When I finished the Las Vegas turn yesterday, I was assigned to a Dallas overnight. The original crew was stuck in San Diego because there was a "marine layer" over the airport which prevented all take-offs and landings for a couple days in a row. So the flight I was assigned to was delayed at least an hour while crew scheduling tried to reassign flight attendants. I ended up getting to fly with one of my classmates - Hawaii Kelly, and another of my friends - Fadia. The CPT was nuts and the FO fed off of the CPT's nuttiness. It made for a fun trip.
It's interesting to watch the dynamics of people being presented with the inconvenience of a late flight. While I was standing at the gate, a woman came up to the gate agent and told him that the plane delay was "totally unacceptable" and that she was traveling with two children, and they had timed their trip so that the children would sleep on the plane. But now "all that was ruined." She wanted food vouchers, she wanted the plane to leave immediately, she said that she can't believe that "weather in San Diego is affecting our flight to Dallas being late." She expected that "the weather in Bangkok would probably affect our flight next." What an idiot.
Fortunately, the gate agents were very forthcoming with information in the gate area, and told them that all the flight attendants were coming in off of other flights just so that we could take off and get to Dallas on a timely basis. So as people came onto the plane, they thanked me for pitching in and helping out! Some asked when my day had started, and I told them 4AM - it was now almost 3PM and my day wouldn't be finished for another couple hours. Most were very appreciative.
Our flight back to Denver this morning left at o'darkearly. And the passengers found a whole 'nother reason to be upset. Tons and tons of carry-on bags were brought on board. Before everyone had boarded, we had run out of overhead space and the rest of the roller bags had to be checked. As passengers came on board, they saw open bins and started complaining to me. But the spaces that were left were too small for roller bags...but that didn't matter to them. THEY wanted THEIR bag in the overhead. They are lucky that I had nothing to do with their baggage tickets...I would send their bags on to LGA, with or without them!!!
I think the solution to all this is to start charging for carry-on bags and let checked bags be free! Think of it...everyone is allowed one small complimentary bag - one that will fit UNDER the seat. Anyone bringing a bag that is too large for the space under the seat will be charged a $20 fee. Maybe even more. That would eliminate the extra time needed to board the planes. People would come on to the plane, go to their seat, and place their bag under their seat.
Instead, they come onboard, get stuck at the front of the plane, have to readjust their carry-ons so they can fit down the aisle, then they bash people in the heads with the shoulder tote or backpack they're wearing as they walk down the aisle, and don't get to see the scowls and sneers from the people they attack. When they finally reach their row, they throw one bag on their seat, then search for a flight attendant saying "my bag is too heavy for me to lift, you need to do it for me" or "I have an injured shoulder, so you need to lift my bag" or some such thing. After they struggle to get their bag stowed, they decide they need to use the lavatory before we departure, so they push their way to the back then push their way back to their seat. Then they settle into their aisle seat, and get pissed off when their window and middle seat passengers arrive - requiring them to get up again. Bummer.
Anyway, we got back to Denver safely at around 7:40AM. The CPT and FO had to do a turn to San Diego and then they'd be done. Fadia called crew scheduling and got assigned to that same turn. When I called crew scheduling, they looked at the 75 hours I had already worked this month and released me to my days off...!!! Yippee!!! I told the crew scheduler that I loved her. Kelly got released for the day also, but she's still on duty for a few more days. She's expecting "a call" tomorrow.
I've now got FIVE WHOLE DAYS off. I'm flying to DCA tomorrow, and my sister Diane will be picking me up at the airport and driving me to her new home in Maryland. I'll stay there with her and her family, and my Mom, until I have to fly back to Denver on Saturday morning. It'll be fun to hang out in their townhouse, and maybe do a bit of exploring in their new neighborhood.
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