PM – Your 7:06PM flight to San Francisco is delayed due awaiting aircraft. UA771 now departs Seattle 9:00PM and arrives San Francisco at 10:57PM
That won’t do – a call to the Platinum line at United gets me a first class seat on the next flight out – though this one is via Houston before getting to New Orleans
4:01PM – United flight delay. As of 2:01pm Jun. 15, UA771SEA-SFO now departs Seattle 8:00PM from Gate A10 on June 15. Subject to change.
6:00PM – Your 7:06PM flight to San Francisco is delayed due awaiting aircraft. UA771 now departs Seattle 8:20PM and arrives San Francisco at 10:17PM
7:01PM – Your 7:06PM flight to San Francisco is delayed due awaiting aircraft. UA771 now departs Seattle 8:02PM and arrives San Francisco at 10:17PM
12:31AM – Your flight into SFO is delayed. If you are unable to make your flight, you have been confirmed on alternate flights. As of 1:57PM 15JUN, You are confirmed on US400 and UA245. US400 departs SFO 11:50PM gate 61, arrive IAH 5:48AM. UA245 departs IAH 7:10AM gate , arrives MSY 8:25AM. Get new boarding pass at www.united.com, kiosk or gate.
We got in at 10:30pm – but not to the gate I was expected, which was just across the concourse – nope, other end of United’s gates, luckily not the international terminal. But wait – the New Orleans flight is now late.
1:03AM – Your flight to New Orleans is delayed due to awaiting aircraft. UA655 now departs San Francisco 11:23pm and arrive 5:32am
And my favorite – seems my alternate flight was delayed as well.
1:29AM – Your 11:50pm flight to Houston is delayed due to awaiting aircraft. UA400 now departs San Francisco 12:15AM and arrive 6:12AM
Good thing I have unlimited messaging on my phone.
But enough with travel anxieties – I just wanted to show that even Uncle Markie’s Travels are subject to hick-ups. We start with the Board Room in Seattle…
Finally, on the way to San Francisco with a VERY chatty seatmate…not:
On my trek between gates at SFO I spotted this construction lift – really, the name is “Sky Jack” – in an airport. “Bob, bring over the Sky Jack”.
And eventually, onto my original New Orleans flight:
Since it’s a longer flight…there is a snack…almost healthy:
After I was done my snack, at 12:45am on June 16th, 2014 I hit my Million Mile mark 373 miles into the flight. GOLD FOR LIFE. I had the flight attendant ask the captain for the moment – she rewarded me with a fist bump – was sorta hoping balloons would fall from the ceiling and the confetti guns would blow – alas, not in an airplane.
And now the adventure begins in New Orleans.
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