OK, here's the story. The EWR flight didn't get to the gate until about 10:00. Lots of traffic in the alley leading to our gate. I assumed I was done, but I hightailed it to T-4. Got there about 10:08. No one was there. A maintenance worker said the agents just left, and directed me to customer service near T-8. I saw the plane was still there and waved to the pilots, and walked to the service desk.
I was waiting in line for about 10 minutes when the same maintenance worker appeared. He said they just let 4 more people onto the flight and I should run over there. I got there and the door was closed, but a GA was still there. She checked me in and told me to run down the ramp. I also asked her to cancel my flight tomorrow night and she said she would.
As I was running to the plane door, I heard the dreaded warning signal that the ramp was detaching form the plane.
Even as I was registering this, the GA started running toward the plane, yelling "Oh no you don't! He gets on the plane!" The ramp worker said no, but she insisted. She said "Get on the phone to the pilot and get clearance to open the door. HE GETS ON THIS PLANE!"
The ramp had only detached a few inches, so she went up to the door, put her face in the window, knocked on the door, and said something like "I can see you. I am not going anywhere. Open the door." The door
did open. I said a profuse thank you to the GA and got on board. My seat had been poached and I didn't even mind.
The senior FA brought me to 1B and was the nicest, most professional FA I'd ever encountered, and probably ever will.
My bags didn't make it - no surprise there. I do have a change of clothes in my carryon, so I'm OK until the bags arrive tomorrow.
I will write a letter of thanks to the CEO of Delta, to acknowledge the efforts of the GA. I didn't print her name here because I wasn't sure if that would be appropriate. I do need some help in getting the correct spelling of her name: how can I go about doing that?
God Bless Delta! They really showed their true colors for me! ^