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The Long Way Home
Written by Gordon
17 Sep2006

I recently went to the States for simulator, Emergency recovery training and to update my records in Washington D.C. 

What a long trip home it was.

I had just finished with my records update and after a short stop at Arlington to see the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns I headed back to the airport.  Last anyone knew, I was in the  terminal at Washington Regan National Airport in downtown D.C. and headed to Chicago and then to Frankfurt...I made my flight just fine and we departed a few minutes late from Washington. The flight was scheduled to be about 1.5 hours but just prior to landing the Captain got on the intercom and told us that there was some sever weather in the Chicago area that closed all but one of the runways there. They were experiencing delays and we were going into a holding pattern to wait it out.

We entered the holding and after 45 minutes the pilot came back on to tell us the bad news – we didn't have enough fuel to make Chicago and had to divert to Dayton, Ohio . We made our approach and sat on the aircraft while we refueled. It was raining and the sun was setting rapidly.  The sun set while we sat on the ramp, in the rain getting fuel. 

We took off again and were informed that Chicago had opened two runways now and not to worry about our connecting flights because many of them had been delayed.

I got on the ground, checked the Departures board and couldn't even find my flight – why? Because it had left 2 hours ago!

I walked to a courtesy phone, called American Airlines and was told that they already rebooked me on a flight tomorrow at 9:20am – to Dallas , Texas . WHAT?! I have to go further west to get back to Germany !? This is crazy.

I could have tried my chances on a later flight out of Chicago (at 7:30pm the next evening) but there was only seat on that flight and it would get in much later than if I went through Dallas.

No problem. Its weather – it changes, what can you do?

I briefly checked for my luggage to make sure it wasn't off loaded and after I didn't find it on the baggage belt I went to the Claims counter to see if they could check on it. No problem – the guy found it and told me it would be put on my flight tomorrow.

I headed back upstairs to the ticket counter and got my boarding pass reissued. I asked the agent where I would sleep and she sympathetically told me that they had no hotels available (actually there were some available but they were 45+ minutes away). She said that they were in the process of setting up cots in the K-1 terminal area and I could sleep there if I wanted.

"What about food? Can I get some vouchers or something?" That was met with a sympathetic answer as well – Since the airlines have been doing so poorly they have cut out a lot of the extras – on the plane and off. Unfortunately, she had no food vouchers for me either. Besides, all the restaurants and stores were closed by this point anyhow.

Reluctantly I moved on…hoping that as I walked away from the counter she would call me back and tell me that she found something…a morsel of food, a place to sleep…anything…but nothing was offered – Oh, I was given (after asking) a hygiene kit.

I walked back through security, into the terminal area and to the gate area at K1. As I approached I found that I wasn't the only one recciving the royal treatment tonight. I was sharing this “room” with about 300 others! The cots were already set up and there were blankets and pillows being handed out.

I found an empty cot next to the bathroom and put my backpack under it then got a few more blankets to keep me warm and to cover my pack. I called Stef to tell her not to worry about picking me up in the morning then went to bed at 10:30pm .

After a night of tossing and turning I was abruptly awaken at 4:00am when the terminal came to life! I heard a man yell – “get up, get out!” and had to laugh (once I realized what I heard).

I laid in bed for a few minutes before it dawned on me that he meant for all of us to get going…I pulled the covers off, grabbed my pack and drug myself to the bathroom where I washed my face off…I forgot I had the hygiene kit.

My flight wasn't leaving until 9:20 (actually 9:50 ) so I found some chairs to wait in and listen to CNN.

I bought a few computer magazines, talked to a custom pipe-organ maker ( http://www.mullerpipeorgan.com/html/history.html ) about the military and then stepped in line for Dunkin Donuts at 5:00am .

After walking around I found that there was another flight to Dallas that left earlier so I decided to try my luck at getting on that flight. Luck was good! There was one seat open – in the back of the plane. They changed my ticket and I boarded at 8:40 . As luck would have it, just after the doors were closed, the flight attendant mad an announcement –

“Ladies and Gentlemen, this aircraft has just been taken out of service. Please gather all of your belongings and exit the aircraft. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

Inconvenience…heck, given my travel so far, this was what I expected to happen.

I exited the plane and quickly walked back to the original gate where my 9:50 flight was. I changed my ticket yet again and found that the plane would be boarding in 10 minutes! Good deal! I waited by the gate and boarded when called.

This flight was 2.5 hours and it arrived in Texas on time. I had a few hours to kill so I went to CHAMPS – a restaurant – and ordered some hot wings, a salad and some waffle fries. The wings were HOT ad sweet at the same time. They were good and despite the sweetness, ever bite burned more and more…

Walked to the gate after eating and ran into two guys from my Company who were on their way home after ferrying a Jet to Kansas for refurbishment.

The 9.5 hour flight was long but uneventful. I was flying on a 777 which is SO HUGE but was seated in the last row near the toilette and the galley. The flight attendant told me that this was, in his opinion, the worst seat on the plane and that if I was nice he would take care of me. I was going to be nice either way…He offered to basically give me any alcohol that I wanted and also gave me extra meals…although two dinners (lasagna) was more than enough for the entire flight. I took him up on the alcohol and had about 6 bottles (small ones) of Baileys (got them two at a time spread out over the flight).

Finally, after a long trip of watching every  movie I could, Iarrived in Frankfurt at 7:45am on Thursday. As they promised, my bag arrived on the same flight as I so there were no other problems. I called Stef and she arrived shortly after I landed – Ben and Anabelle were with her – Emily was in school (German class).

Great to be home!

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