Airport Stress
Last week I headed overseas with a girlfriend minus the kids' and husband. I didn't even look for my passport until an hour before my flight.
And my bags were thrown together minutes before. It was so liberating considering my husband usually has us at the airport four to five hours ahead of time ... just in case. Just in case of what I don't know. And it drives me crazy. So throwing myself together last minute was the beginning of my girlfriend adventure to Japan.
My friend Elle who works for the airlines was flying staff travel which means she is always the last person to board the aircraft. And as an airline expert she convinced me we didn't need to be at the airport until an hour before the flight. It was definitely my kind of traveling ... until I walked up to the counter and they told me that my friend had a fat chance of getting on the plane as it was oversold. Don't they realize we're on our way to see Madonna! The lady at the counter was so nice but kept saying how unlikely it was that Elle would get on. So we began a running score of people left to check in hoping that someone wouldn't turn up. It started at 16 people and we managed to count down to one final spot, not counting the line of staff travelers who wanted on the plane. But with five minutes before take-off, they announced that Elle had the only seat available and everyone else should go home. We were ecstatic! Mind you, I think I was having heart palpitations at the same time.
This kind of experience could turn any laid-back person into a wreck. There was no magazine perusing, bathroom stops or food top-ups beforehand - the things I was well and truly used to doing! So to calm down from the scoreboard check-ins I ordered a wine on the plane immediately.
Coming home was a different story. Elle had gotten word that the flight was wide open so she was going to be in business class with the possibility of getting me bumped up with her. I had visions of us lying back in our business class seats clinking our glasses and celebrating our awesome adventure together. Well, this thought was gone as soon as we hit the airport. It turned out another flight had been canceled so they had to put all of those passengers on our flight. There wasn't a chance in hell that she was going to get on our plane. She was close to tears as no one would help, not to mention her also knowing that the nearby hotels were sold out. So round two of the pre-board stress had begun. I had five minutes to board, my friend needed help and I was not even remotely near the departure gate. My name was being announced over the loud speaker and I had Japanese women escorting me to the plane. I couldn't wait to tell my husband this one!
Maybe four hours before take-off isn't so bad afterall! That'll be our secret.
Last week I headed overseas with a girlfriend minus the kids' and husband. I didn't even look for my passport until an hour before my flight.
And my bags were thrown together minutes before. It was so liberating considering my husband usually has us at the airport four to five hours ahead of time ... just in case. Just in case of what I don't know. And it drives me crazy. So throwing myself together last minute was the beginning of my girlfriend adventure to Japan.
My friend Elle who works for the airlines was flying staff travel which means she is always the last person to board the aircraft. And as an airline expert she convinced me we didn't need to be at the airport until an hour before the flight. It was definitely my kind of traveling ... until I walked up to the counter and they told me that my friend had a fat chance of getting on the plane as it was oversold. Don't they realize we're on our way to see Madonna! The lady at the counter was so nice but kept saying how unlikely it was that Elle would get on. So we began a running score of people left to check in hoping that someone wouldn't turn up. It started at 16 people and we managed to count down to one final spot, not counting the line of staff travelers who wanted on the plane. But with five minutes before take-off, they announced that Elle had the only seat available and everyone else should go home. We were ecstatic! Mind you, I think I was having heart palpitations at the same time.
This kind of experience could turn any laid-back person into a wreck. There was no magazine perusing, bathroom stops or food top-ups beforehand - the things I was well and truly used to doing! So to calm down from the scoreboard check-ins I ordered a wine on the plane immediately.
Coming home was a different story. Elle had gotten word that the flight was wide open so she was going to be in business class with the possibility of getting me bumped up with her. I had visions of us lying back in our business class seats clinking our glasses and celebrating our awesome adventure together. Well, this thought was gone as soon as we hit the airport. It turned out another flight had been canceled so they had to put all of those passengers on our flight. There wasn't a chance in hell that she was going to get on our plane. She was close to tears as no one would help, not to mention her also knowing that the nearby hotels were sold out. So round two of the pre-board stress had begun. I had five minutes to board, my friend needed help and I was not even remotely near the departure gate. My name was being announced over the loud speaker and I had Japanese women escorting me to the plane. I couldn't wait to tell my husband this one!
Maybe four hours before take-off isn't so bad afterall! That'll be our secret.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home