Text 28630, 118 rader
Skriven 2009-09-11 23:02:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
Ärende: 9/11 160
================
As you all know, I always fly on 9/11. I try to arrange it so
it's part of a bigger trip, but sometimes, owing to peculiarities
of schedule, that is impossible. This time I had this 9/12
concert so did all the flying on one day. Booked BOS-PHL-BWI-
LGA-BOS. That didn't happen.

A FLIGHT - BUT NOT ON THE AIRPLANE I'D PLANNED ON

0911 US2029 BOS DCA 1000 1126 319 2A
was
US1819 BOS PHL 1030 1159 E90 2F
US3651 PHL BWI 1324 1409 CRJ 5A

There was a bus that would get me to the airport an hour before
the flight but would entail a 10-min walk first; the stop for
the bus half an hour earlier (getting me there way early) was
only a 1-min walk. So I took the earlier bus. Good thing, as
when I got to the airport, I found that my flight was cancelled.
A somewhat grumpy but efficient agent found me a seat in first
on the shuttle to National, getting me into the area 2 1/2 hr
earlier but at the wrong airport. The correction would take
an hour and $8, and I'd lose a flight that would help qualify
me for Gold, but at least it was going to be on a big plane.

I noticed that - despite getting my ticket just before 9 for
a 10:00 flight, I was sequence #22 (the plane holds 124). And,
in fact, the airport was as spookily empty as it has been pretty
much every 9/11 this millennium. Come on, guys, if you want
economic recovery, if you want to stay reasonably free, don't
give in to bullies!

Security was swift and not unfriendly.

I called the Shipps to report on this rerouting, but in
conference we decided to keep to our original schedule. During
the call, there was an announced request for a moment of
silence; I started talking softer, so Gail, that's probably
why you had a hard time hearing me.

Only 4 people in the front cabin.

US Air now serves Stirrings(tm) Simple(tm) cocktails for $8 -
$7 for the booze and $1 for the mixer, all free in first class
of course. I had a pomegranate martini without the booze.
Opening the little bottle, I got a whiff of things to come -
a weakish cherry cough syrup aroma, nothing more. The taste
also has nothing to do with pomegranate, though the claim is
that there are pomegranate and lemon juices (behind triple
filtered water and cane sugar, ahead of natural flavors, citric
acid, and fruit and vegetable juices for coloring) in the mix.

The flight was uneventful and more or less on time.

So. I checked on my return flight out of BWI only to discover
that it had been cancelled. Not a big deal. A quick call to the
Gold desk and ... the Gold desk was swamped and not taking calls.

Not a big deal. So out of the gate area to the counter, where
the agent couldn't wrap her head around why I was in the wrong
airport, and "I have to call customer service and get the okay
to change your ticket, but there may be a refare." And customer
service put her on hold. So I told her to forget it and got on
the cell at 10c a minute ... luckily this time the Gold desk
answered in a few minutes and found me confirmed space in first
on the 1630 flight (I had the choice of going on the 2100, but
that would get me back too late to do any practicing for tomorrow).
Thanked the phone agent profusely and walked to the check-in kiosk
while dialing the Shipps to report on my progress. While I was
checking in for the 1630, Dale and I determined that it would be
a stretch for me to go out and meet them for a meal and head back
to the airport in time, so we postponed this get-together for
another day. Talking and checking in at the same time has its
advantages: while this discussion was taking place I was given the
chance of getting the last seat in first on the 1330, so I took that. 

US2034 DCA BOS 1330 1530 319 1A
was
US2040 DCA BOS 1630 1757 319 2F
was
US4126 BWI LGA 1649 1800 DH8 4F
US2140 LGA BOS 1900 2017 319 2A

A BURGER - BUT NOT THE BURGER I'D PLANNED ON

Rushed through security - again, a matter of 5 min or less, with a
friendly ID checker and efficient silent screening personnel - and
to the gate to see if I couldn't get on the 1230, but it had just
closed. So. Five Guys. A line of 10-15 people or so, as it was prime
lunch hour, but the line went fast. Uncharacteristically, I opted
for a bacon cheeseburger, having a pocketful of pills and nowhere
to go (for an hour). A respectable sandwich, good though well-done
meat, very salty but smoky and porky bacon, and the Krafty slices
we all (even I) grew up with. And costing no more than the subway
to Greenbelt would have. I did a silly experiment when ordering:
you get the option of "grilled onions," so I asked for "cooked
onions." The girl at the register didn't know what cooked onions
were, whether through inexperience or lack of command of the English
language I don't know. I relented in a couple seconds and clarified.

We boarded up and pushed back on time and then got the bad news:
weather up and down the coast (duh, that's why I was there in the
first place), and we had up to an hour delay. Turned out to be half
that, during which I ordered a Heineken and got a Beck's (the booze
concession has changed in the last two weeks) - I promised Dale
that I'd have a drink for him, and this was it.

A terrific flight. The pretty (dyed) red-haired Russian flight
attendant was excellent, providing two drink services and three
snack basket services while I was awake (about 30 min). I asked for
a Glenlivet, and she poured me 5 oz of it; after this I fell asleep
until landing time. We landed half an hour late owing to a
combination of the aforementioned delay and a bunch of circling
around Providence. It was raining enough to be annoying but not
so much that we ended up in Hartford or anything like that.

___ Blue Wave/386 v2.30
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5
 * Origin: Doc's Place BBS Fido Since 1991 docsplace.tzo.com (1:123/140)