I knew I used up all my good karma on bitchinparty.
Oh, Vancouver International Airport and your free wireless. What a civilized country this is. ♥
I am theoretically boarding in a few minutes, en route to Salville (only 8 hours late), so this will be quick, but my tale of travelling woe, let me show you it:
Direct flight from Seattle to Salville, supposed to arrive in Salville at 3 p.m. today: cancelled (due to the plane being stuck in Kelowna as a result of mechanical problems) JUST AS WE WERE ABOUT TO BOARD. OMGWTF.
Time spent waiting in line at the Horizon ticket counter: 45 minutes. The first time through.
Helpful Horizon employees: Zero.
Airlines that will be getting an angry letter from me: One.
Original re-route orchestrated by extremely unhelpful Horizon employees: put me in Salville tomorrow at 11:30 a.m..
Tear-filled phone calls to Mr. McK: One.
Renewed determination kicked in: approximately 2:30 p.m. New plan! Will proceed to Vancouver and attempt to connect to Salville from there, even though all flights are allegedly full.
Helpful Horizon employees upon return to the customer service desk: None. (Seriously. They're like, "Have an $8 meal voucher and a list of Vancouver hotels. No, we won't pay for your hotel in Vancouver if you get stuck there, since you live here in Seattle and you could just stay here and go out tomorrow. And we could give you a cab home but we don't know where that paperwork is." !@$#!@%#!@#%!)
Calls to Horizon (in hope that their phone customer service would be better than their airport service, BUT NO; "No, I can't call Air Canada for you, I can't call out from here"): One extremely fruitless one.
Call to the actually extremely helpful folks at Air Canada: One.
Assurance that I would get to Salville tonight: Zero.
Reservations made at the no-doubt-delightful Vancouver Airport Travelodge: One. (Did you know there's such a thing as a "distressed passenger" rate? Srsly! And I was pretty distressed at that point!)
Large, large alcoholic beverages at airport while waiting for flight: One.
Moments of zen acceptance and even amusement at the crazy-ass bad luck: One. Before the drink, even!
Minutes by which rescheduled outgoing flight was delayed: 90. (Mechanical difficulties. Seriously. FUCK YOU AND YOUR SHITTY PLANES, HORIZON.)
Total time spent at Sea-Tac today: 8 hours.
Really extremely super-nice angel-like Air Canada employees to find me a seat on the flight to Salville tonight: One.
Joy at this turn of events: Untold.
Reservation at undoubtedly lovely Vancouver Airport Travelodge: Cancelled.
Delicious apples consumed en route to gate: One.
Flight boarding in: now.
Philosophical thoughts about travel and "it's about the journey" and where I am meant to be and when, and if I will ever know why: many.
Aaaaaand we're boarding. Cross your fingers for me. But all's (mostly) well that ends (mostly) well (knock on wood)... I'm just sorry Sal has to come get me in the middle of the night.
It's never boring, y'all. :)
I am theoretically boarding in a few minutes, en route to Salville (only 8 hours late), so this will be quick, but my tale of travelling woe, let me show you it:
Direct flight from Seattle to Salville, supposed to arrive in Salville at 3 p.m. today: cancelled (due to the plane being stuck in Kelowna as a result of mechanical problems) JUST AS WE WERE ABOUT TO BOARD. OMGWTF.
Time spent waiting in line at the Horizon ticket counter: 45 minutes. The first time through.
Helpful Horizon employees: Zero.
Airlines that will be getting an angry letter from me: One.
Original re-route orchestrated by extremely unhelpful Horizon employees: put me in Salville tomorrow at 11:30 a.m..
Tear-filled phone calls to Mr. McK: One.
Renewed determination kicked in: approximately 2:30 p.m. New plan! Will proceed to Vancouver and attempt to connect to Salville from there, even though all flights are allegedly full.
Helpful Horizon employees upon return to the customer service desk: None. (Seriously. They're like, "Have an $8 meal voucher and a list of Vancouver hotels. No, we won't pay for your hotel in Vancouver if you get stuck there, since you live here in Seattle and you could just stay here and go out tomorrow. And we could give you a cab home but we don't know where that paperwork is." !@$#!@%#!@#%!)
Calls to Horizon (in hope that their phone customer service would be better than their airport service, BUT NO; "No, I can't call Air Canada for you, I can't call out from here"): One extremely fruitless one.
Call to the actually extremely helpful folks at Air Canada: One.
Assurance that I would get to Salville tonight: Zero.
Reservations made at the no-doubt-delightful Vancouver Airport Travelodge: One. (Did you know there's such a thing as a "distressed passenger" rate? Srsly! And I was pretty distressed at that point!)
Large, large alcoholic beverages at airport while waiting for flight: One.
Moments of zen acceptance and even amusement at the crazy-ass bad luck: One. Before the drink, even!
Minutes by which rescheduled outgoing flight was delayed: 90. (Mechanical difficulties. Seriously. FUCK YOU AND YOUR SHITTY PLANES, HORIZON.)
Total time spent at Sea-Tac today: 8 hours.
Really extremely super-nice angel-like Air Canada employees to find me a seat on the flight to Salville tonight: One.
Joy at this turn of events: Untold.
Reservation at undoubtedly lovely Vancouver Airport Travelodge: Cancelled.
Delicious apples consumed en route to gate: One.
Flight boarding in: now.
Philosophical thoughts about travel and "it's about the journey" and where I am meant to be and when, and if I will ever know why: many.
Aaaaaand we're boarding. Cross your fingers for me. But all's (mostly) well that ends (mostly) well (knock on wood)... I'm just sorry Sal has to come get me in the middle of the night.
It's never boring, y'all. :)