Text 19677, 61 rader
Skriven 2012-01-07 13:18:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
Ärende: trip 36
===============
I checked with US Air; we were supposed to leave half an hour
late, so when Annie's alarm rang, I told her she could have
another round of sleep, but she said she wanted to get the chore
over with, and plus we were to pick up Syd, who was booked on
the same plane. We left into the 15F chill, picked her up, and
were at the airport at 4:50, with the ticket counter just
opening up. As Syd has had rotator cuff surgery, and as she
likes chivalry, I handled both my bags and her giant suitcase,
which surprisingly weighed in just below 50 lbs.

She was a bit antsy and wanted to go in the secure area (which
has no food or running water); I held off for a while but ended
up, after a while, going to the gate (the airport has one) and
chatting with her, and chatting, and chatting. To go to the
bathroom you have to exit security and then get rescreened,
as though there were weapons of mass destruction stowed away
in the toilet or something. The guy who seems to be in charge
is genial enough but is obsessive about some things - for
example, even though your bags have been screened, if you
go out into the real world you have to take them along,
otherwise they become unattended. 

US4557 IPT PHL 0550 0649 DH8 4F

The crew for the flight supposedly had come in late and was
illegal until after 6, so they rescheduled for 0625 departure,
causing a wave of ticket reissues for people with tight
connections, including me. I'd been supposed to go to Boston
via Albany, because that was what they had cheap seats for,
but it became clear that I'd misconnect, so they automatically
rescheduled me for the nonstop, which would get me in too early,
but that's not a big deal, as the club is welcoming. But first
I had to get to Philly: after the crew actually showed up, they
found issue with some indicator lights, which meant that either
they were burned out or the systems behind were malfunctioning.
So off to find a mechanic, who, if things worked out, would
replace the lights and certify the systems, and we'd be off by 7.
I suppose the systems were really malfunctioning, as around 7 the
announcement came that the issue would, with luck, be resolved by
8. We ended up boarding around 0815, 2 1/2 hr late, and landed a
little after 9, having made up a few minutes. But there was a
truck blocking our gate. So we actually pulled in 2 1/2 hr late.
Syd had 2F; I had 4F, exit row, but she doesn't qualify for that,
because of her shoulder. It's okay, we'd talked for hours
already. My seatmate was a big guy who tended to slop over the
seat and was none too happy when I pulled the armrest down
between the seats. I slept through the flight, waking up only
when he slopped over more than usual (he was apparently sleeping
too, either that or he liked me). By the way, I checked, and the
crew and equipment had actually come in early, according to the
company Website, and what the hey is that all about?

I stood Syd to a cup of cappuccino at the United club,
and she hustled off to her gate. I had time for a beer
and sauntered to my flight, which was just boarding Zone 3
when I arrived.


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