I
am back home. I spent a night
stranded in the Detroit airport. I
never made it to Indiana because of multi-day, weather-related flight
cancellations. My Mom is doing
better and has started eating. She has left the hospital and returned to the
nursing home. You can stop reading
right now if you do not want to hear the gory details.
The
Gory Details:
I
flew to Detroit at 3:32 pm Monday afternoon, totally expecting to
connect with my 8:05 pm flight to see my Mom. Before I left,
my sister called to tell me 1. There was a blizzard there with extreme, record
breaking cold, and 2. My mom was eating, talking, and generally bouncing back
well enough that they were moving her out of the hospital and back to the
nursing home. In retrospect, I
should have cancelled then; but nonrefundable tickets being what they are, I
figured I would take my chances and at worst spend a night in the hotel. I am currently trying to change
my life for the better by being more positive and trying to look on the bright
side. Plus, I really, really
wanted to see my mother and my extended family.
My
destination is in Northern Indiana near Chicago. When I
checked in to start my trip on Monday afternoon I was told I had two options once I
arrived in Detroit; I could either get a 5:45 pm flight out (for which I was
on standby) or an 8:05 pm flight (the flight I originally booked). I was thrilled to have two options – it
gave me false hope that the weather in the Midwest was getting better, and as a control
freak I like options a lot. I was
happy. Once I boarded the plane,
the stewardess came to tell me that the 8:05 pm flight was cancelled, so I
should try to get on the 5:45 pm flight.
I was immediately less happy.
I was also little worried about making it because there was so little
time between the landing of my plane and the boarding of the 5:45 plane. Endless
games of solitaire on my iPad and a strong family tradition of denial helped me
achieve a state of perfect calm. Once
we arrived in Detroit I ran to the nearest Delta information desk only to
discover that all flights that day (Monday) were now
cancelled. I was not happy at
all. She sent me to “Gate 43”
where all rescheduling was done.
I scurried to Gate 43, dragging my luggage with me. It was quite the classic airport scene
as people at the gate were told they were now stuck in Detroit overnight. After waiting in line, a very
sweet Delta airlines representative (I will call her Delta Lady #1) told me she
could put me on a flight at 8:05 p.m. on Tuesday night. I snapped at her and immediately
apologized, saying I was sorry, but I was just angry. She looked me in the eye with the liquid promise of loving
salvation and said “Oh, don’t get angry!
Everything happens for a reason.” In my mind my eyes were rolling towards the back of my
head. Ok, maybe they were in
reality, too. But at that
very moment, I knew that Delta Lady #1 was on to something and that I needed to
relax and try to enjoy the experience, because truthfully the only alternative
was trauma and fear. I had a
choice to make. I needed to
believe. Then I told her that my
mother was sick and I really had to get there sooner. Yes, I actually used the sick mother card! I have no shame. ‘Cause, well, I really do have a sick
mother and I really have no shame.
Delta Lady #1 was super kind and caring. She was able to put me on an earlier flight to Indiana leaving at
8:46 am on Tuesday morning. I was
thrilled. I was also ready
to find that reason and experience the bright side. Who knew, it was so crazy it might even work. Perhaps this awful experience was
going to change my life?
Yes, I was alone in the Detroit airport and I was stark raving mad.
The
flights were cancelled due to “an act of nature” which is airline code for “the
airlines will not pay for hotel rooms.”
However, they passed out discount tickets to motels surrounding the
airport. That, of course meant
that one had to compete with the poor, unfortunate rescheduled masses and call
one motel after the other until reservations could be made, arrange for a
shuttle to pick you up, figure out how to get outside the airport to the right
spot, and wait in the extreme cold until a shuttle has room to pick up up along
with everyone else. All this is required to spend one fitful night in a seedy
motel in the outskirts of DETROIT, for crying out loud. I have had this “discount motel” experience
before when flying through and getting stuck in Philly, thank you very
much. Back then, T and I
ended up waiting outside in the cold for hours with many angry strangers until
a shuttle actually stopped to pick us up.
It was beyond unpleasant. I
was younger then and with my husband, who is much more level-headed than me. On Monday’s trip I was 62 years old, alone,
and stark raving mad! And considering
this particular flying experience was in the midst of the 2014 Polar Vortex, I
opted to stay in the airport’s Westin Hotel. It is a lovely hotel inside the airport. Way more money, but you know…I’m worth it,
and all that crap.
LOVED
the hotel. Maybe this was the
bright side? I settled into my lovely
room at the safe and convenient Westin. I was thinking how sinfully relaxing it was to be in a
great room with millions of pillows and a huge bed all to myself when I got THE call from Automated Delta Man#1 - I was informed that my 8:46 am flight out was now cancelled and I would have to call a certain number to get another
flight. I sighed deeply and
called, only to discover from Automated Delta Man #2 that there was an hour to an
hour and a half wait just to get a call-back. So I dialed my place in “line” and then waited for my call
back. An hour later I got the call
and was helped by sweet, kind, compassionate Delta Lady #2. These ladies are dynamite, by the
way. In truth, I congratulate their
trainers because they simply ooze kindness. By then I was ready to explode, so their kindness was the
only thing keeping my bad temper in check. I surrendered to their compassionate professionalism. Delta Lady #2 softly and sadly informed
me that the only remaining option was a Wednesday afternoon flight. That meant I would have to spend two
and a half days in the Detroit airport. I said no, just send me back to NYS tomorrow. She reassured me that she would
but wanted to check into a few things concerning a refund for which she would
put me on hold. I waited for a
long time (playing solitaire like crazy) and I was eventually disconnected. I waited a few minutes but she
did not call me back. I called the
same number and Automated Delta Man #3 put on the waiting list again for a call
back. This time it only took 45
minutes to be called back. Delta
Lady #3 was another treasure of grace and composure. She confirmed that I was on a flight from Detroit to NYS at 10:00 am the next morning. Yay!!!!
Delta Lady #2 had pulled it off.
Delta Lady #3 was happy that I was happy. Happy? By
God, I was positively giddy. I was
going home. I almost cried. I tried to watch Swamp People on
the History channel, but I was so exhausted that I had to just turn off the
light and go to sleep.
The
next morning I got up and caught the flight home. I only had to wait on the tarmac
for an hour while they fussed with some mysterious mechanical problem. I had my iPad and played
solitaire. I am only $750
poorer. Sheesh. This looking on the bright side
stuff is really hard work.