Everyone’s worst nightmare, when travelling is” Will my luggage make it to the same place my body is going?”  This is evidenced by the massive amounts of carry on bags and stuffed overhead compartments.

 

I don’t fly often – and because of that, I am usually not flying somewhere that demands I have my luggage immediately – it is usually to family and they will not think less of me if I don’t have clean underwear or fresh makeup.  Everything else, I could borrow from them when I get there.  So, I check my baggage.  I really don’t like “schlepping” a carryon around in the airport.  I have enough to worry about with my purse and electronics.

Traveling from the “air capitol of the world” should provide me with some of the best flight options available…. right?  Not so much… but there is an airport, and a brand new terminal that actually looks like an airport, and a Dunkin Donuts and Chick-Fil-A as culinary options, so I shouldn’t complain.  

 

Southwest is our airline of choice.  And for the most part, it works for us. I know it isn’t for everyone.  

 

We are heading to NJ to see our only grandchild.  Oh… and her parents too.  

 

 

Boarding at 11:45, we are in the first group… get our seats together and settle in for the short trip to Dallas.  Then on to Houston. Then to Newark.  Simple. 12:15 – 9:50.  We will be snuggling with our 6 month old princess sooner than we can imagine.  

 

Everyone has boarded, we are being welcomed to our wifi equipped flight, I am picking out what TV shows to watch –  OK, well really the only real choice for me was “house porn”, and texting the family that we were safely buckled in.

 

Delay.  

 

Right after EVERYONE has just sat down.  Really – you didn’t know this while we were all still in the terminal?  Apparently, there is weather in Dallas.

So we sit.

And sit.

And sit.

 

No problem for us though, because we have almost 3 hours in Houston between connecting flights.  Friday night snuggles are still in store!

 

We finally arrive in Dallas. Our plane empties out and a new crew and group of people join us to head to Houston. Once again, we get settled in and are ready for the pre-flight instruction when the Captain advises that the weather has in fact gotten worse. So we sit again. And sit. And sit.

 

Then the announcement comes …

 

Those passengers heading to Panama City and Memphis have a decision to make.  They can de-plane and make other arrangements in Dallas or continue to Houston and miss their connecting flights AND  do so with this information:  There are NO hotels in Houston.  They quickly exit.

 

We are still smiling… we know we have plenty of time to make our connection.  We may not have time for supper but that is ok!

 

Time to push back…. and as we head to the runway… we pass … count them…. 13 planes on the right and 12 planes on the left.  Oh no…. Not only are we somewhere in the middle of that mix in order to take off, they are only allowing northbound flights to go, the pilot shuts the plane down!

 

Getting nervous….we MIGHT not make the connection.

 

Turn the plane back on…. whoop, whoop!! BUT… there is always a BUT…. we have to go west to go south… so a 45 minute flight has now becomes and hour and a half.

 

HMMMMMMMMMM…. not looking good for snuggles tonight….. why didn’t they ask for the people connecting to Newark to get off with the Memphis and Panama City folks? We have a daughter in Dallas – we could have gone to her house for the night???? We don’t know anyone in Houston!

 

Hello Houston….

 

We have no flight tonight to Newark. According to the inflight info, there are no hotel rooms. And who could afford an airport room anyway.  And the airlines never pay when the delays are weather related. We are destined to snuggle…. an airport chair.

 

The hubster heads to the desk to see what seat, if any, are available on a flight in the morning.  I don’t know about other airlines, but if you fly Southwest, you know that they are ALWAYS “completely full” flights.  So, at this late date, we will probably need to go stand by.

 

Good news!!! The associate is frustrated with our flight crew for not having a plan for us or taking  us off the plane in Dallas, so we get a free non-existent hotel room at the airport Doubletree!  Now…… here comes the question of the day… or of the next 10 days.   Where is our luggage and where is it going to be when we really need it?

 

Off to the “baggage office”. Stand in line for 30 minutes.  Sorry… we are really busy, can you come back in about 45 minutes?  Sure, because really, where else are we going?

 

Let’s eat… Dunkin Donuts was a long time ago….

 

We actually found a decent eatery… food was pretty good – but the entertainment was out of this world.  I mean, when do you get to see two middle age people act like star struck teenage lovers in front of the whole restaurant?  Only cheaters who meet in an airport bar.But, I digress…

 

Two hours have passed since we landed.  Another gentleman has tried to help us – twice – to locate our luggage.  We head back to the “baggage office”.  New staff person… ( must be why the previous employee asked us to come back after 45 minutes… he knew his shift would be over!) Her announcement to the crowd is “who here is stranded?”.  OK – had not thought of myself as stranded.  Now I am depressed.  Now I am really wondering where my underwear is???

 

This lady, however, is a luggage superstar!  

 

In 10 minutes flat she has done what no one else was capable of – she has located our luggage AND had it safely delivered to the “belt” for us to retrieve.  She has “un-stranded” our underwear! We are getting the shuttle and heading off for our Doubletree!

 

And, most importantly, their chocolate chip cookie!  That was the best cookie I have had in a very long time!!!  

 

 

 

Snuggles with our little “dinosaur” came a little late – but they were just as wonderful.  Now… you will excuse me while I take an obscene amount of pictures to share on social media and “act the fool” in front of her for the next several days.  Because… that is what grandma’s do….