 Nora's
Carolina
Moon Tour 2000
Seattle, Washington
Sunday, April 2
I hate Alaska Airlines. Last year they lost my
luggage, this year they lost my plane. Fortunately,
I wasn't on it at the time.
Got to the airport and was told they'd switched
my flight. Guy takes my luggage to Horizon who
x-rays it and takes it away, directing me to go to
Gate A-4.
I walked across Oregon then into the bowels of
the airport to A concourse. Figure out pretty quick
this isn't going to be good. I can see the little
toy planes with props outside on the same level. I
look at the gate and know it's the portal to hell.
Call Liz. While I'm talking to her, I'm working
my way up in a line of angry, edgy people.
Apparently AA lost several flights this morning.
Liz tells me to get the hell out, go up to the
ticket desk, and find another flight on a real
plane. Meanwhile, she gets to work from her end.
Finally get a clerk who tells me, sadly, there are
no full size planes going to Seattle that day.
Props are it.
Liz and I confer. It's only 2 and a half to 3
hours for the drive. She starts arranging for a car
service; I start the mess of retrieving my luggage.
Am told by my first clerk that it's being handled
right then, and to go to Baggage Claim Three. I do.
I wait. I wait. I talk to Liz. Car is being
arranged.
I go into the room for hopelessly lost luggage
and tell my tale of woe. Guy there is sympathetic
and immediately starts to track. It's coming, he's
told, which he relays to me.
I wait. I wait. He sees me wait and get a furrow
between his brows. We make eye contact, I go in, he
calls again. They tell him they're bringing it
right out.
I wait. I wait. I go back. He says he doesn't
care what they're telling us, my bag is on the toy
plane for Seattle. He's sorry. So am I. He gives me
a claim form, a phone number, etc. He did all he
could do.
I give Liz the above info and wait for my
driver. He gets there at 10:30. Now this is when I
should have been landing in Seattle. Remember this.
I talk to Liz from the car and she's arranged
for the guy who was going to pick me up in Seattle
to hunt up my luggage and take it to the hotel.
This is good, if it works.
I end up sleeping about half the drive. But at
one point, at 11:40, Liz calls. Driver in Seattle
has my bag!! Yay. Flight JUST got in. Thank God I
didn't get on it.
Driver gets me to my Seattle hotel in just over
two and a half. My luggage, my suite and a bottle
of champagne from Liz awaits me. Oh happy, happy
moment.
Gonna eat a little, drink a little, organize a
little, and salvage what I can of my day off.
Weather remains stellar.
Nora
ADWOFF > NORA'S
TOURS >
CAROLINA
MOON
TOUR >
Seattle
| 
