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The Flying Saga

Line-up of Delta aircraft, led by a Lockheed 1...

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So Tuesday I headed out to Louisville. I was doing well on time and got to my airport an hour before my scheduled flight time. As I waited I enjoyed the free internet the awesome International Airport of Pensacola had to offer. I gathered all my stuff as it was getting close to boarding time an headed to my gate. I got there and there was no plane in site.

UM, wait I am supposed to be boarding right now and I only have 30 minutes between the time we land and the time my flight in Atlanta takes off. This is a bit worrisome to yours truly here. As I wait, time is ticking by. Speaking of time ticking does anyone realize how slow it goes when you are waiting to do something but when you need it to slow down it goes warp speed. The next thing I know it’s past the time we were supposed to take off and loading is only just starting.

As I am on the verge of having a mild panic attack I am thinking okay this doesn’t mean it’s bad, after all usually in the air you make up time so I will make it. Or so I keep telling myself. All is well and we have a tailwind which is good we will make it close to the time we were supposed to land, like 5 minutes late. I can book it and make my next flight. So we land…

and the gate is occupied….ARE YOU KIDDING ME! Okay, don’t panic, you can run and make it Toni. We finally board and I have 15 minutes until my flight is scheduled to leave and since everyone else is running behind surely it will be too.

If you have ever been to Atlanta airport you know there are concourses and I got out at one end of concourse A and have to make it to the other end of Concourse B….running….in boots. So off I run, make it to the train, off the train and book it to my gate with 3 minutes to spare…WOO HOO!

THERE IS NO PLANE! So now I am wondering did the gate change and I didn’t get the memo. I walk up to the desk to see what is going on and am informed that the plan left 10 minutes ago! WHAT!!!!????!!! It’s not supposed to leave for another ten minutes and I am scheduled for that flight. So she looks me up and says “Oh you were rescheduled because you weren’t going to be able to make it.”

As I try not to cry, collapse and have a heart attack as well as catch my breath enough to say “Are you kidding me” I am informed she is indeed not kidding and I don’t have a flight for an hour and a half. So in other words I was told in a round about way, I just tried to kill myself by running at full speed across a massive airport to make a flight that left early because you knew I wouldn’t make it! Not cool Delta, not cool.

I have decided it should not be illegal to have flights available that only have 30 minutes between them. You should not be able to purchase that flight option. Other than that my flights were uneventful and I was lucky not to end up in the hospital. It took me about an hour to get my breathing to normal, which is the wake up call I needed to realize, even though I am slim, I am not in shape.

Have you ever missed a flight or had a close connection like that?

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Hi! I'm Toni. I am a happily married, christian, momma of 3 living on Florida's sunny Gulf Coast. I am a lifestyle blogger and Seint Arist. I started blogging when my last child was born as a way to share my love of all things travel, cooking, beauty, recipes, and more. Now pull up a chair, grab a glass of sweet tea and let's get to know each other. I truly hope you enjoy getting A Daily Dose of Toni!

Comments

  1. 1

    I’ve been to the Atlanta Airport, and hated it.

    • 2

      Yeah it’s a HUGE airport, which I usually don’t mind when I have an hour or more layover but with no time between flights it definitely wasn’t my favorite LOL

  2. 3

    I had to run to catch a flight not long ago and it sucked, then we ended up sitting on that plane for over an hour before it took off, same airport. I ran and made it but didn’t have to run afterall.

    I feel your pain

    • 4

      Oh gosh that might have aggravated me just as much b/c then the person next to me might have to be worried about giving me mouth to mouth with how horribly I was breathing ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. 5

    That is the exact reason I don’t do connecting flights LOL!

    • 6

      LOL. I wish we had more direct flights. It’s crazy that they say we are an international airport but most of the time you can’t get a direct flight. Maybe they are planning to change that with the new title down the road.

  4. 7

    We went to Jamaica a couple of years ago and had a connecting flight that left a half hour after we were supposed to get in. The flight was on time but they made us sit on the plane for over an hour because supposedly customs was too full. So we missed the flight home. They had a plane full of angry passengers let me tell you.

    I agree – they should not legally be allowed to schedule connecting flights so close together. My husband’s company sent us to Jamaica and scheduled the flight so we didn’t have any choice. However when I set up the airfare myself, I only do direct flights.

  5. 9

    I don’t think they should be able to rebook you without telling you. I mean, you could have had a leisurely walk across the airport, in boots.

    • 10

      Exactly, if they would have told me I could have let the PR rep know I was going to be late and then just enjoyed my time. Instead after rushing i Had to take that time to cool down LOL

  6. 11

    Wow, now I know the full story. So sorry for the “run”around you had! Sounds sooo stressful. Glad you made it though!

    • 12

      LOL yes it was so interesting. Sorry you had to leave early but was so glad to hear your dad is doing okay. So glad I got to meet you!

  7. 13

    Look at it this way, you got a great workout!!!

    Oy! Glad it all worked out!

    • 14

      LOL that I did, and realized just how out of shape I was. Running shoes must come out of hiding ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. 15

    Im leaving Missoula to make a connecting flight through St.Paul to Liberty in Newark. We get on the plane in Missoula, we get off the plane in Missoula. We sit around Missoula, past the time I was supposed to be in St.Paul.

    When I get off the plane in St. Paul, they gleefully inform me I now have a 7 hour layover before the flight to Newark. The guy looks at me like he expects kudos or something. Yeah right.

    I am schlepping my laptop, two DSLRS and an assortment of lenses around, all in a water & crush proof container. So, I look like a Mt. Everett expedidition as I try to find something to eat and my way to the next gate…

    Of course, wifi costs like $17, which, fortunately, I didn’t pay for before I found out there are no power outlets to plug my laptop in. The bookstore doesn’t have anything I’m interested in.

    I buy a copy of the ‘Midwestern’ NYTimes. And read it. Then read it again.

    I thought about taking some pictures, but I was afraid that the goons from TSA would come after me.

    The flight finally departs.

    Of course, it’s dark when we land. I hate driving in New Jersey. Driving after dark in Newark is a nightmare, I’d rather have my fingernails pulled out.

    So, my friend asks me if I enjoyed the flight… I just laughed…

  9. 17
    Lauralee Hensley

    Left early that is nonsense. Even the bus service, in a town away from us where I used to live, had to sit and wait at a corner if it got there early, because they were never suppose to leave early. Maybe that’s because mostly seniors used the bus service and they had to allow time for them to make it on time. I don’t know, but I think the airlines should have the same rules. Shame on Delta, can they read your mind about whether you can make it or not, NO, they can’t. Shame on any airline that does this.

  10. 18

    I really don’t like flying anymore. It is such a hassle.

  11. 19

    wow, I would have been PISSED!!! Glad you finally made it home safely though.

  12. 20

    Back when my hubby and I were long distance dating (NH to WI), that used to happen to one of us at least once a month. On top of it, they would usually lose my luggage too ๐Ÿ™ Glad you are home safe!

  13. 21

    Flying is such a pain these days! Sorry for your troubles!

  14. 22

    I’m so sorry! I had almost the same thing happen to me but I was towing four kids behind me! I was ticked!!

  15. 23

    Dang, that sounds terrible! Sorry that you had to go through that, I’m sure a lot of other people were very unhappy too..

    I’ve heard some bad things about delta..

  16. 24

    Thankfully you made it, and I’m so glad that you did. It was GREAT finally getting to hang out with you.

  17. 25

    Flying and travel is beginning to be more of a hassle.

  18. 26

    That’s terrible! I do not like flying, but have never missed one…

  19. 27

    Ugh – 30 min layovers are horrible! I just booked a flight to FL and I was more than willing to pay extra to have a nice, long layover ๐Ÿ™‚ The layover has become more important to me than even having an aisle seat!

  20. 28

    Yes, almost missed my connection. Everyone was in the plane and they were about to close the doors!

  21. 29

    I don’t do planes.. at all lol

  22. 30

    Thank goodness my flight on Wednesday is nonstop or I’d be super worried right now! &That’s kinda cool of them in a way to reschedule you so you wouldn’t be SOL, BUT it’s super lame that they couldn’t tell you that before you freaked out like that!

  23. 31

    how awful for you but thankfully you were able to get another that wouldnt give u a super long wait and yes it has happened to me and I cried.

  24. 32

    My son is a customer service agent (ie., gate agent) for an airlines. He won’t book a flight with less than 1-1/2 hrs between flights for himself and he tries to convince people all the time to leave room between, but they’re always in a hurry. Anyway, he says never run to another plane and don’t bother asking the agent that supposedly meets your plan. Go to the customer service desk, there should be one in every terminal, for your airline and check with them. They can give you the info on where the other plane is, if you’ll make it, and can reschedule you right there if you need to be.

    Hope that hint helps the next time you’re in that spot.

    • 33

      That definitely helps Connie. I will definitely remember that if there is a next time but for my sanity and hear I hope there isn’t LOL

  25. 34

    I have a fear of flying, so don’t very often. ๐Ÿ™‚ So sorry you had to go through that, though. I know it’s so frustrating.

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