I've missed a few

I was travelling from my then home in Catford, South East London to LHR for a flight to Stockholm for a course. The taxi driver decided to take the M25, also known as the London Orbital Car Park.

Needless to say, something happened on the road and we found ourselves in a 10 mile tailback. Get to LHR and the BA check in agent says 'sorry sir, the flights closed. It's just pushing back now'

She rebooked me onto SK via CPH.

My most recent one was a flight from BHM to ZRH via ORD. I get to the gate in good time (too good, having enhanced the coffers of the State of Mississippi on the way) and the plane is there. But so is The Van. The one with the gas bottles on the back. The one containing a mechanic. The one that screams "this plane is tech" Turns out there is a problem with the flaps. Having seen a few weeks before at MAD what happens when a plane tries to take off without flaps I resigned myself to sitting there. After all I had about 1H40 at ORD.

The delay goes on and on with no info (the flight was operated by Mesa) and we eventually get on board. Off we go, by this time I am looking at my watch and getting concerned. Eventually the lights of Chicago hove into view abd we start the descent. Then head out in a huge loop over the lake. Holding pattern. Finally touch down taxi to near the stand and wait. Our stand is occupied. Finally get to the stand. C1. My connection is from M14 in the International terminal. There are gates further away from M14 than C1 but they are at MDW. Get to the gate to see the Jetway coming off.

LX staff were pretty good, they tried to get me onto SK, nothing doing, then they got me onto BA via LHR.

I think the funniest one was where I connected when really I shouldn't have. I had an early flight from MEX to VHS (Villahermosa) and stayed at the hotel in the airport (the older one not the Hilton) I get accross to the terminal in very good time and a scene of pandemonium greets me. The computer system has gone down. I join the queue and wait. And wait. Everything is being done manually. After about two hours I get to the desk (after fending off a challenge from a woman who tried to push in ahead of me) and get everything processed. All by hand. My bag disappears behind and I'm pretty sure I'll never see it again. The check in agent hands me my pass and utters one word. "Run."

I ran, got through security, and got to the gate. Nobody around. I'm about to trudge disconsolately back to rebook when the agent comes out the jetway, sees me and says "pase". I thunder down the jetway and am confronted with a closed A320 door. I actually had to knock on the door, the FA opened it and let me on board. Five minutes later we are on our way.

We get to VHS and, miracle of miracles what do I see? My bag. That was probably the biggest surprise of the lot, nice one Aeromexico.