I know I don't really blog anymore, but I thought I would begin the blogging during the holiday season while I was away from Baton Rouge, and visiting my roots in Lafayette (Indiana that is).
The trip was suppose to be a smooth transition from the 60 degrees of Baton Rouge to the wintry domain of Chicago. I was leaving from the Baton Rouge airport, which is nice. I literally showed up 45 minutes before my flight was scheduled to leave. I had checked in online and security only takes a few minutes - even on the weekend before Christmas. However, the convenience of this airport always ends after security. As soon as you are finished getting frisked by security you head straight to the boards to check your flights status. This will, of course, do you no good because your flight will be listed on time. Nevermind the fact the plane should be boarding at this point and its not even at the terminal. A quick look at the incoming flights will quickly tell you that the plane hasn't even arrived from Chicago. So its rather doubtful that the plane will be taking off on time. So you sit in the terminal waiting to depart, and it really doesn't phase you that the flight disappears off the departure list after it was suppose to take off. (Keep in mind there is still no plane at the terminal). As I have learned from past experiences the airport just doesn't update the departure list - ever. Once your flight was suppose to leave it just disappears like it never existed.
At least this situation doesn't phase me after a few flights from this airport. It still concerns others at the terminal. They begin freaking out that the flight is: 1) late; 2) has disappeared from the board; and 3) no staff is posted at the gate. Very legitimate reasons to be concerned, but from past experiences I know that someone will show up sooner or later. And indeed a crew starts to wonder onto the scene and finally announces that there is a two hour delay.
After patiently waiting the two hours there is still no plane at the terminal. Of course I assume that there is a longer delay. But would they ever lie to us? Of course not. At 4:15 they tell us that we can go ahead and board plane; but instead will be boarding at another gate. There is now a mass exodus across the airport because we can now finally get on the plane, but after boarding we discover that we won't even taxi until another hour. But that doesn't matter because the airline needs to find three volunteers to leave the plane due to us being over weight. They force three people off - who board again after a half an hour and they pull a family of four off. Someone back at headquarters must have reworked a wrong equation.
After about an hour, we begin taxing to the runway ready for departure - until a Louisiana monsoon hits. Not even I would be comfortable driving in one of these monsoons, let alone trusting a pilot to airborne the plane. We then wait another half an hour until this passed (mostly) and then I experience one of the most turbulent takeoffs in a lightning storm. I honestly didn't care at this point because we were finally headed home.
The rest of the trip was smooth. My parents came to meet me and we left for downtown. It was only 40-some degrees that night, but we woke up the next morning in Chicago-style winds with flurries and temps in the teens. It was great… for about thirty seconds. About two minutes after I described the situation as "refreshing" to my brother, I decided the wind could die down a little. But it was still great. I miss Chicago and even though the trip was short, it was good to be back.
The rest of the trip can be described in pictures on Facebook.
The trip was suppose to be a smooth transition from the 60 degrees of Baton Rouge to the wintry domain of Chicago. I was leaving from the Baton Rouge airport, which is nice. I literally showed up 45 minutes before my flight was scheduled to leave. I had checked in online and security only takes a few minutes - even on the weekend before Christmas. However, the convenience of this airport always ends after security. As soon as you are finished getting frisked by security you head straight to the boards to check your flights status. This will, of course, do you no good because your flight will be listed on time. Nevermind the fact the plane should be boarding at this point and its not even at the terminal. A quick look at the incoming flights will quickly tell you that the plane hasn't even arrived from Chicago. So its rather doubtful that the plane will be taking off on time. So you sit in the terminal waiting to depart, and it really doesn't phase you that the flight disappears off the departure list after it was suppose to take off. (Keep in mind there is still no plane at the terminal). As I have learned from past experiences the airport just doesn't update the departure list - ever. Once your flight was suppose to leave it just disappears like it never existed.
At least this situation doesn't phase me after a few flights from this airport. It still concerns others at the terminal. They begin freaking out that the flight is: 1) late; 2) has disappeared from the board; and 3) no staff is posted at the gate. Very legitimate reasons to be concerned, but from past experiences I know that someone will show up sooner or later. And indeed a crew starts to wonder onto the scene and finally announces that there is a two hour delay.
After patiently waiting the two hours there is still no plane at the terminal. Of course I assume that there is a longer delay. But would they ever lie to us? Of course not. At 4:15 they tell us that we can go ahead and board plane; but instead will be boarding at another gate. There is now a mass exodus across the airport because we can now finally get on the plane, but after boarding we discover that we won't even taxi until another hour. But that doesn't matter because the airline needs to find three volunteers to leave the plane due to us being over weight. They force three people off - who board again after a half an hour and they pull a family of four off. Someone back at headquarters must have reworked a wrong equation.
After about an hour, we begin taxing to the runway ready for departure - until a Louisiana monsoon hits. Not even I would be comfortable driving in one of these monsoons, let alone trusting a pilot to airborne the plane. We then wait another half an hour until this passed (mostly) and then I experience one of the most turbulent takeoffs in a lightning storm. I honestly didn't care at this point because we were finally headed home.
The rest of the trip was smooth. My parents came to meet me and we left for downtown. It was only 40-some degrees that night, but we woke up the next morning in Chicago-style winds with flurries and temps in the teens. It was great… for about thirty seconds. About two minutes after I described the situation as "refreshing" to my brother, I decided the wind could die down a little. But it was still great. I miss Chicago and even though the trip was short, it was good to be back.
The rest of the trip can be described in pictures on Facebook.
