Good morning, folks. Sorry for the late posting. However, I have a truly legitimate excuse. Once upon a time, to fly was to engage in the romance of life, to be able to soar into the skies, albeit within a metal tube and look down. To gaze through the windows as one flies through brilliant white cotton puffs or ones streaked through with gray. To see the curve of the Earth, the geometry of the fields, the rivers and the highways. To overfly the glories of continents and marvel at it all. Even the process of preflight was part of it all - until this all changed -for the worst and has become an experience worthy of its own survivor show.
True, amidst all that took place yesterday around the world, in comparison to my own tale of woe, mine ranks in as a distant second. Still, one has a right to whine, even just a tad, or more than that and today is my day. As we were driven to the airport, we knew already that our destination was to face some storms. Thus, we expected some delays. However, as we checked in well in time for boarding, we asked one of the agents about the latest news re the flight's timing and were told all was copacetic. And so we smiled and proceeded to security - a breeze - and on to our gate, quite a trek, and purchased the NYT and WSJ and a snack each along the way. I wrestled with the large size papers, was winning the battle, and had one eye on the information board ticking off the minutes to boarding, takeoff. and approximate time we would reach our destination. A total breeze.
Waiting, boarding. All great. Standard speech of do's and don'ts. And we all settle in until one hour delay announced. Not too bad these days. Now a further two hour delay. But we could remain on the plane. Unfortunately, yet another delay and the necessity to deboard, taking all our personal items with us. There arose an undertone of disappointment, even a tad of anger that we were not told why or the length of the delay. Back on the plane and now to sit there for hours. Delay after delay with no answers as to why the flight was not canceled. Flights scheduled after ours had already been canceled so why were we not in the same situation. It would have freed us to go and do what we had to. No answers and we were warned that to leave the plane as some desired, meant to forfeit their ticket and their luggage would be unretrievable at this point in time. Some sat back down while others left the plane and over the next few hours more followed.
The only constant aside from delay was the quality, the humanness of the fight crew, as they shared jokes, walked among us, equally as frustrated as we were at the lack of explanation. Constant notification of more than hour after hour after hour, and so there we sat. Most of us had been in the airport between 9:30 and 10 boarded the plane on time. We did not get off that plane until somewhere around 7:15 PM despite one small deplaning. The arrows had clicked away, and we had gone nowhere, sentenced to sit in boredom and anticipation of more aggravation, hope for a flight dissipating. Frustrating!
We managed to rebook via our computer, a better choice than waiting on long lines to speak with an agent. Sky high prices but it was imperative that we get home, even as we were told that flights would probably be canceled the next day or two. and so we booked for Sunday. Still on the plane.
Finally, after 7:00 PM, closer to 7:15, a new announcement as phones were pinging away. Flight Cancel. Flights scheduled after us had long ago been canceled. Finally, we were freed to leave and get our luggage. Mired in ignorance and refusal of an airline to explain exactly what was happening, to sit there befuddled and confused, we thought there was finally light at the end of this tunnel.
We breathed easy too soon for the aggravation did not end as we exited the door of the jet. Told to get our luggage at Carousel Six, we met with a carousel overloaded with luggage from at least two other flights, but of course not ours. Nowhere in sight. As we all milled around, seeking answers, a rather annoyed recalcitrant employee of American Airlines told us to get online for the ticket agent even as we did not need tickets.
When reached, we were told two to three hours more as they did not know where our luggage was. Parents of babies, children, old codgers like me who were exhausted, at the end of our ropes, needing medications and privacy for that - we struggled, and I had two major crises impending.
No supervisor, no manager, no explanation. Refuting the evidence of their own eyes as air tags were shown to them, indicating location, locating their luggage, but still no responses, no luggage. Then yet again back online, this time to tell the agent that we actually did want our luggage. Only then would somebody be dispatched to go find that luggage wherever it was hidden, awaiting rescue and put on the carousel.
Home was reached at night, 9:41 PM. Over 12 hours from the time we had set out until the time we came home. Needless to say, I, along with many others, are not happy with our experience with American Airlines at O'Hare. Information and explanation is good. Being held hostage on planes - not so good.
Now anyone who knows me knows that I really do not tolerate stupidity or foolishness or not thinking thoughts. Yet all day I was so good, shocking my kids, shocking my husband, even shocking myself. I read, I snacked - and waited. Sitting and standing became quite uncomfortable, and the need for an end was clearly needed. First aid for medical situations were imperative yet very difficult to act upon given the location.
And so, I broke, worn out, tired. Precariously medicated and thank G-d I had taken extra doses with me. Luckily for us our daughter and granddaughter came to the airport to be with us and were able to tolerate my grumpiness and aggravation and feeling ill and totally out of sorts.
American Airlines fell down on the job. In so many ways. We will talk.
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