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Am home from the west coast portion of Nilly-tour 2004. I will have more to say about the whole experience later. I just want to relate the ending at the moment, and to assure Deb that TC has checked my luggage and made sure that Rupert is not in my suitcase.
Ginger and I arrived in Atlanta on time, and she kindly walked with me down to the gate for my connecting flight to Greensboro, we said goodbye, and she went on to find her car and drive home. I had an hour layover, so I read my book, and then it was time to board. They called first class, and then Zone 2, and Zone 3. And then there was a pause. And they announced that the plane was broke, and that the already-boarded people would have to un-board so they could fix it. So they debarked and we waited. And waited some more. A very attractive young woman dressed in a tank top, a peach colored crinoline, and some interesting tats and piercings arrived to wait with us, and she was carrying a live animal carrier. I wandered over to be nosy and asked what was in the box. "A baby cat. A mean little baby cat. You can look if you want to." She handed me the box, and a tiny tabby kitten rushed over to peer and paw at me through the slats in the case. Soooo cute.
We waited some more, and then they said they were putting us on another plane. We had to go to another gate, on another concourse. So we schlepped for about two and a half miles. And were told we'd be boarding in about half an hour, just as soon as they cleaned the plane, which had just arrived and debarked passengers. So, forty minutes went by, and they started boarding first class, then Zone 1, then Zone 2 and 3. And then they said the plane was broke, and they'd have to de-board all the passengers so they could fix it. And it would be another forty minutes before we could board and get underway.
The guy next to me in the waiting area started to speculate which motel Delta was going to put us up in overnight, and I started to wonder, myself. But then they fixed their little problem and called, "First class passengers...you know what? Everybody on this plane, just come on and board." And we did, and it got up in the air, and it flew and it didn't break or fall out of the sky, and I got home. And now I'm going to bed.
Ginger and I arrived in Atlanta on time, and she kindly walked with me down to the gate for my connecting flight to Greensboro, we said goodbye, and she went on to find her car and drive home. I had an hour layover, so I read my book, and then it was time to board. They called first class, and then Zone 2, and Zone 3. And then there was a pause. And they announced that the plane was broke, and that the already-boarded people would have to un-board so they could fix it. So they debarked and we waited. And waited some more. A very attractive young woman dressed in a tank top, a peach colored crinoline, and some interesting tats and piercings arrived to wait with us, and she was carrying a live animal carrier. I wandered over to be nosy and asked what was in the box. "A baby cat. A mean little baby cat. You can look if you want to." She handed me the box, and a tiny tabby kitten rushed over to peer and paw at me through the slats in the case. Soooo cute.
We waited some more, and then they said they were putting us on another plane. We had to go to another gate, on another concourse. So we schlepped for about two and a half miles. And were told we'd be boarding in about half an hour, just as soon as they cleaned the plane, which had just arrived and debarked passengers. So, forty minutes went by, and they started boarding first class, then Zone 1, then Zone 2 and 3. And then they said the plane was broke, and they'd have to de-board all the passengers so they could fix it. And it would be another forty minutes before we could board and get underway.
The guy next to me in the waiting area started to speculate which motel Delta was going to put us up in overnight, and I started to wonder, myself. But then they fixed their little problem and called, "First class passengers...you know what? Everybody on this plane, just come on and board." And we did, and it got up in the air, and it flew and it didn't break or fall out of the sky, and I got home. And now I'm going to bed.
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If it's any consolation, when a plane is declared disabled at the gate like that, the crew is just as put out as you are, since (especially at that time of night) they're on their way home or headed off work when it lands. And quite often the captain, who has the responsibility of a last check over the plane, will have made the decision whether or not to use the plane. So while it may have been some relatively minor thing, the equivalent of a dent in the bumper, safety considerations really are taken seriously.
But it sucks to have two planes shot out from under you!
Home safe is a good good thing. :-)
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