BWI-IAD-CLE
Oct 14, 1999 | 1:37 pm
#1
Original Poster
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in VIENNA, AUSTRIA!
Posts: 61,925
BWI-IAD-CLE
High winds created a most unique experience this morning! Arrived at BWI at 7:20 for my 8am flight, checked an overstuffed garment bag and a 50 pound box full of papers for this weekend's meetings. The inevitable: winds at IAD have the BWI-IAD portion canceled. I am offered a USAirways connection through Pittsburgh, but I can see the little j41 out the window and I have until 9:45 to make my IAD-CLE flight, so I decline for the time being and hang around the gate area.
At 8:45 (after almost all of the other pax have been walked to other airlines) the flight is cleared for immediate take off (just as soon as they find the crew). Finally on board at 9:00, the four die-hards who waited out the "cancelation" prepare for the short turboprop flight.
Well, they weren't kidding about those winds. From the moment the plane got off the ground until it touched down 22 minutes later at IAD, we were rocking, shaking, shuddering and swerving. I've flown on lots of J31s and 41s, through all kinds of weather, but the combination of the winds and low final altitude REALLY made this a wild one. The lady across the aisle from me (we were all forced to sit in the last two rows to balance the plane) crossed herself about fifteen times during the flight, and yours truly may have even said a Hail Mary or two...
At IAD, I am informed that while I had declined the walk to USair, my checked luggage had not. It will arrive at CLE at 3:30 (right about now, as I write this) four hours after me after a qucik stop in pittsburgh.
I then rushed five gates down and made my CLE connection with 2 minutes to spare.
After the BWI-IAd roller coaster ride, I was NOT looking forward to another turboprop ride, but this time there was only the usual cloud-level turbulance.
As I told the baggage agent at CLE, I'm almost glad that they, and not I, have to carry that heavy box to my hotel (the Wyndham, no UA points
).
And I just KNOW that heavy box will be here soon...
I'm just happy to be here in one piece, and harbor no ill will toward anyone this time. See, for once I'm looking at the bright side of life
At 8:45 (after almost all of the other pax have been walked to other airlines) the flight is cleared for immediate take off (just as soon as they find the crew). Finally on board at 9:00, the four die-hards who waited out the "cancelation" prepare for the short turboprop flight.
Well, they weren't kidding about those winds. From the moment the plane got off the ground until it touched down 22 minutes later at IAD, we were rocking, shaking, shuddering and swerving. I've flown on lots of J31s and 41s, through all kinds of weather, but the combination of the winds and low final altitude REALLY made this a wild one. The lady across the aisle from me (we were all forced to sit in the last two rows to balance the plane) crossed herself about fifteen times during the flight, and yours truly may have even said a Hail Mary or two...
At IAD, I am informed that while I had declined the walk to USair, my checked luggage had not. It will arrive at CLE at 3:30 (right about now, as I write this) four hours after me after a qucik stop in pittsburgh.
I then rushed five gates down and made my CLE connection with 2 minutes to spare.
After the BWI-IAd roller coaster ride, I was NOT looking forward to another turboprop ride, but this time there was only the usual cloud-level turbulance.
As I told the baggage agent at CLE, I'm almost glad that they, and not I, have to carry that heavy box to my hotel (the Wyndham, no UA points
). And I just KNOW that heavy box will be here soon...
I'm just happy to be here in one piece, and harbor no ill will toward anyone this time. See, for once I'm looking at the bright side of life
Oct 14, 1999 | 3:26 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: SEA
Posts: 3,178
Glad all is well Matt...
When I lived in Baltimore, I took many of those turboprop flights. They can definitely be nail biters!
There was one a few years ago...naw, I'll tell you about it at the PIP. Have a great weekend!
When I lived in Baltimore, I took many of those turboprop flights. They can definitely be nail biters!
There was one a few years ago...naw, I'll tell you about it at the PIP. Have a great weekend!
