Tangled Thoughts

Wednesday:

• Up Bright an early (before 5 am early).
• Get a late start because of some car seat issue involving Judah.
• Whip through the narrow streets, on the wrong side of the road.
• Dont get sick (score!)
• Arrive at the airport, 15 minutes behind schedule.
• Grab bags while saying a hurried goodbye.
• Forget to say goodbye to Judah.  GAH!
• Run through the Heathrow airport with Amanda, David and two bags.
• Arrive at the correct terminal, out of breath, ready to pass out.
• A kind man tells us not to worry, the flight has been delayed.
• Cheer!
• Panic!
• I have a connecting flight three hours after I arrive at my destination.  If this flight is delayed I wont make it.
• Argue with bag checkers.
• Who tell me “Not our problem.” Since I am connecting onto a different airlines, check with them.
• Get angry.
• Tell Amanda.
• Who gets angry.
• Get angry with Amanda.
• Calm down.
• Realize there is a chance this flight might NOT be delayed.
• Say a hurried good-bye.
• Rush through security and into the forming “Board here” line at my gate.
• Realize this flight is going to Nice, and not LA.
• Shrug.
• Hand boarding pass to lady who tells me this isnt my flight and me missing my flight “Isnt my problem.”
• A man tells me to “Sit.  Wait.  Later.” His smile is enough to concern me.
• Head to a different desk.
• 2 managers and 5 workers look over my ticket, then gasp.  And almost in a comical sense respond “No.  Not our problem.”
• Head through additional security.
• Ask about accommodations for missed flights.
• Receive the same useless information from her.
• Call Amanda in tears because I dont know what to do.
• Pay an arm and leg for internet to try and help myself.
• Try to dial an 800 number, with no luck.  800 numbers arent aloud in the UK.
• Pull out calling card, dial 100+ numbers and finally reach someone working for the airlines that my connecting flight is on.
• Receive the news that there is another flight in the morning that I can get.
• Sigh relief.
• But it will be $900.
• Choke.  Ask if I have to pay this, since its not my fault.
• Bluntly told, yes.
• Hang up the phone.  Burst into more tears.  Call Amanda.
• Dial another 100+ numbers to contact the airlines who I am waiting to board.  Get in a fight with the automated operator.  Finally get transferred and hear the dreaded “Click.”  I am out of time on my foreign phone.
• Sob some more.
• Finally board the flight, three hours later.
• Fly 10 hours, trying not to think about what will happen in LA.
• Get one drink on the entire 10 hour flight.
• Land in LA.
• Navigate through customs, and baggage claim.
• Collapse exhausted outside.
• A text message reads: “Hey Chir!  Get online!  We have you a new flight and motel room.”
• Panic.
• Try to call.
• To no avail.  Thanks to the international Sim card I am using that doesnt work in the states.  Duh.
• Run around looking for pay phones, that dont exist.
• Remember I have US Sim card in my bag.
• Think really really hard where a tiny little card could be in my giant bag.
• Find it.  SCORE!
• Call home.
• To find out: Long story short?  No one would reimburse or help.  Why?  “Not our problem.”  All they could do for now was book me on the flight the next morning and hope for the best.  Oh yea, and book me into a motel room for the night – because they are sort of awesome like that.
• Navigate LA by myself and spend the night alone.
• Thank God for family!!!

Thursday:

• Arrive, on time, at the airport the following morning.  Go through security.  Ask airlines agent for help.  Im desperate by this time.  Explain the situation.  She seems shocked.  And apologetic.  Saying that it is the other airlines fault, since they were delayed – they SHOULD have made accommodations for me.
• Smile in this new found information.
• Arrive in Seattle where I now have to wait 7 hours for my flight home.
• Decide to make good use of my time and track down these folks who stole Amandas money.
• Finally find them.
• Wait in line while hearing horror stories from other passengers.
• After waiting in line for an hour – the only person working says she is leaving and doesnt know when someone else will be there.
• Me and 6 other customers wait.
• And wait.
• And wait.
• 45 minutes later a man in a suit appears to inform us all that “No one will be here until the morning and that if you really need help see the ticketing agents.”
• Angered.
• Greatly.
• Head out of security and down to the ticketing counter.
• Where I am told to “Fill out a refund request ONLINE.”
• Go back through security.
• And wait.
• Until I finally am able to fly home.
• Where I send an email.
• And vow never to travel on United again.