I'm home. Sick, but safe...safe might not seem like such a big deal, but it is, especially this time! Flying when ill is a miserable experience. Three flights to get home and finally we are on our final descent of my last flight, heading into Denver, home, and an announcement is made. "Due to weather the flight attendants are going to stay seated so please prepare yourselves for landing, seats and tray tables in their upright positions, all electronic devices turned off". that alone was not a big deal, I've been on other flights with that announcement. It's what came next that got my attention, which never before has happened in all my flights...this announcement repeated..."a reminder, please leave all personal belongings behind in the case of an emergency evacuation.". Really? Not much to do but wonder why in the world THAT was said...and quite thankfully, there was no emergency evacuation on the landing. I wonder why, but think perhaps it is better I don't know the reason! The important thing...home safe and sound!
My day started out with a nice surprise, I went to say hello to the lady at the front desk of the Marriott who I know from past trips. At first she didn't recognize me, I'd like to think its my weight loss, but I'm sure it is because she sees thousands of people each week. She quickly remembered me and we chatted a bit. I had not emerged from my room since I'd arrived, feeling so badly, I even missed dinner! I went out to find a cup of hot tea, and she offered to buy me breakfast. What a nice surprise, and a generous one too, since it was $20. Prices for breakfasts at hotels are outrageous. So I was treated to breakfast and enjoyed the nice meal before heading to the airport, courtesy of patti. I did decide to take two Advil before the flight today, just couldn't face a repeat of the misery of yesterday.
I dragged all my luggage to the lobby, I had a close room, and there was the very kind head of the bellman, drivers. He gave me a great greeting, and then said he would take me himself and would drop me off upstairs, which is not where they are supposed to go, but is right by the check in counters, saving me many hassles trying to find a cart and pushing my luggage up a very tough ramp when dropped at the arrivals area. How does one thank someone for that kindness? (yes a tip, but it meant so much more) So he loaded me up and drove off with me, explaining to the other people that their driver would be leaving soon. As you know, I love feeling special, it happens so rarely in my real life. Ahhh, but sometimes in my travels...
This airport report may be boring, not sure I'll even post it, but since I am apparently feeling better, I decided to write about my Dulles experience. Times have changed and if you have flown in the past, you might be able to see the differences.
I am flying first class, I used miles and money to get the upgrade, it used to be only miles, no money. Now it is expensive, but the comfort on international flights makes it the only way I can/will really travel.
After being dropped off I paid $3 for a cart and loaded my belongings and ventured inside. There was a porter who offered to take my luggage and I said no thank you, but then regretted that later, he probably really needed the money and I should have spent a few more dollars to help him out. I will think of that next time. I've seen and heard of so many sad financial circumstances this trip, it makes me so much more aware of the economic devastation around the world.
I entered the airport and went to the priority line, the united representative asked me where I was going, I told her to Denver, first class and she said I had to go to the end line, which was quite a bit longer and further away. I'm better, but still very weak. I said I was a premier passenger and then she looked at my ticket and let me go in.
Now in the old days there were united agents at the counter to help. Now I walked up and stood there, totally ignored! I was the only passenger and not one person offered to help me. I waited and then finally asked if anyone was going to help me. The counter was manned by about 4, maybe 5 people in 'airserve' uniforms and they told me I needed to check myself in at the machine. I said usually there is someone to help and they said there was a rep and I looked around and saw her talking with another rep from the next section. She never even glanced at the counter, or at me to see if anyone needed help. No one paid any attention to me. So after a little wait, I asked the air serve people to please help me. One, with a lot of effort and no desire, finally helped me get the info in and then walked away, leaving me on my own. I got the boarding pass when it printed out and was standing with a cart of luggage and one of the men asked me if I had any luggage to check. Really? I looked at the cart and said yep, was anyone going to help with that or did I do that myself too. The person who did it had me move over, the people working at the counter where I was never helped so I went to his area. Finally baggage checked. He told me it was a very long way to my gate and since I didn't feel good, and I know I looked terrible, he said I should get a wheelchair. Since I'm so weak and cough incessantly with any exertion I decided to agree.
I waited where I was told to, and it was right in front of the rep being sure no one entered the premier line. No one did. It appears i was the only premium passenger at that time. Two young men came up and said they were active military, too bad, they got sent down to the far end check in counters with the long lines. I asked her if she really turned away our military men and she said yes, there are a lot of them (thank God, they are protecting our country, I'm sure glad there are a lot of them), and a lot of premier passengers, so they just can't let them in that line, don't forget there is not a passenger in that whole area! I was so disgusted, I said not right now, and there were only two. I said I would have given them my place if they had been there at the same time. She said that they give them free luggage and free seat selection, yeah, I guess that is nice for the people ensuring our freedom. Disgusted even more.
Finally my wheelchair came and we were off for the long trek to my gate. Got to the wheelchair security and apparently it is new, only open two days. There were about 15 wheelchairs ahead of us. I know I wont be traveling when I am old enough to really need the help. There was one old man who obviously didn't speak English and could barely move and no one helped him take off his suit coat or his shoes. My heart was so sad and I was too far back to do anything, I asked the man pushing my wheelchair to tell someone to help him and he did nothing. It is sad to need help in this day and age. When I went through I asked the guard checking us in security why no one helped the elderly who needed it and he said they are supposed to, and he seemed appreciative that I noticed it and I said I would mention it to the company and he smiled. When I got through there was a lady who couldn't bend over to get her shoes on, again no one offered to help her so I was glad I could.
It was a long way from check in to the gate my flight was leaving from, and with my coughing, a very good thing I didnt try walking all that way. The lounge was next to the gate my flight left from so that was very convenient. I arrived at the lounge, with a bit of time to wait, but not even an hour. I looked around, it was unusually empty but did start filling up shortly after I arrived. I noticed how almost everyone, was working with an electronic device...iPads, laptops, phones and such. Ahh, but there was one older couple, yes, just one, and he actually had a newspaper in his hand that he was reading and his wife had a pencil and the paper's crossword puzzle in her lap...a wonderful, comforting scene from the past.
Maybe the world isn't so different today, maybe I just notice it more because I'm in the position of needing help more than ever before. But I am sure that service has been cut to bare basics. And when the president of united does his big sales speech on the wonders that are now united on every single flight before the safety announcements, I wish I could stand up and fill in the missing information, the customer service that is at a minimum and the planned reduction in size of the regular economy seating, to start with. But does anyone really care?
Currently I'm on my flight to Denver, the last in a long journey home, looking forward to picking up my big guy at the kennel on my way home from the airport and getting home to sleep. just looked up and there's only one movie on this flight and it is Battleship, wonder who picks the one movie that is shown on a flight, I probably wouldn't pick one where a plane is crashing and world devastation is the main plot. But apparently that is just me...again more aware of things these days.
However, I am the one that complained to the company whose word game app I use when killing game ads started being played right after the aurora shootings. On a word game? I received a very nice response from the man at that company explaining that he completely understands my problem with that and that an independent company does the ads attached to the game but he would contact them about that one. Too much time I have, guess. :-)
Back to now, what a marvelous adventure this has been! Friends, food, and fabulous sights from beginning to end. (soon the misery of being so sick will be a distant memory, and pale in comparison to the the joys.)
Thank you for sharing it with me...hasta luego...
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