JFK - Part 2

Okay, so as if yesterday wasn't enough of an adventure, today was just as "fun (?)". I slept a few hours in the hotel room...not soundly because I was afraid I would oversleep and miss the shuttle back to the airport. Since JFK is so busy, I wanted to make sure I was at the airport at least 2 hours ahead of schedule....now I ask myself "for why?".....

I tried to check in at the kiosk, but the kiosk didn't remember that I was there the day before and did not want to recognize anything I tried to enter. I was then directed to the lady at the counter...who...for 45 minutes...tried to get me a ticket. After looking at the paperwork I had -- which comprised of my boarding pass from Sunday (which, obviously was no good) and an "interrupted flight voucher" which I received from the UNhelpful clerk at the desk at gate 23 the night before -- the woman told me that my flight had been completed! Yup...that's what she said..to which I replied "if it was completed, then why am I standing here still trying to get to Charlotte, North Carolina!!" There was some consulting with the other ticketing agents who finally helped her issue me a boarding pass...which I hope would work once I walked the 2 miles (really, it seemed like it) to gate 23.

Again, there were delays. The flight that was to have left at 8:30 a.m. still had lots of people in the waiting area wishing they could get home. The weather was very gray and wet! But, again, we were told the delay was more due to the extensive air traffic than the weather.

My flight was to have left at 10:30 a.m.; however, at 11:30 a.m. we were still waiting to board the plane. Finally at 12:30 p.m., we were allowed to board the plane, only to find out once they had us trapped on it, that we would need to sit on the plane at the gate for a while. That "while" turned out to be one and a half hours. Lunch of peanuts and cookies was offered after about a half hour. The pilot told us that some of the airplanes sitting on the tarmack had been waiting for take off for 3 hours....one of them happening to be the 9:30 a.m. flight!! Oh joy!! Around 2 pm, our plane got in line with the others on the tarmack and with approximately 30 planes in front of us, we waited, waited, waited to take off. We finally landed in Charlotte at 4:30 p.m. And, much to my amazement, when I went downstairs to baggage claim, there was my suitcase waiting for me in the Delta Baggage Office!!!

One thing to remember....avoid JFK at all costs!! I'm sure many reading this blog has been through similar situations. Fortunately, this is only the second time I've run into delays. Most of the time my flights happen without incidence! However, I do think that Delta needs to get a letter informing them of this...as many on the plane were talking about. Oh, while waiting in the terminal to board the plane, a lady came around with a business card asking people if they would go on-line and rate the airline and airport. When she asked me, I gladly said yes!! They should know, after all!!!!

The Big Apple Adventure

Greetings from JFK International Airport....well, right now it is the Days Inn. I'm actually supposed to be in Charlotte, NC trying to find my car in the East Deck Parking Garage.....HOWEVER......

I had a wonderful time visiting my daughter Melissa and visiting with her and my 3 grandchildren. But, alas, the time came for me to leave and catch my flight out of the Bradley International Airport. Looking at my itinerary, it appeared that this flight was going to be direct to Charlotte. No mention of a connecting flight or lay over! Yay!! Upon arriving at the airport, we were all greeted with the notification of a delay. Not a long one, we all were told. It was just that there was so much air traffic on this particular day, that we would have to wait for a while. My flight was to leave at 5:30 p.m.; however, we did not board the plane until 6:15 p.m. Once boarded, the pilot came over the speakers to tell us that we would need to sit on the tarmack for another 30 minutes -- which turned into approximately an hour. No big deal, I told myself, this was a direct flight so there was no fear of missing a connection!!

The flight attendand came around with bottles of water and snacks while we were waiting, waiting, waiting for air control to release our take off. Finally, we got the release and we would only be 7th in line to take off! We taxied out to get in line and waited, waited, waited! Finally, the speakers told us again, that we would now be taking off! The co-pilot informed us that this was a 30-minute flight to JFK airport from take off to landing. We got to what looked like Long Island below us and we circled, circled, circled waiting for permission to land. Again, we were told, all this delay was due to an extremely high volume of air traffic.

The flight attendant then came around and asked us what our connecting flight destination was to be. I politely informed her that I did not have a connecting flight, that I was staying on the plane and continuing on to Charlotte, NC!! The young gal that sat across the aisle from me confirmed that because she, too, was to stay on the plane for Charlotte. We both then were politely told back that we would need to get off the plane because this plane was continuing on to Rochester, NY. Oh, there must be some mistake we told her. We only had one boarding pass and it said "Hartford, CT to Charlotte, NC". Nope....we had to get off the plane and check at the gate desk for the correct plane to take us to Charlotte.

There were three of us on flight 6702 who stood helplessly in this huge JFK airport looking at the departure and arrival boards frantically checking for our connecting flight to Charlotte. There were none listed on the board. We finally got to speak to an attendant at another gate who told us that we had missed our connecting flight!!! W H A T?????????????????? We didn't even know we had a connecting flight!! It seems that with all the air traffic delays, we had missed the plane that was waiting for us at JFK. We were supposed to walk off one plane and board another and that plane got tired of waiting for us!!! The next flight to Charlotte would be on Monday morning at 10:30 a.m. And to top it off, we were told that we were not eligible for any hotel or meal vouchers!! (Delta just merged with NW Airlines and they have all this hype going on on how they are going to be better, blah blah blah....well, this is not a way to show it!) We were on our own...either sleep in the airport or find a hotel. My budget couldn't really handle a $100/night hotel room (yup...there were none found for less...), but there was no way I was going to sleep in those uncomfortable chairs in the terminal.

I headed down to baggage claim to get my luggage and found the belt where the luggage would be unloaded for flight 6702. I waited and waited and waited and waited. No luggage. Oh no!!! It was probably still on the plane! Yes, that is precisely what happened I was told at the Claim Office. My luggage would be delivered to my home on Monday sometime after 7:30 a.m. Hmmm, my luggage would arrive home faster than I would!!! I hope they leave it at my house until I get there, or who knows when I'll see it again!!!

JFK is a HUGE airport!!! In order to get to the Days Inn, I had to take an airport train to an area called Federal Station where all the hotel shuttles wait for you! I was asking all the "safe looking" people I saw (you know, the ones with kids in tow) if they were going to the same place and could I please follow them because I had absolutely no idea what I was doing! Some said NO and there were a few angels out there who said YES. Bless their heart!!

I'm in the Days Inn ... with no luggage. That means no make up, no hair brush, no clothes, etc. I did get a complimentary toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash and deodorant from the front desk!! I've asked for a wake up call at 6 a.m. I hope they remember! Breakfast is available in the lobby, which is a GOOD thing!!

Fortunately, I won't have to take the airport train back to the terminal. The Shuttle Man will drop me off right at the terminal! Horray for me because I seriously don't think I would be able to find my way back!! Let's see what adventures await me tomorrow! Good night all!!