Oh What a Flight!

My flight to Nashville turned out to be quite the event...before we even left the ground!

First off, my Cashless Cabin Device (what I use for credit card sales for snacks) would not accept my card - I tried everything to get it to work. Finally, the CPT offered to call and get me a new one. But by the time the guy showed up (in the middle of chaos), I had gotten it to work by...get this...blowing on the sensor! Go figure!

Next, a nice looking guy gets on board. I welcome him on board and ask how he's doing. He looked at me and said, "Not so well. I just came from Vegas." That's when I noticed an alcohol smell and his bloodshot eyes. I notified the C flight attendant, who confirmed what I saw/smelled and said that he had a seat in the exit row. The CPT (who had the patience of a saint), got a supervisor to take the guy off the plane and speak with him. He did not detect alcohol on his breath (only on his clothes), and said that he seemed fine - only tired - but that he did not think he was intoxicated. We all agreed to let him stay on the plane, but to move to a different row. It turns out that his parents and brother were also on board...I was afraid that there was going to be a confrontation as they deplaned, but instead the Dad thanked us for teaching his sons "a lesson about drinking" and his Mom thanked us for not overdramatizing the situation as well as for the lesson. I spoke with the guy during the flight - he was 21. He saw Jen's picture and thought she was really cute! Too bad he lives in Nashville.

Just as we were getting the suspected drunk resettled on the aircraft, I noticed that passenger 1D was not looking well - very pale and moaning. I quickly alerted the supervisor before he left the aircraft, as well as the CPT (God Bless Him). As I got the woman's information, the CPT called our medical service. She did not want to get off the plane, but our medical service insisted that she deplane and get evaluated by the paramedics before she flew. I felt bad for her, but I was also glad that she left - I did not want a medical emergency at 30,000 feet!

Whew! Fortunately, the return flight wasn't nearly as eventful...at least until we were getting ready to land. At a time when the CPT would normally lower the landing gear, the plane started ascending and accelerating. Hmmmmm. Passengers in the front row were looking at me for clues as to what had just happened. Fortunately, the CPT got on the intercom and explained that a storm was centered right over the airport and that we were going to circle around and try landing again. The same thing happened again. The CPT then let everyone know that the storm was moving north, but still hadn't gotten out of the way. On our third try, we made it! Yahoo! After everyone deplaned, the CPT told us that at one point, about ten bolts of lightening shot across the sky in front of him, there was hail everywhere and the winds were strong. He said the plane ahead of us went into the fray, but he decided to circle around. Good decision.

When I got back on the ground and called crew scheduling, they told me that I was flying the couch again from Noon until 6PM. By this time, I was too exhausted to even consider driving home and then coming back less than 12 hours later, so I stayed at my "home away from home" in Denver with my friends. Such a Godsend! After a good night's sleep, I am now ready to face DAY TWO of reserve!