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Because of the airport closure, Jerry didn't have it easy getting back home. Here is how he told it:
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Ok here is my story going home guys. I left the hotel Friday night at 6pm saying good bye to Mark with a hug and salutation. He�s turning guys�.YAY! I go out to the front to wait for the shuttle to LAX that got me there at 7pm�1 mile away, they had closed the arrival lower level at 2:30pm due to some security issue for two hours. That is why we saw the people jumping out of their cars and running with their luggage to the airport. I checked in with AA and got my bag checked, went through security and to my gate at 7:30pm, where I found friend Starbucks, people everywhere so I got coffee and a sandwich there. I was checking my flight on my phone and just before my scheduled departure of 9pm the agent called my name and gave me an exit row aisle 14c. I was jumping for joy! So 9pm comes and goes and then the agent tells us the plane is coming from the hanging and they are looking for a new crew. GREAT! OK we get the plane and crew and are boarding, all on board and as I walk onto the plane I see aircraft maintenance in the cockpit� not a good sign, twenty minutes later the captain makes an announcement that they are showing two minor problems and they should have it worked out soon, captain then said just signing off the log book and we would be on our way�. But I�m seeing more guys go into the cockpit�again not a good sign. Well long story longer� captain then announces that the problem can�t be fixed and the flight has been CANCELLED! Go to baggage claim get your bags and see the agents at the ticket counter for rebooked. The plane is full with 128 people wanting to get to RDU! OMG I�m screwed�. So I get off and start looking at any plane going east, I stood by for two Charlotte NC planes full and full, taking to my wife at home which was 3hours later and she�s looking with me for ways to get out of LAX. I was in Terminal 6 and AA uses terminal 4 as well. So she saw a flight to MIAMI leaving late it was a 12:10am departure, I go over and the agents got me a center seat on the flight in row 16 of another full plane with delayed passengers because the flight left at 1:35am, people were all making connections out of Miami, I arrived in Miami and the flight attendant asked the people on the plane who were not making connections to let the others off first. Laugh, everyone got up and slowly got their carry-on shit and walked off the plane, I ran up the jet bridge for my connection to Charlotte at 9:54am departure, we got to the gate at 9:22am I got off the plane at 9:41am�at gate D22 and had to get to gate E6. Now I�m talking a distance for the Raleigh guys our new terminal length running its back and forth 4times of how far I had to run, I got to the gate at 9:53am and I could see the bridge was pulled but they were still loading baggage, the agent sees me and tells me to catch my breath and compose myself. OK, I did, got my breath and said I just ran from D22, no concern in her eyes and said I was a standby, I already knew what she was going to say, once the bridge was pulled it wasn�t going back up to the plane. But she decided to tell me �OH we called your name and you didn�t answer", of course I responded I was running from D22 here!!!!! She then tells me and you would have gotten First Class on the flight! Thanks! I needed to hear that. So now I�m back to square one, looking for a way up to Raleigh, the next set of planes leaving were in 2hours.So I headed to my friendly Starbucks and got coffee and a breakfast sandwich and talking to Elaine again of my options to Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, New York JFK or LGA airport, Boston with ways to get back to RDU. She found a flight to Washington Regan airport and a rental car for me to drive home. I did get on the flight to DCA in Washington arrived there at 3:22pm got my car at 4pm and started my drive home to Raleigh. I arrived at my house at 8:54pm, called Tom to say I was home. 24hours later I made it. So that is my trip home guys. I will never fly standby again on the guys trips. Way to much stress for this old guy now. LOL. But I�m looking forward to our next trip. Now back to the real world at home. your buddy |