So anyway, we checked our luggage, went thru security (laughing with the guard as I guzzled every last bit of water in my water bottle), got to the gate & they were able to get us all together – which was the very last row & the jet was out the window – no view & a 3 hr flight, but we were all together… There were several who had been able to get on our flight at the last minute, ‘cuz it was an earlier flight than what they had tickets for – so, we boarded & all w
as well, we thought, but after sitting for a while they came over the loudspeaker to say the plane had a problem & we were waiting for the mechanic to come (a little odd?), so we sat another 20 min or so, then they came on to say the hydraulic pump was broken & the part was in Dallas and our flight was now canceled. My thought was “Lord, this is an interesting way to answer my prayer to not go to Dallas, thank you & thank you the plane is on the ground broken and not in the air.” There was only one lady to re-route all of us on the flight, she asked for patience & kindness that she’d do her best and all those who thought they were getting out on our “earlier” flight than what they originally had were now confirmed for their original flight.So, the other 100 or so of us were waiting in this very long line & we were at the end, ‘cuz we were the last ones off the plane. The flight attendants on the plane had advised me to call the airlin
e & get re-routed instead of waiting, so I did. However, they re-routed us through Chicago! They said there wasn’t anything available to Portland or Seattle -I was asking for anywhere west of Tucson or even straight north, even just stay in Tucson – just to not fly multiple hours east to fly back in a couple hours. While standing in line I called mom, we had just under an hour to cancel the Dallas hotel room without having to pay for it. I thought, “Lord I didn’t want to go to Dallas, but I want to go to Chicago even less, but thank you that I knew in time to cancel our Dallas hotel.” My flight out of Seattle was for 11:20am on Friday & I was to get into Chicago at midnight, to fly back the 3 or 4 hrs to Seattle in time to catch that 11:20am flight. The line was over an hour long, when I got to the counter I told the lady I didn’t want to go to Dallas anyway & I’d rather stay in Tucson overnight than fly to Chicago to fly back, that I flew out of Seattle the next morning. Her comment was “that’s silly, we’ll just send you to Seattle tonight” and she did – she put us on US Airways to fly Tucson-Pheonix-Seattle AND got us a hotel room in Seattle that American paid for! What a huge blessing!!!!! So I identified our luggage, they sent it to baggage claim, we went & got it, rented a cart to haul it to the other end of the airport & check in with US Airways. I was catching mom up on our route while going thru security – tip, don’t do that! The guy kept looking at me, I was talking to mom, but CJ was handing him our ID & tickets and talking to him…anyway, he marked us all for pat down security check — (because a mom with two kids & 4 carry-ons looks suspicious or because I irritated him?) So, it took us over 20 min to get thru that security check because the lady could pat Christine & I down, but we had to wait for an available male for Vince. So we got on US Airways & everyone was loaded and waiting to push back when one of the flight attendants came on & said they needed 6 people to move from rows 1-11 to behind row 16 – because of weight & balance — we were on a 727 airliner jet! But we sat there & didn’t go until enough people moved, I think we all thought it was a joke, but it wasn’t. It was only a 20 min flight from Tucson to Phoenix, then off to Seattle – yahoo, we landed in Seattle a bit early, 11pm. We collected our luggage, again – called the hotel to see how to get there, rented a cart again then had a small hike until we got to where the hotel shuttle came to -wait for 15 mins for the next shuttle, load luggage into bus & ride to the hotel, unload luggage & go to check in, it’s now 11:45pm…the man behind the counter looks at me & says “I don’t have any rooms” I responded with yes, but I have a reservation. He said “nope, all our rooms our filled up – just filled the last one, we had 5 British Airways come take them.”
These pics are sitting & in the Holiday Inn lobby, waiting for their shuttle to come get us. It was just after midnight when I took these pics. We did finally get into our room at the Red Lion Hotel at 12:30am. I was so thankful we were in Seattle & didn’t have to be at the airport until 9:30am, I was still going to get 8 hrs of sleep!
So the next morning we get to the Seattle airport at 9:30, I go to the e-ticket thing to check in & it tells me to go to customer service. So, I went to the ladies that check-in luggage, thinking they were customer service – they can’t find us in the computer. We have to haul luggage to a 3rd line to see what is up — At first they try to tell me I can’t use the ticket twice (really? I didn’t know that, I’ve done it before) they said – “you flew to Juneau at 11:21 on the 21st” I just looked at the guy, he wanted to know why we’d fly to Juneau to come to Seattle & try again (do I really look that stupid?!). I said, with a smile – “yes, my flight is at 11:21 on the 21st, that’s today and it’s only 9:45”. He looked around at the computer again & repeats, there is no reservation for us, they can’t find us anywhere – not even with my confirmation number. This is the result of our ticket having been for Tucson-Dallas-Seattle-Juneau, changing to Tucson-Chicago-Seattle-Juneau, to Tucson-Pheonix-Seattle-Juneau all on the same day, even though the Seattle-Juneau portion was never changed. Finally they get another person & look far enough back in the history to see that yes I have a ticket & no I haven’t used it yet, because in fact that flight hasn’t gone yet. But, there isn’t room for us on the flight now. So we wait a bit longer while they work on it – they do find 3 seats on the plane, but in 3 different areas…. It was a good thing I was on a full nights sleep or I probably would have burst into tears! So, off to another security check – but in the confusion I forgot to have Christine drink the Capri-Sun…. another tip – they don’t like Capri-Sun packaging, it looks like play-doh (something else suspicious, fyi)…I think the guy could tell I was ready to cry – I asked ‘please, I forgot to have her drink it, we drank the 3 water bottles, can we please just throw it away?’ He obliged – much to my great relief! There were so many security lines & I just wanted to get to the other side & on the plane. After bathroom stops we got some breakfast & then went to the gate, they were able to get us 3 seats together and they were pleasantly close to the middle, just 2 or 3 rows behind the wing.
What a relief to have done bathroom stops, have breakfast & lunch with us, have coffee, and have lifted off out of Seattle to Juneau. Now, there is always the possibility of not being able to get into Juneau, but I’d talked to mom & dad and the weather seemed fine and a non-issue – so even though there was still a chance of not landing, I needed the relief & know that in a few short hours we’d be with mom & dad and this trip would be over.
We flew the 3 hours to Juneau & again, we were going to land early. It was a beautiful, clear, sunny day. It was so pretty seeing all the snow on the mountains again after such a long time. We were on final approach when all of a sudden I could hardly see, my thought was “I’m sure glad they have instruments & it’s not about what they can’t see”, we were waiting to feel the touch down when I started thinking “we’re going up”. It is the weirdest feeling to be going down & all of a sudden know you are going up but you can’t see! My heart just stopped, I thought “Lord, please, please, please, please don’t make us have to unload & collect luggage to spend the night somewhere and then have to do all this again” I was pretty much to the point of begging, trying real hard to not to “help” with my suggestions. After a few minutes the pilot came on & said “as you’ve noticed, we didn’t land, that is what is called a missed approach. During our final approach the visibility went from 10 miles to less than 1 mile. It was such a sudden snow squall we’re going to circle & expect it to pass so we can try again.” We did circle for a half hr or so & then landed without hitch.
We were soooooo glad to get off that plane in Juneau & see dad standing there when we walked through security. To know our trip was done for another week. God blessed us in so many ways and answered so many prayers on that trip. I now know I can do all those different scenarios on my own – as the adult – I can even smile (mostly) and remain kind (I kept all sarcastic remarks to myself, I didn’t say them). We had safe travels, even though there were plenty of unexpected events.
– Lessons learned –
You can get seats & be on the plane – that plane still might not take off.
When one airline says “nothing available” – another airline can get you out.
You can have your ticket changed to 3 different destinations fairly easily. (granted, it might wipe you out of the system :)! )
Don’t talk on cell phone when giving ID to go through security.
Security guards in the same airport aren’t all equal.
Passenger weight & balance is important on a 727.
You may have a hotel reservation and not have a room.
It is good to get to the airport 2 hrs early.
You might have an airline ticket – but they can’t find you in the computer.
You can’t use the same ticket twice, just in case you’re wondering.
They can still eek out 3 seats – just not together, but they’ll work at fixing it.
Play-doh (or Capri-Suns) are suspicious when going thru airport security.
You might be moments from landing – and not.
This can all happen during one portion of the same trip-in the same 24 hrs.
Boy, am I thankful for a Heavenly Father who loves, protects, provides for me & cares how I feel.