Everything was going according to plan....that is unless you count the part where I wanted a sunset picture with the grandchildren that never happened......the kids were all packed, which was no small thing. With itineraries in hand, we were off to the airport an hour early just so if anything went wrong, we'd have time to make it right. Right???
We go into our very small airport and were in line lamenting their leaving, when we realized that the departure time was 12:16P not 1:21PM. We had all looked at it several times and nobody noticed. So instead of being an hour early we missed the flight by a few minutes! On their itineraries it was 1216P.
Being the world traveler I'm not, after I'd totally panicked and started crying and the guy behind the desk was saying the next flight was full but there was one at 5:30 a.m. the next day, I thought o.k. maybe this isn't so bad after all. Until I heard him speaking through the fog that is my brain, saying but it will be $732. per ticket above what we had already paid for the tickets. After begging, crying and throwing myself on the mercy of the representative, I decided to call Delta. They assured me that, yes, it really would be an additional $732. per ticket.....putting their trip back home at over $1400.00 additional dollars over and above what we had already paid for the tickets.
Being the laid back children that they are, they were smiling with Uncle David while I was having my 19th nervous breakdown.
Then their great grandmother asked about flying them out of Atlanta......that turned out to be only $240. making the trip back over $400. plus driving 5 hours to Atlanta.....paying for their suitcases, etc. But that seemed the only option that made sense.
I will tell you that I will NOT be flying the kids on D*lta again. We had already paid for the original tickets, which weren't cheap, paid $300 to change them so they could stay longer and now this. I realize it was my mistake that made them miss their flight, but if they could have flown on the next flight, it wouldn't have cost anything extra. And even if they could have gotten on that flight they really couldn't have because as they were flying as unaccompanied minors, they can't fly the last flight out of the day.
Yes, I was a teeny, weeny little bit upset, but decided flying them out of Atlanta was our best bet. We went home, slept, got up and started off to Atlanta. Thanks to the prayers of many, we had a smooth drive. The airport was so intimidating for this small town girl. We made it through getting them all checked in.
We went straight through security, picked up lunch and went straight to their gate.......3 hours early......and didn't move from there because we were NOT missing this flight. Here's Ashley devouring her lunch.
I was still nervous, but trying to smile while Adam was finishing his french fries.
We took pictures while we waited.
At long last, their flight was called and we bid them a tearful goodbye! We saw them fly off into the sky and off to their home.
We started back home in the late afternoon traffic. The kids actually made it home before we did. About Dothan, my phone rang and it was the flight representative in their home airport who said, we have two unaccompanied minors and no one is here to pick them up. I just held the phone while several thoughts went through my mind. One was, now I'm en route to Florida and they are in California. How will I possibly fix this??? I asked for my granddaughter to be put on the line. She was, as always, calm as she assured me her mama would be there and to "chill out". Sure enough, their mama was there but had gone to the wrong gate. I soon got another call and all was well. They were safely home!
Below is what I put on Facebook before I left for Atlanta. God was faithful, we had a safe trip and all ended well. I must admit though, I had some moments.
We go into our very small airport and were in line lamenting their leaving, when we realized that the departure time was 12:16P not 1:21PM. We had all looked at it several times and nobody noticed. So instead of being an hour early we missed the flight by a few minutes! On their itineraries it was 1216P.
Being the world traveler I'm not, after I'd totally panicked and started crying and the guy behind the desk was saying the next flight was full but there was one at 5:30 a.m. the next day, I thought o.k. maybe this isn't so bad after all. Until I heard him speaking through the fog that is my brain, saying but it will be $732. per ticket above what we had already paid for the tickets. After begging, crying and throwing myself on the mercy of the representative, I decided to call Delta. They assured me that, yes, it really would be an additional $732. per ticket.....putting their trip back home at over $1400.00 additional dollars over and above what we had already paid for the tickets.
Being the laid back children that they are, they were smiling with Uncle David while I was having my 19th nervous breakdown.
Then their great grandmother asked about flying them out of Atlanta......that turned out to be only $240. making the trip back over $400. plus driving 5 hours to Atlanta.....paying for their suitcases, etc. But that seemed the only option that made sense.
I will tell you that I will NOT be flying the kids on D*lta again. We had already paid for the original tickets, which weren't cheap, paid $300 to change them so they could stay longer and now this. I realize it was my mistake that made them miss their flight, but if they could have flown on the next flight, it wouldn't have cost anything extra. And even if they could have gotten on that flight they really couldn't have because as they were flying as unaccompanied minors, they can't fly the last flight out of the day.
Yes, I was a teeny, weeny little bit upset, but decided flying them out of Atlanta was our best bet. We went home, slept, got up and started off to Atlanta. Thanks to the prayers of many, we had a smooth drive. The airport was so intimidating for this small town girl. We made it through getting them all checked in.
We went straight through security, picked up lunch and went straight to their gate.......3 hours early......and didn't move from there because we were NOT missing this flight. Here's Ashley devouring her lunch.
I was still nervous, but trying to smile while Adam was finishing his french fries.
We took pictures while we waited.
At long last, their flight was called and we bid them a tearful goodbye! We saw them fly off into the sky and off to their home.
We started back home in the late afternoon traffic. The kids actually made it home before we did. About Dothan, my phone rang and it was the flight representative in their home airport who said, we have two unaccompanied minors and no one is here to pick them up. I just held the phone while several thoughts went through my mind. One was, now I'm en route to Florida and they are in California. How will I possibly fix this??? I asked for my granddaughter to be put on the line. She was, as always, calm as she assured me her mama would be there and to "chill out". Sure enough, their mama was there but had gone to the wrong gate. I soon got another call and all was well. They were safely home!Below is what I put on Facebook before I left for Atlanta. God was faithful, we had a safe trip and all ended well. I must admit though, I had some moments.
7 comments:
Getting home late last night, taking our mother to the doctor today, and still having time to write your blog!!! You ARE Superwoman!!!! Thanks for all you do!!
Incredible! That is an outrageous amount of money - ridiculous! I am so happy everything worked out. I have had so many unpleasant experiences at airports!
I finally am on Facebook - trying to figure it all out. I can't afford to get obsessed!
Hi Nancy!!!
I wouldn't call Panama City Beach a Small town, hot huge like Atlanta but not small, you were just nervous and upset, and you did great!!! I'm still ANGRY over that ridiculous amount of $$$$$$ they wanted for a missed flight!!!!I once missed a flight about 2 years ago and Us Airways didn't charge me a penny!!!
My brother-in-law is a pilot for Delta, I will tell him about this!!!!
Hopefully if you write a letter to Delta, which is what I'd do, maybe they'll pay you back or give you a free voucher!!!!
hugs and try and have a good day on Thursday!!
jamie
And I thought I was the only one who had bad luck with flights!:) I'm glad everything worked out!
What a stressful day!!!!!!! I'll bet you slept well last night. I'm also glad that all turned out well in the end, but that is a horrendous amount to have to pay.
My first response as I was reading this was, "UGH". I'm so sorry!! So thankful though that you got it all worked out and everyone is back home safe!
God IS Good indeed!!
Thanks all! I did write a letter to Delta and we'll see if they respond. Believe it or not, I think that's my first bad experience. I so hope it's my last!
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