Well, the day started out fine and sunny. Had a nice bus ride. It seemed to go quickly and I was at the airport by 12:30. I had the afternoon to put in time till my flight at 5:15. That didn't seem too long either. By 3 I'd gone through security and roamed around there for a while and then went to my gate.
At this point it began to fall apart. Here I'm going to include a little rant.- Just because almost everyone now has a handheld device to access the whole world i don't think the airline should stop making important announcements, like telling us a flight is canceled.
We were sitting at our gate waiting for the flight to board, but it hadn't come in. It was late. Eventually, they told us maintenance was working on an issue. No one had said things were delayed...nothing. I overheard people saying "They say now we're not boarding till 5:15". They were getting that from internet or whatever, but those of us without devices remained in the dark. Finally, they did say the problem was with the PA system and they would have to take it to the hanger. Again, people began bustling around and making other plans.
I decided I should go to the counter and find out what I should be doing. When I did that I saw that our gate didn't even have our flight anymore and there was a huge line up at Customer service. I went there and THEN I learned that our flight was canceled. NO announcement. I knew the time had passed for catching my connecting flight to Lyon, so I stood and waited with the rest. The line included people from other canceled flights as well because by now the weather was affecting things.
I got sent to another line only to find out she was putting people on standby, but that wouldn't do me any good because I'd lost my connection. So, I lost my place in the first line. Then she suggested I could go back downstairs to check in and they might help me there with new flights. I did that and got served by the same guy who checked me in 4 hours before.
Fortunately, for mechanical issues they will get you a hotel room so he gave me vouchers for that and for the taxi both ways. I got delivered to the Delta Barrington right downtown and had a number to call for rebooking. The young man who helped me was fabulous. He said they'd already rebooked my Lyon flight but they don't go every day so that would be on Friday. Weeeeelllll, that was no good so he began to look for other ways to get me there. After quite a lot of searching on his part, I finally got an itinerary that would suit me.
So, tomorrow I will check out at noon; my cab is booked back to the airport; I will try again for 677 to Montreal; and from there i will take a flight to Paris and on to Lyon arriving 1:55 on Friday afternoon.
It's too late to get in touch with David tonight so I hope he reads his messages first thing in his morning. I sent him my new itinerary but the story will get delivered in this blog.
Now that it's all straightened out, it will just become another interesting adventure.
,
At this point it began to fall apart. Here I'm going to include a little rant.- Just because almost everyone now has a handheld device to access the whole world i don't think the airline should stop making important announcements, like telling us a flight is canceled.
We were sitting at our gate waiting for the flight to board, but it hadn't come in. It was late. Eventually, they told us maintenance was working on an issue. No one had said things were delayed...nothing. I overheard people saying "They say now we're not boarding till 5:15". They were getting that from internet or whatever, but those of us without devices remained in the dark. Finally, they did say the problem was with the PA system and they would have to take it to the hanger. Again, people began bustling around and making other plans.
I decided I should go to the counter and find out what I should be doing. When I did that I saw that our gate didn't even have our flight anymore and there was a huge line up at Customer service. I went there and THEN I learned that our flight was canceled. NO announcement. I knew the time had passed for catching my connecting flight to Lyon, so I stood and waited with the rest. The line included people from other canceled flights as well because by now the weather was affecting things.
I got sent to another line only to find out she was putting people on standby, but that wouldn't do me any good because I'd lost my connection. So, I lost my place in the first line. Then she suggested I could go back downstairs to check in and they might help me there with new flights. I did that and got served by the same guy who checked me in 4 hours before.
Fortunately, for mechanical issues they will get you a hotel room so he gave me vouchers for that and for the taxi both ways. I got delivered to the Delta Barrington right downtown and had a number to call for rebooking. The young man who helped me was fabulous. He said they'd already rebooked my Lyon flight but they don't go every day so that would be on Friday. Weeeeelllll, that was no good so he began to look for other ways to get me there. After quite a lot of searching on his part, I finally got an itinerary that would suit me.
So, tomorrow I will check out at noon; my cab is booked back to the airport; I will try again for 677 to Montreal; and from there i will take a flight to Paris and on to Lyon arriving 1:55 on Friday afternoon.
It's too late to get in touch with David tonight so I hope he reads his messages first thing in his morning. I sent him my new itinerary but the story will get delivered in this blog.
Now that it's all straightened out, it will just become another interesting adventure.
,
Perhaps the greatest adventures start with a hiccup. I hope the rest of your flights are smooth. Barbara
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