flymetothemoon
Sep 17, 01, 6:46 pm
I returned home this afternoon after being stranded several days in Jamaica. I expect little sympathy, but here it is...
I was scheduled to leave Montego Bay for Boston last Thursday afternoon with a confirmed upgrade on US Airways. Flight was cancelled in the morning. I was then given a protected seat on a direct Air Jamaica flight at 6pm that day to Boston. Since I had a few hours, I went to the beach.
The Air Jamaica flight was cancelled mid-afternoon. The Air Jam representative tells me that they must meet new FAA security guidelines, but that FAA has not provided any criteria. US Airways then gave me a confirmed seat on the next day (Friday) afternoon flight. So I went to beach, splashed around in the warm water and saw the sunset.
Friday morning I find out flights are cancelled and Logan is closed. No space is available on other carriers leaving Saturday, even to New York. I'm given confirmed seats on Sunday flight and told next available flight after that is Sept 20! I check Flyertalk for any tips but come up empty.
Rather than go to the airport and go standby on Saturday, I hang out on the beach and go snorkeling. Dinner is zesty red pea soup, curry goat, and Red Stripes at the Caribbean Cafe.
On Sunday, no standby seats availabe for 2pm US Air flight so I take 3:55 flight in coach (no upgrades available). Both my carry-ons are thoroughly searched at two checkpoints. The confiscate matchbook and Gillete shaving razor. At Sanders International Airport in Montego Bay, the only airline FC/Biz lounge belongs to Air Jamaica. Unfortunately, they aren't part of Priority Pass. Fortunately, there are lots of comfy chairs, bars and food shops.
Flight to PHL is uneventful, except for pilot sipping coffee at front of coach cabin for several minutes, checking out passengers.
I miss my connecting flight to BOS due to long immigration line. Security at PHL seems normal. Where is the extra security?
US Air comps me hotel room, dinner and breakfast. At the Philadelphia Airport Ramada I have philly cheesteak at the bar and 2for1 Buds along with a youngish crowd of tattoos, 50s retros, long hairs, be-boppers, and rockers celebrating the Hot Rod Hoedown. God bless America. It was good to be back.
This morning I arrive at PHL at 7:15am expecting a long delay due to security checks. I sail through one metal detector. Plenty of time for breakfast before my 9:30am flight to BOS. In the restroom I find someone's fat wallet with cash and credit cards. I turn it all in to lost and found.
The gate agent tells me flight schedules are a mess. Many flights leave half or more empty because people do not show up, do not call to cancel. Also hard to get full crews to planes on time. On my flight to BOS, there are 15 passengers and nearly half are crew.
At Logan, I see several pairs of black clad officers with automatic weapons. Even with one too many donuts, they looked serious. Waiting for my subway train home, I see a uniformed officer with a K-9 walking up and down the platform.
By noon, I'm home. Within the hour, I've re-booked my US Air flight to AMS. SWU in hand, I'll be back in the air in three days.
It's what any patriotic FTer would do.
I was scheduled to leave Montego Bay for Boston last Thursday afternoon with a confirmed upgrade on US Airways. Flight was cancelled in the morning. I was then given a protected seat on a direct Air Jamaica flight at 6pm that day to Boston. Since I had a few hours, I went to the beach.
The Air Jamaica flight was cancelled mid-afternoon. The Air Jam representative tells me that they must meet new FAA security guidelines, but that FAA has not provided any criteria. US Airways then gave me a confirmed seat on the next day (Friday) afternoon flight. So I went to beach, splashed around in the warm water and saw the sunset.
Friday morning I find out flights are cancelled and Logan is closed. No space is available on other carriers leaving Saturday, even to New York. I'm given confirmed seats on Sunday flight and told next available flight after that is Sept 20! I check Flyertalk for any tips but come up empty.
Rather than go to the airport and go standby on Saturday, I hang out on the beach and go snorkeling. Dinner is zesty red pea soup, curry goat, and Red Stripes at the Caribbean Cafe.
On Sunday, no standby seats availabe for 2pm US Air flight so I take 3:55 flight in coach (no upgrades available). Both my carry-ons are thoroughly searched at two checkpoints. The confiscate matchbook and Gillete shaving razor. At Sanders International Airport in Montego Bay, the only airline FC/Biz lounge belongs to Air Jamaica. Unfortunately, they aren't part of Priority Pass. Fortunately, there are lots of comfy chairs, bars and food shops.
Flight to PHL is uneventful, except for pilot sipping coffee at front of coach cabin for several minutes, checking out passengers.
I miss my connecting flight to BOS due to long immigration line. Security at PHL seems normal. Where is the extra security?
US Air comps me hotel room, dinner and breakfast. At the Philadelphia Airport Ramada I have philly cheesteak at the bar and 2for1 Buds along with a youngish crowd of tattoos, 50s retros, long hairs, be-boppers, and rockers celebrating the Hot Rod Hoedown. God bless America. It was good to be back.
This morning I arrive at PHL at 7:15am expecting a long delay due to security checks. I sail through one metal detector. Plenty of time for breakfast before my 9:30am flight to BOS. In the restroom I find someone's fat wallet with cash and credit cards. I turn it all in to lost and found.
The gate agent tells me flight schedules are a mess. Many flights leave half or more empty because people do not show up, do not call to cancel. Also hard to get full crews to planes on time. On my flight to BOS, there are 15 passengers and nearly half are crew.
At Logan, I see several pairs of black clad officers with automatic weapons. Even with one too many donuts, they looked serious. Waiting for my subway train home, I see a uniformed officer with a K-9 walking up and down the platform.
By noon, I'm home. Within the hour, I've re-booked my US Air flight to AMS. SWU in hand, I'll be back in the air in three days.
It's what any patriotic FTer would do.