Flight From Hell

We've all seen those news reports, especially during the Winter, how people are stranded in airports due to weather. In all my years of travelling, I have never encountered a serious delay like that... until yesterday. The day started off just fine. A friend dropped me off at the airport, breezed through check-in and security, and flight was still on-time. Well, after we've all boarded, the flight was delayed 45 minutes so they let us off the plane. After we got back on the second time it was delayed another hour... at least. So they started de-planing (i.e. getting everyone off the plane), only to get the go-ahead to pull out in 30 min., so they hurridly kicked everyone off the plane so they could re-board everyone. We took off at 1630, which would get me in Chicago at 1730... just in the nick of time to catch my 1800 flight (which was likely to be delayed anyways). As I sat on the flight, all I could think of was how annoying it was that I did not get flight insurance this time. Usually I do, but I was so busy leading up to the days of my flight that I didn't get around to arranging it until the day of, at which point I was told it would not kick in until midnight. Since I usually get coverage in anticipation of flight delays or lost luggage more than for the medical stuff, there was no point in getting it if I could not get covered for my flight out. Sure enough, the one time I don't get it, I could've used it.

My first flight got into Chicago at 1730 as expected, but it turned out that my 1800 flight was delayed to 2330. The airline had apparently re-routed me through Denver (i.e. I would have to fly to Denver, then to Calgary) but I did not know it. So when I got an automated call telling me my Denver flight was cancelled, I had no idea what they were talking about. In any case, I thought my flight was at 2330 so I was glad at least I was going to get out that day. Until around 1830 when I got another automated call saying my 2330 flight was cancelled. Damn it! I had no idea what to do at that point. The weather in Chicago that was actually so bad many other flights were delayed or cancelled. There was a mob of people in the airport in a simular situation as mine so the lines to any customer service agent was a mile long. I tried calling up customer service by phone, but they said wait times to reach an agent was 20 minutes. I didn't bring my phone charger so I decided not to wait on my cellphone that long to reach someone. So instead I called up a friend asking her to google distance between Chicago and Calgary. It was a whopping 1600 miles. It would take me 2-3 days to drive it so that option was out :( I also ended up giving her password to my United account to see if they had updated my flight info, but it wasn't. I had no idea what was going on, but one thing was for sure - I was stuck in Chicago overnight.

Right after talking to my friend, I went down to see if I can get my luggage. Apparently, no one can get their luggage until their final destination - no matter how long you are stuck in your layover. Fantastic. Now that I am already out of the terminal I couldn't go back in, so I decided to go back to check-in to see if I could get an idea of when I can get out again. After standing in line that did not move for about 20 minutes, I had enough of it and thought I'd walk to a nearby hotel, hit the bar, and pimp myself out to someone for a room. Except I didn't know where the hotels were & there were no signs. As I walked around aimlessly I saw the automated check-in kiosks. I couldn't check-in using it, but I could use the phone by it to talk to an agent. It took 30 minutes to get an agent on the phone. As I was waiting there was a guy on the phone next to me, who was also talking to a friend via cell. I started talking to him and found out that the airport was giving out vouchers for discounted hotels and he had one. I recalled him saying something along the lines of "not sure what to do" to his friend, so I took a chance and asked, "Er, are you going to use your voucher?" At which point he replied, "I'm going to stay with my buddy, you can have this." Sweet! I had no intention of standing in one of those lines for two hours to get one myself so I was so happy I scored one.

I had the voucher in hand, and finally found out when my next flight out was - 1800 the next day :( I thought briefly about driving four hours to see my Dad in Springfield. I'd have just enough time to drive there, sleep, have breakfast, and drive back. I decided it would be too taxing and called the number on my voucher to find a hotel. "Your approximate wait time is... 7 minutes." Ugh. So this time I called up my brother to ask him to go the website on the voucher to book something for me. He tells me, "Comfort Suites, $55, catch the shuttle at Door 3. Shuttles depart every 30 min." I hurry myself to the shuttle stop to find a mob of people waiting. Shuttles from various hotels in the area came and went but no sign of my shuttle. Then I start to get a tummy ache. Damn, I can't leave now. If I miss the shuttle it's another 30 min. By now it was after 8. Finally a shuttle for "Comfort Inn" comes. A hoard of people approach it and I get on. Then I think, "Comfort Inn... Comfort Suites." I ask around and everyone tells me they are two different hotels and that I'm on the wrong shuttle. There are some people trying to get on the shuttle that looked like they were ready to physically throw me out for my seat. I tell everyone to chill and get off. The "Comfort Suites" shuttle finally arrives. I'm on and get to the hotel... only to find out they have no electricity.

Apparently the power had just gone out. Of course they have no idea how long it will be before it is up. I hesitated and thought about getting another room, but at this point I couldn't be bothered. I checked in, went to my room, and feeled my way around. There was enough light coming through the window to see most of the room. Except the bathroom, which was pitch black. I feeled my way around like a blind person would with her hands and feet (since I didn't have a stick). I ripped off the wrapping on the toilet paper only to realize later there was already an open roll. Any case, now it was around 9:30 or so and there was not much to do in the room except sleep, so I went down to the bar. There was a wedding going on. Most things in the bar were candle-lit, with the few important things, like the music, running on the generator. I don't really drink much these days, but I felt like I needed something to take the edge off so I ordered a martini. Soon afterwards, some guy sits next to me so we start chatting. He's actually local and frequents the bar so he got me some chips and another martini on the house (or him). I asked him what there is to see/do in Chicago and he tells me about the "bean" and the museums. The aquarium, and Science & Technology museum caught my interest so I decided I would check those out. After my second drink I decided to call it a night.

Before leaving the bar, I grabbed four of those little candles that were unlit. I lit one and walked toward my room. Of course the darn thing blows out in the elevator so I had to get someone to relight it. Once safe in the room I light all four candles and now I can see!! I got a toothbrush from the hotel, and used the soap to wash up a bit. No shower tho since there's not likely to be hot water. I also washed my shirt since being in the muggy airport made me sweat a bit. I rolled in to bed with a candle lit in the bathroom and by my bed. I feared that they would die out by the morning so I did not sleep well. I think at least on one occasion I transfered the light to another candle to make sure. I also had this wicked nightmare. I was sleeping, and some big black muscular dude smoking a cigarrete comes into my room. I think he's hotel staff but then he asks in a husky voice, "You got your stuff in a safe?" I reply, "No." He says, "Too bad." Then whips out a knife and stabs me right in the chest! At which point I wake up. I managed to get some sleep afterwards but woke up earlier than expected. Luckily power was back on so I grab a quick shower, head down to breakfast, and see what the day has to offer. Skies today are expected to be mostly clear, so I hope that I make it to Canada! My friend is already there waiting for me to arrive.