Friday, October 19, 2007

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

On Wednesday I traveled to Philadelphia for a two-day business meeting. What was meant to be a quick 45 minute flight back home (Philly to Boston) turned into a nightmare trip. First, I've never gotten out of Philly on US Air on-time, so when our flight pulled away from the gate 15 minutes late, I wasn't surprised. I closed my eyes for a quick nap, assuming to wake up in time to get through Boston traffic. I woke up 45 minutes later just as the plane was taking off. The flight steward has the audacity to say that the pilot will increase the speed and we should be landing about the same time. Um, how is this possible since we are taking off 10 minutes before we leave??? The brilliant trip continued when turbulance caused cancellation of the beverage cart, then two aborted approaches to landing and we were rerouted to Providence. Again my favorite flight steward claims that weather in Boston has caused problems. Um, isn't everything weather? Sunny skies are weather, rain is weather, as is snow, sleet and fog, can you be more elaborate on what type is preventing us from landing???

While Providence is a nice place to visit, it wasn't where I parked my car the day before. According to the pilot, we were going to refuel, collect our fuel voucher (whatever this is for) and wait for the weather. After 30 minutes of waiting on the plane with no good direction about when the weather was going to clear, Mark (my coworker traveling with me) and I decide to jump off the plan and rent a car. Seems crazy to wait much longer as the drive isn't that far. As it turns out, even with traffic in Providence and Braintree, I was able to make it home before my flight landed in Boston. Crazy day of travel.

2 comments:

Gary said...

I have had a dozen similar experiences flying from Philly to Boston on US Scare. I have lost many a Friday night to delays out of that damn airport.

Dave said...

I just drove Philly to Boston, almost sounds like that would have been faster for you