Some Days the Hammer...Some Days the Nail.

I spent the week flying around the southeastern US, between Atlanta and Memphis, then on to Charlotte before returning home to ATL.

That's a little unusual for me as I usually travel further afield than that, but I had customer locations to visit in all three places. I hate regional flying because the jets tend to be smaller and more likely to get messed with by weather, air traffic control, and generally weaker run regional air carrier/slaves to the bigger carriers. I was not disappointed.

My flights from ATL to MEM and thence onward to CLT were no problem. Flying back to ATL however was a charm indeed. Today was one of "those days".  You know the ones.  The days when everything starts well then the more stuff you touch the worse it gets.  I had a very nice and very successful visit with a customer this morning.  It was one of those fun visits where you have a nice buzz coming out of it. Prospects are good, the customer is happy, and you've just learned that they are PISSED at your major competition.  As they say in the military...a "target rich environment".   That was the morning.

I then figure, "hey, I'm done with my stuff here in Charlotte, I'll see if I can catch an earlier flight to get home earlier".  I turn in the rental car, get to the terminal and see that its wall-to-wall passengers waiting for security clearance. That was the first sign that life was about to get complicated. I go up to the Delta self check in kiosk and attempt to get my boarding pass. The machine can't find it. Not good. So I call the corporate travel agent and ask what's up. After some searching and a call to Delta, I am told that my flight has been canceled, and that lo and behold, I have been rebooked to tomorrow mornings flight.  Lovely. Nice to see what Platinum-elite status is worth these days. I ask the travel agent what other flights are available and am told that a US Airways flight at 7:45PM still has seats.  Book me Dano. I'll take a bird in hand over a promise. 

Whilst standing at the Delta ticket desk, I ask the agent why they canceled my flight and what the delays were about.  There were three geniuses standing at the check in desk.  Each had a unique answer, presented almost simultaneously.

Eric:  "Hey, what's the delay about today?"

Agent 1: "Its summer time!  The kids are out of school"

Eric: "I don't see any kids"

Agent 2: "It's the weather!"

Eric: "It's sunny outside and my wife says it's sunny in Atlanta"

Agent 3: "Might have been a mechanical"

Eric:  "Is that what it was?" All these people are on my plane?"

Agent 3 again:  "Well, we don't really know but we have a long list of excuses to work from!"

Eric: "Nuff said.  Please transfer my ticket to US Scare."

I get my new ticket, make my way to the US Airways counter, get my confirmed but delayed boarding pass and proceed to the TSA security line.  The one nice thing about US Airways in CLT is that they are the hub carrier in Charlotte.  The facilities aren't much faster, but they are bigger.  So, it only takes 30 minutes to get to the security check point.  On perusal of my documents, the TSA screener informs me I have been "selected" by the airlines for further screening.  Ok.  No biggie.  Just more wanding and prodding and baggage check.  I've got 3 hours to kill.  Knock yourselves out guys. 

The TSA guys are nice and efficient in this case, which is great.  However much depends on your sense of humor. I've lost all hope for anything approaching early or on time.  At this point its just make light of it and move on. If you have that attitude and are nice to the TSA folks, typically they'll move you on as quickly as the Federal Government can do so.

By 7:45, I am seated on the plane, we take off and arrive in ATL about 9PM. I get home around 11.  Later than I wanted.  Much more tired than I wanted, but this is a pretty typical day for a lot of travelers. 

I have always thought the true cost of 9/11 is in the experience above. Traveling and moving around in the United States is now HARD and much less civil than it used to be. Some wannabe terrorist-Jag off decides to try to blow up a plane with C4 in his shoes and now I don't buy lace up shoes any more because I have to take them off every time I fly.

Forget fuel costs. The reason I want to ride trains nowadays is this experience.

Eric

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Comments

[Eric]

Well said H-Man. You know when Delta is eliminating everything from paper ticket jackets to even "sun chips" as a snack choice in coach, it sucks.

In the meantime Delta is offering "signature cocktails" like Mojitos... who the hell runs marketing at that airline?

With all the airlines, its really gotten so bad that you just buy the ticket and pray that you get there in one piece.

I used to be able to expense my airline club membership. However with times being what they are, DHL decided that wasnt allowed any more. No matter, I pay the money myself because as much as I fly, I have to have a place to be productive while I wait out the rest of the airline delays every week.

[Harry Joiner]

Screw flying.

[Jeff]

Man I resemble that post. Nothing like the TSA backlog in ATL every morning to make me miss living in a small market like Charleston where a long security wait time is maybe ten minutes...