The Trip Down

Well I'm going back to the frozen north tomorrow, so I suppose I should write that piece about my eventful trip down. Hopefully getting back will be easier than getting to Sarasota was.

I'm sure the blogosphere has been as abuzz as the mainstream media about the troubles of travelling after Christmas. I can tell you as someone stuck in the system that it was every bit as horrible as people are saying.

I flew out of Philadelphia on US Airways. I was in the eye of the storm, but I knew that would be the case anyway, so I opted for the wise choice of a large personal item (a backpack) and a large foldover carry-on bag. People were amazed at the size of my carry-on, but I got to my destination with all my stuff so it served its purpose.

My original flight plan was Philly with a short layover in Charlotte then on to Sarasota. My flight out of Philly had us sitting at the gate for an hour and half. The only good thing to come out of this was that I got to know a few other people on the flight. We made up a little time on the way to Charlotte, but I still arrived after my connection had left.

This sent me to the ticket counter so that the airlines could find me a new flight out. That was when the horror of my situation started to sink in. It took them over thirty minutes to tell me there was no way to get me to Sarasota without me spending two days in a Charlotte hotel. That was not what I signed up for. Tampa is within driving distance of Sarasota, so I asked if they could work through the larger airport there. They did more typing. I gave some serious consideration to flying back to Philly. More typing and finally I had tickets to Tampa via Jacksonville, Fl. Still going South, better than nothing.

I consoled myself with some sweet tea in the Charlotte airport. Thank God for the south and sweet tea.

A ninety minute delay and a short hop, I'm running between terminals in the Jacksonville airport. Let me say that Jacksonville is very very proud of hosting the Super Bowl this year. It was on every resident's lips. I get to my gate and find it surprisingly devoid of people. My puddlejumper was down for maintenance trouble. Off to the Charlotte Clarion for a night away from my loved ones.

A free night and meal at the Clarion later and I'm winging my way on a prop-driven commuter to Tampa.

Let me say that this whole trip new insight into the strange comraderie that develops in airports. Like soldiers stuck in foxholes not of our own devising, we were fighting pitched battle against our airline opponents. In Charlotte I met a nice family of valiantly trying to get to Jacksonville. They had started the day in Albany, NY and were on their fourth connection of the day. Each one had faced such delays that the couple and their three boys were also on their third standby list of the day. They were told by the airline that they would be stuck there for two days and that things were so bad, all the rental cars at the airport had been rented out. Their story was not unusual. I was actually in the healthy middle of the airtravel bell curve.

If there is one thing this whole thing taught me it was that I really need to get a cell phone. Trotting between payphones working my Walmart calling card for all its worth was emotionally taxing. One of my fellow travellers let me borrow his for a few minutes. Thanks buddy. If I ever need a shrink in Charlotte I'll look you up.

Tomorrow I fly home, but I'm going Delta so here's hoping things will be better.