I wasn't for any specific reason, but I do get the dreaded SSSS kind of often for seemingly no reason, so I figured with how the day was going it would just be my luck. Fortunately it was fine.

It is a very long story. Leaving someone I love after a really good week that won't ever be the same again. Also it was my hometown, and I won't be back for a little while also.

I'm a nervous flyer already and I remember when I was in my 20's flying to my mom's. I was already upset because my best friend had gotten fired that morning and then I missed my connection, UA had no more available flights and put me on US Air and I had to shuttle to the other terminal. Fortunately, one of the other shuttle drivers took pity on me and put me in the correct line. Then after I finally check in I try to call my mom to tell her I'm not on that flight and I can't reach her (this was before cell phones). I called the only aunt whose I number I could remember off the top of my head and as soon as she answered the phone broke into tears and had a complete meltdown in the airport. I quickly recovered and got it together but was pretty embarrassed, plus I scared the heck out of my aunt. Since that time I am able to pretty much just roll with whatever happens.

horse glasses, Tor Viking, everybody:

If you need to cry, cry. If people are going to judge you or make fun of
you, that's their problem, the cold little creatures.

Funny I should come across this. My wife and I just dropped our son off at the airport yesterday after spring break. Its Burbank airport and we live in Burbank so it's 5 minutes from home. He's just flying to Oakland (he's at SFSU.) He was home for a whole month at Christmas, and when he went home we were OK, but after a week, as he walks toward security we both tear up! I guess he wasn't home long enough for us to annoy each other!

This airport image still haunts me
 

The scene was two young college aged people waiting at the gate for someone to arrive. They all burst into tears at the sight of one another when the person gets off the flight. Shaking and crying the sad scene progressed. Then they were gone. I was left waiting to board the plane wondering the story behind what I just witnessed. Sometimes one's imagination takes over.

On the other hand long long ago. I was the sobbing lovelorn teenager on the flight from SLC all the way to LAX. Truth is I can't even remember who I was sobbing about now.

A couple years ago was on a flight and they only had old movies. They played Rocky IV and when Rocky gave his speech after defeating Ivan Drago....











(April Fools!)

just a thought
 

I wonder if crying has increased in the terminal and gate areas now that people without tickets can't go through security.

I remember when people would stand outside the gate waiting for loved ones and friends to deplane. Those were the days. (Although one distinct benefit of the new system is being able to hit the bathroom right away, before meeting up with people). Back then, I'd assume most goodbye-related crying occurred on the plane (i.e. moments after the actual good bye when the passenger got on the plane).

The worst case I ever witnessed (pre-cellphone days) was a young woman waiting in the terminal at LAS, expecting her groom to be to arrive on a flight from DFW. The groom had been scheduled to arriving on an earlier flight, and hadn't. She had moved to the waiting area for my flight. No groom....

She's paged to the gate desk for a message. Groom not coming (cilly-dipped the entire sked and event to be)......Terrible scene, massive caterwhauling commences with floods of tears and moans of anguish.

Thank you youreadyfreddie for your good vibes,
And thank you violist for your kind words.

I can also mention last year I had a girlfriend in Australia. Sadly I had to break-up with her and that really cracked me. Whilst in the gate area in SYD I saw a young girl crying. I was crying myself and said that it looks like your not the only one. So there we were both supporting each other and letting it out. I know it hurts and may be embarassing but when supportive people come by and show their kindness it makes the world a better place.

The only time I remember crying at an airport was at North Island's MAC terminal back in the day. Their flight to Hawaii was full and I was a lowly 18-year-old PFC trying to get home for Christmas.

I called my mom from their pay phone and explained that I was going to take the bus up the coast to El Toro and try to catch a hop from there. Then I hung up, started tearing up and ran into the restroom to have a good long cry.

When I came out several minutes later, one of the desk clerks came over to me and said they'd been paging me as they'd found a spot for me on the flight and were ready to leave so come right along immediately.

I always wondered whether they took pity on me or if there really was a miraculous seat opening on that flight.

I just remembered that my teenage daughter had a wonderful cry a couple of years ago. She had been in Botswana for 6 weeks, working in an orphanage, and her itinerary back home, non-stop, was grueling and long.
(Gaborone, J-burg, JFK, MIA and then on to NAS).

I decided to surprise her and flew to MIA to meet her and accompany her on the last leg. Her relief and gratitude was immense, poor little mite!

Not at the airport but I've cried on the plane once. Sad movie.

This is flyertalk. You can freely admit you just did it for the miles. :D

I was on my first solo trip to India w/o my parents (who had arrived 2 weeks before me) to visit family. As is common with our trips to India, one suitcase was full of my stuff, and the other was full of stuff for our family there. My dad had packed the other bag, so I had no idea what was inside. All was well till I landed in BOM and was pulled aside while screening my bags before heading over to the domestic terminal.

The customs official opened the bag. There was almost nothing inside except for a box - of about 800 slightly damaged ball points pens. He looked at me and looked at the pens and walked away for about 20 minutes. He returned with 4 other men and informed me that I had to pay $800 USD in taxes to get through. By this time, a small group of other people (all men) who were working there were watching. I started to cry (mainly real tears) - I didn't have $800 on me, nor did I have a desire to pay anything. While crying, I told the men that they could have all 800 pens, I didn't care. The approximately 20 men watching took 1 pen each, returned the rest of my pens, carefully repacked my bag, and I was let through. :D I am pretty sure that it was the offer of pens that got me through and not the tears!

I flew a late night very empty flight a few years ago. There was a woman on the plane balling her eyes out. I felt pretty certain that it wasn't something minor like a breakup. It was most definitely someone close to her who had died and I felt seriously bad for her.

"My dad had packed the other bag, so I had no idea what was inside."

That is a seriously, seriously bad idea. Going through customs without knowing what is in your luggage? You're lucky they were lenient with you.