Coast To Coast Travel (aka Nightmare)

HeY'all. I am back from the South; caught a little bit of Southern accent, I think.
Did I ever say I love travelling? Looks like I did. Correction: "I love travelling when the weather is not crappy"

While I worked in New Jersey, I rented an apartment, and there was definiely no pain flying coast-coast (which was probably once in 2 months). Last year, when I flied to Winston-Salem in North Carolina (NC), I tried all combinations: United, American, Delta, Continental, etc., went through delays, missed flights, cancellations, surprise connections, etc. and finally declared to the world: "Choose AA to travel San Jose, CA - Greensboro, NC. Good leg space; no delays; Dallas weather is not crappy, except in summer"
Hopping through Chicago was a definite "No-No" - there are weather related delays/cancellations probably 325/365 days. And this year, I flew AA to reach NC.

Life was as usual. To cut down additional 3 hours of driving, I chose a 9 hour door to door travel, instead. Hopped through Dallas.

On the last Thursday of November, I happily left my client's office at 3:30pm EST. The usual, friendly cabbie said: "Evening, Ma'Yam. Nice weather this evening. Not so good tomorrow".
Boosted by the previous week's first class upgrade, I looked forward to this evening's couple of flights, in first class again. (However, I wish AA could provide some vegetarian meals for domestic first class! They adviced me to purchase food in DFW ;) ). The flight was supposed to be delayed by 30 minutes. DFW weather was not so bad. A mini-snow had just stopped in Chicago.

Security checked at the lazy, Greensboro airport. The guards recognised me (frequent Asian traveller, that too, in the South, can be recognised easily). No sooner had I reached the restroom, than I heard an announcement: "All AA flights have been cancelled".
Obviously, the AA flights at GSO travel only to DFW in the evneing. So, I went to ticketing. They promised a United flight leaving at 4:39pm. They called the United to make a change. Ohh, little did they realise that it was already 4:31pm;
So, they put me on United flight to Chicago, and put me on a San Francisco flight after that (since there were no San Jose flights from Chicago after 9pm).

I security checked again, the 2nd time. "Any extra miles for passing throught the Security Check 2 times in an hour?". No, but I there was additional Security (XXX - if a passenger changes Airlines in the same airport)

This time, United economy ticket. Onto the gate. I reached the gate agent who was almost about to leave. "Can you pl confirm if the flight leaves to Chicago at 6:40pm"?. "No, Ma'Yaam. The Chicago flight is cancelled". "What? I was issued a ticket only 10 mins back". "Sorry, Ma'Yaam. The cancellations came in just now".
"Please get me onto Bay Area somehow". So, she put me onto the 7:40pm flight to Washington Dulles. Atleast, I did not change airlines or get XXXX-Security checked for the 3rd time. (Else, they would have thought I was a certainly a X-Rated culprit).

For a change, I used my wait time productively, by starting to fill in my Self-Assessment for the year end review. There was no one on the gate, except me and another fella. The gate agent had walked away too. Wasn't it too wierd?

I called up Sai to check flight delays in Washington, Dulles.
" The maximum delay time is...", after a long pause, "0 Mins".
I sighed with relief.

I got lost in my work for about some time, when I heard an announcement that kinda sounded like: "United flight XXXX to Washington Dulles has been Cancelled".
Ohh Myyy God!!! This really was not my day. I rushed back to United Ticketing.
I got to stand in a looonnnggg line this time since I was 3K miles away from being a United Elite Member.
When my turn came, the agent looked up my name and said, "Ma'Yaam. I don't know who has done this, but, I can see an AA reservation for you, tomorrow morning 6 am, to Dallas. You board AA tomorrow". I requested the Print Out that had this reservation, before I go to the AA counter. He resisted, I insisted, and I got it. How could AA reserve for me tomorrow, when they had already gotten me onto United, an hour back?

Off to the AA counter. Since all their flights had been cancelled about 1 hour earlier, the only agent was preparing to leave. I was the only customer.
I explained my situation, reached out for the Print Out and said: " Can you please confirm my itinerary that is printed here"?. I could not have been more clearer. Just when I was starting to feel proud of myself, she said, "I do not see any reservation for you". "What??? But here is the printout United gave me, which says that I am travelling through AA tomorrow!"
"I am sorry, I do not know who gave you this, but we have given your ticket off to United. They should carry you. Step over the caroussal and see for yourself". There was no reservation for me in her system for he next day.

"Honey, I was ticketed in AA First class this evening, I am a Platinum member, and I am a tired traveller!!! I am not leaving this counter unless you talk to United and get this sorted out. I am sorry, but I need to leave this place and get home. Maybe, I can talk to your manager if you do not reach out to United".

As she tries to pick up the phone, the same United agent who confirmed my AA itinerary, walked past us. I explain the situation to him, and soon, I can hear 2 agents arguing, "No, She is not my passenger!"

I was a happy AA Platinum member holding a First Class reservation; 2 hours and 2 Change of Airlines later, I was standing with No Tickets, amongst a bunch of ticketing agents, who were debating on whose flights should not carry me. Life is, as usual, very ironic.

Then the United agent asked me to stand in his line. I get his name, just in case. After some more waiting, the same agent re-enters, calls me to the front (since I was already on line). As I get on to the counter another agent (the one who put me on Washington Dulles flight) recognises me and says, "Honey, I am sorry, but you are AA". Dear, we just went through it now. Now, my agent, all hapless, issues me a confirmed itinerary to San Jose (changed to original destination) through CHICAGO, at 7:40am the next morning.
Knowing that no flights are going to fly in/out of th snowstorm struck Chicago till the end of next day, I keep peace for the time being. (You can always come to the airport, and get onto another airlines, if your flight is cancelled. All airlines do that free of charge if you are at the airport, but it costs you a couple of 100$s if you call them over the phone asking for a change).

Now, it's my turn to ask for hotel accomodation. "Sir! Can I get a hotel acco/voucher?The flight to Washington is cancelled not because of weather; it is 100% perfect there; so, this should be probably because of crew delay." I have been so aggressive, yet polite and nice till this point, haven't I?

He says, "Sorry! The flight that was supposed to arrive here from WA - was starting from Chicago; Chicago weather is bad, and the flight din't reach WA, and hence no flight here for you today; Next in the line please!"

"Do not look a gift horse into its mouth!?!"

I stay at an airport Residence Inn, order some Chinese food, complete my assessment, and other reviews, expecting a airline change the next morning (At this point, I do not know where I will be in the next day, if not near the internet).
So, I reach the airport at 5am (be as early as possible if you know of flight delays/cancellations), wait on line; become 'shocked' at the Chicago flight cancellation, ask for a change, and am put up on a Delta flight to Atlanta, that is leaving the airport in another 20 mins.

No rush! Security check the 3rd time; XXXX; get onto the flight... Boy! Am I not glad to be inside a real flight, for a change? ;)

Atlanta to San Jose. Delta has in-flight satellite TV. I was educated of the season's first-but pretty bad thunderstorm in Chicago and many parts of the mid-west. Thanks God, I got into a flight.
I reach home late Friday afternoon. Lunch at Amber. (Slurp! Slurp! deserve a treat after all this ;) )

I was pretty tired after the whole thing, that I almost fell asleep by early evening. Just before I fell asleep, I remembered the words of the Residence Inn shuttle driver: "I never want to work as an airlines agent! All those angry passengers who think I am their enemy". It was the weatherman. He sometimes gets very creepy.Good night.

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