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July 2010
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one delay, two delay, ooops too much

Well I got the sand mine but two days late and no less wore out… like I said, after some time doing it, business travel sucks…

First light Tuesday was delayed due to weather problems but not such that I missed a connection. It also effected the next flight so it was delayed. We however had a long flight so was able to make up a little of that lost time.

Third flight – was delayed a little – at first – but that turned into a bid delay that compounded my problems to the point of missing the 4th connection. The plane we were to take from London to Paris had problems but they had a spare. We got on the plane then watched as two guys argued with each other and went through the luggage piece by piece to make sure those of us on the plane matched the luggage being put on. Seems that the new plane would not hold all the passenger that the first one would so some had to opt for a delay (1 hour or at least that is what I think they were told. As we sat for 2 hours while they checked the baggage it occurred the other flight would have to wait until the baggage was delivered to them so they took off about 30 minutes after we did (which was bout 2 hours late by now). Question – if we are all going to the same place and will get there withing minutes of each other ? why split the baggage for that? Rules and Logic do not mix.

Arrive in Paris – rush to the other side of the airport with my bags and – ooops too late gate closed. The flight had not left but the check in was closed. So I call my travel and the only way to do that is by the pay phones and boy do you pay for that service. It cost me about $80 for no more than 10 minutes of talk time to my travel people to find out ——– nothing…. so go to the hotel and wait as there will be no more flights tonight.

At the hotel, we can add to the costs in the fact that our travel, in order to save a few dollars, had changed the contract so they no longer pay up for the meals, phone, etc. so we can let people know where we are, and find out when we can move on… DUH!!!! and the cost of the room did not go down but we now have to pay for the old free breakfast. I would have done something else had I known that breakfast was 18 euro = $22 – ouch. At least the phone calls were cheaper on their system, just about $1 per minute here… oh boy!.

got a call the next morning that they could get me on a flight that would involve one more link but I had to be at the airport now, the flight would leave in 1.5 hours…? well geez the bus ride back to the airport is about an hour in it own, I think I will not be able to check in if I do get there in one hour? oh , ok, we will put you on the Friday flight. Great.

I was right it takes at least one hour to check out, get a bus, get to the airport then trek to the gate to check in. Plan on a bit more if you’re in Paris and staying off the airport. I went early, found a seat and did some reading – the summer is hot in Paris this year and they don’t have air-conditioning in any part of the airport that works. so ti was hot, sweaty and uncomfortable but I have no choice.

All things look ok, got checked in moved to the gate area and we get on the plane on time… oh boy. but just as we cross the mediterranean the pilot comes on that we have a problem and will have to land in Algiers to check it out. The flight is a late flight already but oh well. we land they talk, they discuss, etc…then a brilliant idea. Shut it all down, all-electric, then “reboot” and see if it clears up the problem. It did. First time I had found you had to “reboot” an airplane but makes sense with all the computer control. We arrive in the desert after midnight. I am wiped out but know from some notes that I have several things that really need to be checked now so others can move on them in the AM. Got all that done and to bed by 2:30am.

And so goes another wonderful work travel session. delays, weather, idiots, and all included. It cost me and the company a big bundle of money for all this but that won’t fix our travel people and won’t fix the airline industry or anything thing else in this “just in time” world.

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