Title:     should've taken the bus
Date:      Sat Apr  2 12:36:18 2005

just got back from attending a workshop in Austin.

Syracuse, Wednesday morning, United flight scheduled for 8:05, an Embraer jet.
Delay announced due to mechanical something-or-other that they were working on.
We were told we'd miss our connection @ ORD, so get in line to be rescheduled 
or re-routed. While we were waiting, a tractor pulled the plane out from the 
jetway. They didn't actually -announce- that the flight was being cancelled. 

so we were re-booked on Delta/Comair, leaving 2 hours later, short layover 
in CVG. (Embraer then CRJ, same as we would have been on w/ United)

We arrived at AUS around 4. My checked bag was there; my boss's wasn't. 
It was delivered to our hotel around 1am.

Left Austin for ORD yesterday afternoon...weather in Chicago kept us sitting 
on the runway for an extra 40 minutes, but the CR7 we were on had plenty of 
room (for an airplane at least). We ran off the plane not knowing how far we'd 
need to run in 20 minutes to get to the connection home. As it turned out, the 
plane was waiting at the next gate over, so we had time to breathe and scarf 
down some McGrease. 

The flight was scheduled to begin boarding 8:35, depart 8:55. 

United, Embraer. Guess what?

At 8:45, the sign was updated to depart at 9:15. about 9:07 "We regret to 
inform you that this flight has been cancelled yadda yadda." One of the 
counter reps said something about the maintenance staff working on the plane 
since 2pm. This didn't sit too well but maybe if they actually have a spare it 
was being used elsewhere? 

So we stand waiting in line for 30 minutes to get re-booked. Who'd think so 
many people would want to go to Syracuse on a Friday night? As it turns out, 
the next flight was 6:40am...so they gave us hotel & meal vouchers, and 
booked us on the morning flight. I jokingly asked if we'd be on the same 
plane; the counter rep gave me a nervous grin and said same model, but 
different plane. 

ten minutes' walk to the ticketing/bag claim/main lobby part of ORD and 
then...the Westin hotel was not even listed on the chart posted with the 
courtesy phones! bleah. boss calls on his cell; fortunately the number was on 
our vouchers. 
 
We walked some number of miles underground, into a different building, and out 
onto the street, where we waited another 20 minutes or so for the shuttle.
 
We checked into the hotel at about 11. The restaurants had closed, but we were 
told that room service was available 24 hours. We had each been given food 
vouchers totalling $14.00 

Breakfast items were not available until 6 (same time the restaurant opened) 
and their "overnight" offering was quite limited. With the voucher, I 
essentially had the choice of ordering a cup of coffee, or a diet coke. Bah, 
just get some more McGreasy in the morning.

Having been advised to get in an hour and a half ahead of time to wait in 
line for the TSA screeners, we left the hotel at 5 and waited patiently for 
the...3, give or take 1 people ahead of us to get through the security 
checkpoint. *mutter sputter* could have spent another hour in nice 
extra-comphy Westin bed... (btw, I very highly recommend Westin to anyone who 
really enjoys sleeping) 
 
so a wonderful gourmet breakfast of McGreasy and FourBucks, sit and wait for 
the plane. Boarded on time, took off on time, and arrived here on time. Plane 
was actually a very cramped CR53.

Our luggage didn't come out on the carousel. We head over to the baggage 
office and there it was, behind the desk. The uberclueless counter rep managed 
to stutter and utter something about it having come in overnight before the 
office was opened for the morning...maybe it came in on another airline, she 
didn't know. 

So if our baggage was put on another plane...why weren't we put on it too?!?!

Ah well. We only got home about 12 hours late, and our luggage is here too.

oh, and PHB said these were the 3rd and 4th CONSECUTIVE times where he had 
flown somewhere and his luggage wasn't on the plane.