Day 1 - 8:30 a.m
Off to a rough start. The alarm didn't wake me as scheduled. 6:05 am call from my boss "where are you?"...Me..."Oh crud". Shaking and hazy I call for a taxi. Luckily the 6:10 departure had been delayed. I manage to cram seven days worth of luggage into two carry on bags (like I said before take carry on). 7:00 am - arrive at AirTran airways terminal at Washington Dulles. There is nobody at the podium (I really don't understand this concept). I try the electronic check in, but since I have dinosaur paper tickets, I have no such luck. No bueno. 7:05 am - I grab the nearest representative that I can find from Jet Blue. She is kind and grabs a man from the break room. He trys to tell me that the flight is full. I say "yes I know, but I'm a ticketed passenger". He is accommodating and encourages me to make a run for it (Dulles is huge and at a walking pace takes about an hour to go from main entrance to gate).
Over sized bags in tow, flip flops sliding, I make a run. Up one escalator, down another, hop a train, grab an elevator (with confusing buttons labeled G, M, C). I press "C" and pray for the best.
7:20 - running down concourse B.
7:21 am - text from my boss, "we're boarding".
7:22 am - waiving arms, shouting "wait, wait, wait", I run to the jet bridge.
7:24 am - The same sweet man from the ticket counter is there waiting. The attendant at the jet bridge explains that they have already filled my seat with stand-by passengers.
"Oh no", I thought. I was so close.
7:26 am - have no fear. The woman tells me to run down the jet bridge. They would try to make room.
7:27 am - a fluster flurry erupts between the baggage personnel, the flight attendant, and the same man from the ticketing counter. Both of my bags have to go beneath the plane, the zipper won't close on one, and they can't find a seat. I'm being directed in a hundred different directions.
7:30 am - two passengers (apparently the standbys who had been given my seat) exit the plane.
Geez, I felt bad. I thanked them for their willingness to let me fly and boarded the plane with a pair of shoes, box of jewelry, and curlers in hand (they had to come with me to get the bag zipped). 7:35 am - only seat open is in first class! SCORE!
7:45 am - after a little further confusion amongst the AirTran employees, and some "stink eye" glares from surrounding passengers, I settle in.
7:50 am - take off for Atlanta. I realize that I've forgot my camera, ipod, and required shirt.
8:50 am - pilot announces that we are 40 miles out from ATL. Did I mention that our connection to San Antonio departed at 8:10 am? TO BE CONTINUED....
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Over sized bags in tow, flip flops sliding, I make a run. Up one escalator, down another, hop a train, grab an elevator (with confusing buttons labeled G, M, C). I press "C" and pray for the best.
7:20 - running down concourse B.
7:21 am - text from my boss, "we're boarding".
7:22 am - waiving arms, shouting "wait, wait, wait", I run to the jet bridge.
7:24 am - The same sweet man from the ticket counter is there waiting. The attendant at the jet bridge explains that they have already filled my seat with stand-by passengers.
"Oh no", I thought. I was so close.
7:26 am - have no fear. The woman tells me to run down the jet bridge. They would try to make room.
7:27 am - a fluster flurry erupts between the baggage personnel, the flight attendant, and the same man from the ticketing counter. Both of my bags have to go beneath the plane, the zipper won't close on one, and they can't find a seat. I'm being directed in a hundred different directions.
7:30 am - two passengers (apparently the standbys who had been given my seat) exit the plane.
Geez, I felt bad. I thanked them for their willingness to let me fly and boarded the plane with a pair of shoes, box of jewelry, and curlers in hand (they had to come with me to get the bag zipped). 7:35 am - only seat open is in first class! SCORE!
7:45 am - after a little further confusion amongst the AirTran employees, and some "stink eye" glares from surrounding passengers, I settle in.
7:50 am - take off for Atlanta. I realize that I've forgot my camera, ipod, and required shirt.
8:50 am - pilot announces that we are 40 miles out from ATL. Did I mention that our connection to San Antonio departed at 8:10 am? TO BE CONTINUED....
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
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