This trip home from Florida is proving the Leslie-adage of travel (once again): If one half of your trip is good, the other half will suck.
Yesterday, we were delayed in Newark while they fixed the PA system on the plane, but I guess a 15 minute delay doesn't equate with a crappy trip...so the crappy came today.
First, my 2:15 flight from Florida didn't take off til 3:45 pm. I knew I would miss my 6:10 connection so I had already called and they rebooked me on a 9 pm flight. However, when I got here, they said the 6:10 pm flight was delayed til 7:45. I raced over to Terminal F (which requires a shuttle trip and I think is in NJ). When I get there...flight is cancelled. Sigh. But! I did get a boarding pass. Back to Terminal C on the endless shuttle, hike to Terminal B, stop and eat some dinner (which was surprisingly good), get to the gate....
Flight delayed til 9:45 because the captain isn't here. We all sit patiently and then at 9:25 some women comes to the podium, says, "the flight is cancelled" and walks away!
The crowd (me included) is like WTF? There appears to be serious shortage of helpful people here at the Philadelphia airport and we are all standing there with our jaws hanging down.
Fortunately, a young man in crowd was on his cellphone and found out there was a flight to Boston at 11 pm. Gate B2, just down the hall. He gave us all the 800 number for USAirways. I got on the phone, changed my flight (after a long time on hold) and now I am at the gate, boarding pass in hand. Let's hope....I'd rather get home in the middle of the night than try to find a hotel room and go through this whole rigamarole again tomorrow.
If you get the weather report from Maine tomorrow morning, you'll know I made it home safe and sound. Wish me lucK!
L