Well, it all started off very nicely: said my good-byes to Rima & Peter @ 5.00am on Monday morning - very sad to leave!! Dropped off the hire car at the airport, only got confused with the car parking and ended up parking the car on level 3 instead of level1 - but no problem... they found the car! Also, remember my shouting match when I arrived?... they gave me the 25Dhs (12$) off the cost! Yippie success!!!
Checked in, flight took off - love the big new A380 plane ... comfortable..., took my valium and off I went again into lala land....(no. upgrade to business class though... maybe next time)
14 uneventful hours later (Thank God!) - we landed at New York JFK airport! Me, all excited - finally made it to the States! I had 4hours in between my connecting flight just in case of any delays, problems at customs or immigration. People were telling me horror stories of hours long interrogations, long queues etc.... and I believed them. Hence, for once, I did not carry any 'undesireable' goods (as I normally would on any of my travels....) and I was prepared for any questions about my past and whereabouts....
But to my disappointment, I got through without any huzzle or delays! Had my fingers printed: "please place 4 fingers of your right hand on the screen Mam!" ... ok.... where are my fingers???? (am totally jetlagged....). then the same with my right hand, and oh yes the thumbs too! Then the eyescan. In between the customs officer asked me questions: "when did you visit the USA the last time" - never before! upps... I keep forgetting that I had been to San Fransisco for a 4 day stop-over in a previous lifetime - but that surely doesn't count. Anyway, all went well and they actually let me in!!!!!
Off I went to the transit counter of Delta Airlines, where I was told, that my 6.oopm flight to Pittsburgh had been cancelled and they put me on the 9.30pm flight. Oh dear, this will be a looong day! OK, not a problem, at least they didn't charge me for my check-in luggage!
I made my way to the Delta terminal (a totally rundown, cheap looking place - not nice at all and very busy). I freshened up, ate something, sat on a very uncomfortable chair and kept nodding off. At about 7.30 p.m. I thought, ok lets find my gate and see what's happening. I checked the board only to find out to my absolute horror, that my 9.30pm flight was also cancelled. Now what???
There was chaos everywhere, long long queues at the Delta customer service counters "We are here to serve you" - sure....Two nice staff tried to help me and said that because of the weather the flights were cancelled, one said: You'll get a hotel, the other one said: no hotel, as the airline is not liable for cancellations or delays if it is due to the weather. Great, which is it?? Why are other planes taking off and not Delta?
While waiting, I was listening to people telling stories and complaining and giving advice... apparently Delta are very bad and there are always problems, ... if you are not nice to the staff, they screw you even more,. .. no they don't pay for accommodation, they might book it for you, but unless you get a voucher, you will have to pay. etc etc etc....
I was sooo tired and jetlagged, and felt dirty, and just wanted to either just get there or sleep (preferably in a bed and not on the floor of a grotty airport terminal).
Anyway, suddenly there was another flight to Pittsburg on the board, leaving @ 9.15pm... how can this be??? It was now 9.00pm and I was next in line to be served.... the staff (I think she was a supervisor) first wanted to book me on a flight the next day, I had to point out to her, that there was a flight listed for tonight. She checked it out, and booked me on it and sent me to another terminal and gate 11.
Off I went to gate 11, the same chaos there, long queues and lots of unhappy people shouting.... nobody knew about my flight. They then sent me to gate 19, back to the other terminal. At gate 19 I was told that the flight I was booked on was actually a fake flight, there was no pilot nor crew! Great.... I am now pissed off!
Back I went to the supervisor - she: Oh I am glad you are back, we tried to page you, so sorry about this misunderstanding, come with me.... I can book you on a flight tomorrow @ 2.30 p.m. Me: What? I can not afford a hotel room, and I am really tired.... She: Don't say anything, I feel so bad, we will take care of it! So I got the hotel room paid for in the Quality Inn, Jamaica, 3 food vouchers each 6$ worth, and an airport shuttle 2-ways.
I couldn't retrieve my already checked in luggage (but made sure they matched my luggage with my new flight! and hoped for the best) , there were also queues and lots of unhappy and tired people.We all exchanged our stories and grievances... It would have taken them 3 hours to retrieve our luggage. Instead they handed out a toiletry kit: t-shirt, toothbrush, washing powder, razor.. what no underware???... hi hi. So I took the kit, got my minibus and off to the hotel. There were also queues of people checking in, all with cancelled Delta flights and stories to tell.
I finally was in my hotel room just after midnight!.. and I had arrived from Dubai @ 2.30 pm. Not my idea of a fun trip... am definately too old for this kind of excitement....No comment please people...
Texted my brother, who was waiting for me in Pittsburg... will arrive 1 day late. He is georgeous, texted back, no problem, will take another day off and wait!
Next day, after a wonderful nights sleep in a comfortable bed, had breakfast (free) at the hotel, met some of the same people from the night before and some new ones... stories all round....We all waited for our airport shuttle, which arrived 1 hour late @ 1.oopm and my flight was leaving @ 2.30 pm.. nooo not again....., but all went well!
I flew in a little bombardier (ie. a tube) with a heavily pregnant flight attendant (oh dear, if any emergency happens, we will have to help her, not the other way round)... only in America....
But I must say, I was surprised at how curtious men are towards women in the States. They helped me with my luggage, opened the doors, and were generally very polite. I am only used to this gentlemenly treatment in the UAE, where women get preferential and respectful treatment. Maybe not all bad here after all....
S&D
