12-13-2010 – Flying Home
Early to rise so we could get to airport. The traffic in down town San juan is a mess most of the time but at 6AM it is not as bad. We got in the cab with the extra bags from the kids (so they wouldn’t have to pay for extra since I am FF). When we arrived last week the driver was efficient but not extremely fast, and there was way more traffic but today the driver was auditioning for “speed racer” status. We were passing police cars right and left, cutting people off, dashing for the exit, it was great. Not enough handles in the taxi to keep from bobbing and weaving all over the seat. Good think it was still dark as I didn’t see all that much.
At the airport – first airport I have been to that there is an “Agricultural” xray check before you even get in the terminal. The check in was fairly efficient, but since I am priority it was nice for us to get in the line with one person and not the line with 51 persons… Also first place in a long time that priority meant something. It didn’t mean enough to get an upgrade on our tickets, even if I wanted to as they were award tickets(American Airlines) and most of the agents I have talked to didn’t even want to see if we could get an upgrade, actually they acted like we were lucky to just have a ticket. Once through that line we moved to TSA checks and the ticket check was the same they pushed us priority to a line with no one in and through final check before the scanners but then it slowed down as TSA doesn’t give a crap if your priority or not. That line was slow as there were people not prepared to get all their stuff checked but one thing different is they had body scanners but did not have them in use, we all went metal scan only? Maybe they use them at times but we didn’t get the opportunity to show our “stuff” on the body scan. They might have had to stop me to make sure what stuff I had… ha!.
Needless to say we were plenty early so we had a wonderful breakfast that the “grab and go at the gate” vendor, actually I had to walk way back up the hall as there was only one of the 3 grab and go guys in business that early.
We got the call, started the load process and boy was that slow. Some people prefer to block all the others and stand in the isle while they contemplate if they have the right stuff out and need to fold their coat just so, etc. Anyway we got under way and the 5 1/2 hour flight was ok, a little rough in spots but nothing unusual. The economy seats were not too bad but my butt was aching good when we finally got to Dallas.
At Dallas I suggested we get Popeye’s then head over to the other terminal (we came in to D and had to go to A to catch the flight out). that was pretty good (for fast food at and airport) and they were way more efficient than what we had seen the past week. From there we climbed up to the train, over to Terminal A and out to the gate, located a seat and sat down, in the back of the same lounge was my cousin. I went over and found out he had been in Mexico for a few days and they had been delayed enough that they missed their connection to OKC and would be standby on our flight. Again I asked about upgrade and this time she put us on the list but it didn’t look promising with all the people waiting it would be a full flight.
We made that short flight to OKC , luckily all our bags came through, we grabbed them and trekked to the car. Got it all in and headed home. Just before we get home we get a call that the kids were delayed in San Juan and missed their connection in Miami. Now they had to argue with the agents about all the delay and problems it would cause. American in their infinite wisdom had changed the kids flights and connection times several times over the past months and squeezed their connection to 55 minutes. I don’t care what airport you’re in unless it is Lawton or Tulsa that is not enough time and for sure you bags will not all make it. Well, guess what. When they did get to Dallas around 10 pm several of the bags were missing. Even with the missing in Miami they couldn’t get the bags on the right flight and make it work.
I have explained to my family how wonderful airline travel is and this time they all got an abundant helping of that.
I was just glad we had flown from OKC and our connection, although changed a little, never got that bad and we got home at a decent hour – we had to get up and leave San Juan early but it benefited on the tail end. With that we crashed early and the trip was over. Now to finish paying it off. – WD0AJG
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