My Trip, Volume I
2003-10-28 at 10:13 a.m.
Okay, here's the journal I kept while on my way to and in, California last week.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18th
Here I am on the plane. I'll go back to early this morning to begin my recap.
Fearing that I might sleep through my 5:00am alarm, I was awake most of the night. I managed to fall asleep, despite K's snoring and G climbing into bed with us. I woke up at 4:00am and decided to shower and get ready for the day.
We got the kids dressed and loaded into the car. An advantage, likely the only one, to living in our crappy apartment, is our close proximity to the airport. We got there in about 15 minutes. Upon arriving at the airport, I made discovery number one why I will never fly America West Worst again. They don't offer curbside check-in in St. Louis. No idea why.
K dropped me off and I hugged my beautiful boys tightly. It's ironic... I fantasize about, plan for and take pleasure in the thought of, getting away from my children. Then when it comes down to actually doing so, I can't let go. I get so choked up seeing their sweet, little faces and hearing their angelic little voices as they say, "Bye Mommy! Love you!"
I wiped away a few tears and swallowed back the lump in my throat. I waved at them until I couldn't see them anymore, then made my way into the terminal.
America West's ticket counter was at the opposite end of the terminal from where the curbside check-in point would be if they had been so kind as to offer it. I toted a huge suitcase full of a week's worth of clothing, a duffle bag loaded with hair dryers, curling irons, flat irons and other assorted sundries to make me look mediocre, a carry-on back pack and my purse from one end of the terminal to the other. I hate America West! I waited in line at the ticket counter to check in. I was given a boarding pass. I was also given my luggage... Seems it was my responsibilty to take it to security. Can anyone guess where security was? Right! At the opposite end of the terminal! Where I just fucking was!
As I walked to my gate, I looked at my boarding pass. What should have read "seat number 13C", instead read, "SBY". Despite my lack of sleep, I immediately realized I'd been placed on stand by.
Now, I've never flown stand by, therefore I am not very familiar with it. All I know is, I did not and would not have booked a stand by flight. I bought these tickets six weeks ago and chose my seating assignment online. I didn't arrive at the airport late, even with all the red tape and firey hoops America West had me through, so I have no idea why this was done to me.
When I attempted to check in, I was sent to the "stand by" desk, where a snotty-assed employee told me, "We'll try to get you on this flight... "
"Try to get me on this flight??"
I told them this was the first I knew of being on stand by. They didn't care. I told them they had made a mistake, as I never would have accepted anything but a confirmed flight.
The clerk at the gate managed to get me on the flight, courtesy of bumping someone else. I was the last one on the flight. The passengers behind me were all turned away, and done so very rudely. Some of the people, like me, were completely unaware they had stand by tickets. The clerk was downright nasty to them. I have half a mind to report him whem I get back home.
I was seated in a center seat - something else I never would have requested. I chose an aisle seat when I booked the flight, as I always do. I'm wedged in between two other people, one of whom is quite sizable, and who grumbled at the lady in the window seat when she asked to squeeze by to use the bathroom. I guess I'm lucky to be on this flight at all.
I hate America West!
~~~ > End entry < ~~~
Okay, this is me, current day. I'll write more later - I need to get J ready for school!