Friday Flip Off

*Warning.... Long Post!*

I've decided to join the "Friday Flip-Off" today. It comes with a good or should I say not so good story. Where to begin... Delta, Delta, Delta.

On Tuesday morning, I had my brother drive me to the Buffalo airport. I gave myself enough time to get there 2 hours prior to departure. Well, at the time I thought it was enough time until I got to the U.S. boarder in Niagara Falls. We drove up to the officer and she took our passports. She told me I had to go inside and get my passport stamped. Okay?! We walk in, sat down and waited. Waited. WAITED. One hour passed and we were still waiting!!! I walked up to the officer and told him I had a flight that was boarding in 30 minutes. I also asked if there was a problem. He said, that I would most likely miss that flight and told me he was trying to figure out my previous status. I told him I was a visitor. He stamped my passport and we left. SERIOUSLY!

Now, I'm scared to miss my flight. I get to the airport, thank my brother for everything and hugged him goodbye. I walk to the departure desk and it's a super long line-up. I panic a little bit and stand in line. I see that there is a self check-in teller open so I sneak in front of the line and check myself in. Yes, I know... That's bad! I made up for it later ;)

By this point, I'm not sure if my flight left or not so I start running to my gate. Fortunately, I only have a carry-on suitcase, so no checking luggage. Run, Run, Run... I get to my gate (25) and ask the Delta agent if my flight left. She said no, that they were still boarding but at gate 22. So I race back to gate 22 and I try to board but the man from Continental?! says I need to get my boarding card scanned at gate 25. Really.... I return to gate 25 and ask to get scanned. The Delta agent, with a frustrated tone, says that I need to wait because she is only boarding 1st class and elite Delta Gold/Silver members. Fine.

What the Delta agent was doing, was scanning boarding passes at gate 25 and walking one zone at a time over to gate 22 to board the plane. Then, she would come back and call another zone and so on so forth. Not to safe!! Whatever... I waited! This one lady who was probably 80 years old asked for assistance for her husband who was in a wheelchair. The Delta agent said not enough staff to help today. WHAT! So I tell the little old lady that I will help her. I wheel her husband back to gate 22 and board him. Then I put the wheelchair by the flight check-in. The lady is so thankful. I go back to gate 25 and finally my zone is called so I walk back to gate 22 and board the plane (thinking my drama is over). Ya....NO!

I'm sitting on the plane and the flight attendant comes to our row and says a bag in our over head bin needs to be readjusted because she can't close the door. I'm siting in the middle and I get up, I look at the bin and look at the flight attendant. I turn the man's suitcase, who is probably 6'7 and sitting by the window. The man is very happy he doesn't need to get up and appreciates me doing that for him. I sit down again and the flight attendant comes up to us and says: "I can't touch luggage cuz I have a neck injury and my elbows are soar". Anyhow, I'm just thankful I made the flight! Well, 45 minutes go by and we are still taxing on the runway. I look at my watch and I realize that my connecting flight leaves in 20 minutes!!!!! GREAT.

We finally leave and the captain says we will be flying at a lower altitude to get there faster. Good! As we approach Detroit, I ask the flight attendant (yes, the injured one) if she has my gate #. She said no and to check at the arrival gate. As we prepare to land, the captain makes an announcement that Mr. Charles Ingram who is 90 years old successfully got through his very first flight. Well guess what, he's the man in the wheelchair that I helped!

We land, I gather my things very fast and run up the ramp. The Delta agent says that my departure gate is A40. I got off at A4 so basically I need to run from one end of the airport to the other. UGH! I start running and midway there, Delta calls my name on the intercom. YIKES! Everything in my body is hurting. Remember, I'm pulling my luggage and I have a bag & purse on my shoulder. Outch!

I get to gate A40 and the Delta agent says I need to board NOW. I get on the plane, put my suitcase in the overhead bin and sit down. Exhausted and trying to catch my breath! The flight attendant comes up to me and says she needs my boarding card and leaves with it. I'm thinking, here we go again. She comes back and asks if I can move to accommodate a little girl and her mother. Sure! So I get up, walk to the front of the plane and stand in the isle. Suddenly, I see a guy sitting in my seat?!?! WHAT! I ask the flight attendant and she says to ask the flight attendant in charge. That's what I do. She says: "I'm sorry Mame this seat was double booked". I'm fuming by this point! I know exactly what happened. It's a full flight and as I was so late from a LATE connection, they gave my assigned seat away. I'm just mad they said it was for a girl and her mom...

I stood by the door for 15 minutes and waited for a seat. My window seat which I had booked in Buffalo early that morning was gone. The Delta attendant comes back and says she found a seat for me. The middle seat in the row before the exit row. This row is the worst because it has no leg room and the seats don't go back at all. Geeze!

By now, I'm physically and emotionally exhausted! I'm very disappointed with Delta and the lack of customer service! I turn on my little TV and there's Bethenny =) How happy am I to hear her...! She has the best "one liners" and has such a funny show ♥

At the end of the flight, another flight attendant, who I've not seen yet, comes up to me and says she is sorry for all the trouble I've been through today. She gives me a free coupon for a beer, wine or earphones on my next flight.... HA! Well, there you have it folks my Delta story.

I apologize for such a LONNNNNNG post! On a much happier note, it's Friday!! Cheers :)