Have I mentioned that I HATE flying

Traveling so much for work has advantages and disadvantages. Generally I really like getting to see so much of the country and I put all the frequent flier miles I rack up to good use in my 7 continent quest. However these days there is nothing pleasant about flying. On the best day it is unpleasant, and on a bad day, it is horrible. Yesterday was one of those horrible days.

I was thrilled Wednesday when my customer said they wouldn’t need me Thursday afternoon, so I could fly home a day early. I waited on hold with United, argued over the flight change fee (since with my status I get free same day flight changes which should apply if you are switching from the first flight of one day to the last flight of the previous day), gave up and paid the fee, and started making plans for Friday night. When I got to the airport Thursday and printed my boarding passes, I realized the agent made a mistake. My first flight landed in Denver at 3:53. My second flight left Denver at 3:30. See the problem?

I hit the United speed dial button on my phone, waited on hold for 10 minutes, and when I got an agent explained my problem. I said that ideally I’d like to get to Portland that night, but since it was so late and there are so few flights to Maine, I’d rather get to Boston and drive than end up stuck somewhere in the middle and have to sleep in the airport. She said OK and put me on hold for a good 20 minutes only to come back and say “I’m sorry, the earliest we can get you to Portland is tomorrow night.”

“What about Boston?” I asked.

“Oh, you are willing to go to Boston?”

Sigh. After another hold period she got me on the flight to Boston.  I made a beseeching phone call to the car service I use sometimes and they agreed to pick me up in Boston at midnight.  I got on my first flight from Lubbock to Denver. We sat on the runway with the engines off for 45 minutes while they worked on a mechanical issue. I sweated to death. Finally we took off. 

After a bumpy flight we landed in Denver. I checked on my next flight. Delayed 3 hours.  I decided it was a good time to use one of my United Club passes. Sad when the highlight of your day is sitting in a lounge drinking bad wine and eating endless cups of Chex Mix and little individual cheeses while watching Secret Life of the American Teenager on the wi-fi that keeps cutting out. 

I kept checking my flight, still delayed. My name slowly moved up on the first class upgrade list. Right when my name hit #1 on the list, the cabin status changed to full. Naturally. Around 10 we finally took off and I got a little bit of uncomfortable sleep on the plane before we landed at Logan at 3:30 am. Blearily I made my way outside to the limo pick-up. No one was waiting with my name. I called the car company. After about a 100 rings a sleepy voice answered. My driver had fallen asleep in the telephone lot. He picked me up and then wanted to talk the whole way home to keep himself awake. 

I got to bed around 6:30 am. Then my phone rang at 7:30. I turned it off. Then the garbage truck outside woke me up at 8:30. Then, my neighbors yelling outside woke me up at 9:30. I gave up and got up. And I am grumpy.