OH.. and while we're at it... This our "Silver Toilet Paper Award" winner as well...
We haven't had one of those in awhile... (here's the scoop on the STP Award in case you missed it!)
So which airline is our winner?
US Airways!
We took our flight out of Bradley Airport into Philiadelphia - as scheduled - arrived in Philly for our 1 hour layover before our flight on to San Juan, PR - stopped in the airport bar for a quick beer and something that was supposed to be potato skins.... Then proceeded to our gate for our flight into Puerto Rico... only to find that our next plane had "hydrolics problems" (not good considering that's what makes the wheels go up and down - we may have needed those!) Now.. keep in mind here that the Empress was set to sail at 8pm with everyone needing to be on board by 7pm... Our original flight was scheduled to arrive in PR at 2:21pm - plenty of time for the 20 minute ride to the dock and to check in to the ship...
On our flight from Hartford we began talking with some of the others on board the plane and realized that a good deal of our fellow flyers were also all booked on the Empress... there were 61 of us on that flight to be exact!
So anyway... standing in the airport in Philly they had our plane on 'hold' until at least 3PM and even then they couldn't be sure if it would be fixed... now... 3pm (maybe) plus a 4 hour flight to San Juan, equals 7PM!!! So we wouldn't be arriving at the ship till 7:30pm - a half hour after the last "all aboard" call!! DAMN!! So US Air started scrambling... first we had 3 people helping us... then 2... then 1 guy that admitted "this isn't his job - and I don't know what I'm doing"... great! We were left standing in the Philly airport for 3 HOURS!! With no word of what was happening... Eventually they took 10 people and put them onboard a flight to St. Thomas with a further flight into San Juan... Finally at almost 3pm they announced they had gotten us all booked on an American Airlines flight into Miami and then on to San Juan... and we have 5 minutes to get to the AA gate... somehow... with our luck we ended up the last in line to get our tickets for the AA flight... and of course we got a 'new' guy that seemed like he entered our info into the computer at least 5 times! Finally he hands us our tickets and sends us off to gate A1... running down the concourse we watched the signs... A19.. A18... A17... damn... run!! Finally arriving at gate A3.. A2.. B1... B??? B1?? Where's A1?? Seems.. there is no A1 in Philly Airport!! A security guard suggested we try A11... back we go... A9.. A10.. aahh.. A11!! yup.. ok.. right place... but hey wait.. these are flight COUPONS.. not boarding passes... get your butts in that line and get your boarding pass! GGRRR!! ok.. so finally we're on board and it's off to Miami...
Arrival Miami... disembark the plane and begin to look for our connection to San Juan.. which leaves in TEN MINUTES!! Hello Security Guard - which way to gate B22? Oh.. it's a TWENTY MINUTE WALK - that way! DAMN... We ran a mile and half thru Miami airport wheeling our bags behind us... we began to notice our fellow cruisers along the way.. first a 75 year old Toronto woman - traveling alone.. poor thing.. so Mr. 9 2 Bay gallently took her bag from her to lighten her load... then a little further we came across an elderly couple who had no wheels on their carry on they were desperately trying to get to the gate with their heavy bags slung over the husbands shoulders - one on each side.. well.. let's help them as well.. I took one bag on top of my wheelie and Mr. took the other.. so we did a mile and half dragging 5 bags behind us!! Amazingly we just made it!!
Arrival San Juan... AA was kind enough to announce to the plane passengers that there were 50 of us trying to catch our cruise ship and could everyone let us off the plane first.. very nice of them.. unfortunately no one listened and we had to fight our way off the plane.. nice try tho! Upon arriving at San Juan terminal we were greeted by our Royal Caribbean representative who resembled a prison gaurd at a woman's hi-security facility! Now.. I'm a smoker... and I hadn't had a smoke since Philly.. so I'm pretty desperate about now - and so are a couple of our fellow travelers... so I approach Betty the prison gaurd for info on where we can go grab a quick smoke... only to be told "we going to gather here and then all go down to baggage" and then on to the ship - it seems Royal Caribbean decided to delay the sailing of the ship for us... smart move considering we all had the insurance and they would have had to pay to catch us all up to the ship in St. Maarten! "There is no place to smoke"... so I give it another try... "you don't understand.. is there somewhere we can go smoke?" So Betty.. in her infinite wisdom replies "We are ALL meeting here, and then going on to baggage... there is no smoking... anyway.. it's a good time for you to quit!" That was it.... as I got an inch from her face I began with "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!!! I've been pushed around... thrown on planes.. ran thru Miami airport... etc.. etc.. etc... and finished with NOW WHERE CAN WE GO SMOKE?!" all the while my poor husband was whispering in my ear "Their gonna call security!"
Anyway.. long story-short version... We arrived at the ship at 8:30pm - a far cry from the 2:21pm arrival that we were supposed to have... ate a quick buffet dinner and went to bed! Our original plane arrived 5 minutes behind us in PR so we got our luggage (unlike the 10 people that were sent to St. Thomas.. they received their luggage 5 DAYS into the cruise!!)
Not the best way to start a vacation... and US Airways is hearing from ME!... whew... so... the Silver Toilet Paper Award.. yes.. definitely a worthy recipient...
and next we'll go on to Day 3 of our lovely Caribbean holiday!
Later....
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