Travel Story - Farewell to a Trusted Companion

Location: Home

I just renewed my passport, and it struck me how many places we have gone in the last 10 years, including:

Canada
China
Costa Rica
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Hong Kong
Hungary
India
Italy
Malaysia
Mexico
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Maarten
Spain
Sweden
Thailand
United Kingdom


Here is a photo showing my old friend, with stamps from each time I entered Heathrow airport.





In addition to trips to the UK,  I like to transit through because of the nonstop to and from RDU airport.  As you can see, the folks at the American Airlines desk at Heathrow get to see me fairly regularly.

Travel Humor - Time to Reboot the Plane

Location: RDU Airport, on the way to Washington DC

2:25 pm.  Our scheduled departure time came and went.  Waiting on the incoming plane.
3:00 pm.  On the plane.  Additional delay due to waiting for arriving passengers.
3:15 pm.  The pilot came on and said that there was a problem with the radio and it had to be rebooted.  However, doing so required that they power down the plane.  Fortunately we didn't have to do this procedure while in flight. 
3:20 pm.  Now we are further delayed while the flight attendants try to identify the rando who left a suitcase on the jetway.  After 3 pleas the guilty party finally fessed up so they could tag the bag.
3:25 pm. The pilot announced that the reboot didn't work and that the maintenance team was on its way.
5:15 pm.  The pilot came on and said that due to the delay in departure we needed to get back off the plane.  However, the flight wasn't canceled.
6:30 pm.  I decided that the flight would eventually be canceled, and that I better rebook before it was too late.  Got the last seat on the 10:20 am the next morning.
7:00 pm.  Back home,

Travel Story – Travel Disruptions Can Cost You

Location: RDU Airport, waiting to fly to DFW

We taxied out to the runway and sat for a bit.  Our captain came on the intercom and said we were going to have to take a circuitous route to DFW due to weather, and that we had to go back to the gate to get more fuel.  This was going to result in about a 90 minute delay in arriving at DFW.  See the map below the actual route that we took, including 30 minutes circling Houston. Good thing that we had that extra fuel.

The passenger seated next to me was very unhappy about the delay, and said that he would be subject to a $5000 penalty for being late (perhaps he was a pro athlete).  Since we were delayed only 90 minutes, he couldn't have much margin in his travel plans.  He then expressed his frustration by refusing to talk to the flight attendants.  He did however talk to himself.

Free tip for the traveler in question - Maybe next time you should go a day early so as to not have to pay a fat penalty if you are late.  Also, not talking to the flight attendants is just plain rude.  The delay wasn't their fault.

Travel Tip - Think Before You Pick That Aisle Seat

Location: Window seat on various flights

If you are lucky enough to be able to sleep on the plane (I'm not) and plan to do so, you probably don't want the aisle seat.

If you do take the aisle and immediately go to sleep, please don't get mad at the folks in your row when they have to clamber over your snoring sprawl.

Travel Tip - Better Listen to the Gate Agent

Location: DFW Airport, on a plane waiting to depart to Monroe LA

I was on a regional jet headed from Dallas-Fort Worth to Monroe.  It was a lightly loaded flight, and it looked like all of the passengers were on board, but we weren't closing up for departure. I then noticed that a gate agent was on the plane talking to a passenger about 3 rows ahead of me.  Due to the distance I couldn't hear all of the conversation, but the following came through:

• The passenger was on the plane with a refunded (worthless) ticket and no boarding pass.  I can't figure how on earth that happens.
• The gate agent wanted him off the plane but the passenger was refusing.
• The first threat from the agent was that the passenger's daughter "could lose her privileges," making me think that the passenger was originally traveling on an airline pass or a ticket purchased with miles.  This threat had no effect.  To me that showed a degree of ingratitude and selfishness regarding his daughter.
• The next threat was the agent was going to fetch the police.  As with the first threat, this one had no effect.  To me that displayed a large measure of foolishness.

The gate agent then departed and the flight attendant came on and said that we would have a "slight delay" but specified no reason.  Ten minutes later two police officers boarded the plane and the passenger decided he would deplane.

Travel hint - When the gate agent says he will summon the police, it's not an idle threat; it's a promise.

Travel Story - It's an Up and Down World

Location: Flying from RDU to Denver via Chicago

4 days ago - Good news - Received free upgrades all the way
2:00 pm - Bad news - flights massively delayed due to weather in Chicago
2:30 pm - Good news - rerouted through Charlotte, with an upgrade from Charlotte to Denver
6:20 pm - Bad news - my seat 4F is not actually in first class; it's the first row behind the bulkhead
6:40 pm - Good news - seat 1A in first class is empty - maybe I can get it
6:45 pm - Bad news - two people are ahead of me on the upgrade list
7:10 pm - Good news - The flight attendant in first class comps me a meal and a drink

Sometimes it all works out in the end.

Travel Humor - There’s a Reason

Location: Bangalore Airport, waiting to fly to Doha, Qatar on my way home

Question: Why does it take 60 minutes to load a Qatar Airways flight?

Answer: 15 minutes to board, and 45 minutes to argue with the flight attendants about the seats.  And yes, the seats are assigned, but that doesn't seem to matter to some folks.

Yelling, screaming and crying by spoiled brats, refusing to sit in the assigned seats … and that was the adults!