not so great airport experience
I'm going to quickly run down the last 24-48 hours of my day for you guys.
2:00 PM - Get picked up from La Quinta Inn of Orem, UT from Jared Huish, my manager for this summer with APX.
3:08 PM - Arrive at Salt Lake City International Airport for what I think is my 3:55 PM flight directly to Nashville.
3:11 PM - I try to check in and get my boarding pass and am informed that my plane is actually leaving in 4 minutes at 3:15 PM
3:12 PM - I leave my one checked bag with the Southwest lady and make my way to Gate B16.
3:17 PM - Arrive at Gate B16 2 minutes after my flight leaves. I was given a spot on a plane leaving at 3:55 PM (go figure) that will eventually end up in Nashville but will be making a few stops first.
3:55 PM - I board my plane and all is (seemingly) well.
5:00 PM - We touch down in Phoenix, AZ. No big deal.
5:30 PM - 30 mins later, we leave for Kansas City (seriously? how many stops are we making?)
At this time, in the far off land of Dallas, a plane leaves for Kansas City, only to be delayed from landing in KC by weather.
8:45 PM (changed time zones now, +1 hour) - Arrive in Kansas City, waiting to take off for Nashville.
9:15 PM - 30 mins later, we're informed that a Dallas flight has been delayed. There are passengers on that plane that connect onto ours heading to Nashville. Thus, we must wait an additional hour before we can leave.
10:20 PM - Finally, we take off for Nashville. Light is at the end of the tunnel.
11:50 PM - We arrive in Nashville. Now to find my bag.
11:55 PM - No luck yet on the bag.
12:20 PM - Still no bag. The baggage claim people say that a flight is coming in at 12:40 PM that may have it since it originated in SLC.
12:45 PM - They don't have it.
1:05 AM - I'm stuck in the airport with no car keys since they are checked in my one checked bag. I filled out a 'missing baggage' report and they say they'll call me in the morning when the bag turns up.
1:15 AM - I pester the last remaining Avis rental car guy, thinking that I will drive home and then return to Nashville the next day.
1:30 AM - Cheap Scott realizes that paying gas to travel back to Bowling Green, only to return again in the morning isn't the best thing.
2:00 AM - I arrive in the parking lot of the methodist church down the road from Exit/In. Home is where you lay your head right?
Approx. 4:00 AM - My cell phone battery runs out. Where is my car charger at? You guessed it. The bag.
10:00 AM - Who would have thought...I was able to sleep a full 8 hours even in the back seat of a car. You know you're impressed.
10:45 AM - After driving through most of Nashville, I finally find an AT&T store that carries my phone charger. Big shock, 2 voice mails, both from Southwest. Good news, though, they DID find my bag.
11:15 AM - Return the rental car, retrieve my bag and pay for my parking (gross).
With that, my trip was finally coming to a close. A word of advice to anyone who happens upon this: Never EVER EVER EVER put your car keys (or anything else vital) in a bag that you're checking on a transcontinental flight.
<3
April 24, 2008 at 9:19 AM
i'm a little hurt our little luncheon did not make it into this post. i realize that i only participated for about 15 minutes before realizing i had to hurry back to the office. top