Jet Lag

Well, most of you know by now that I was stuck in the Denver airport for the whole day on Tuesday. It was so dissapointing. I am finally starting to recover from the emotional event. As my time in Wyoming was winding down, I was thinking about all the fun times the Hazelet and the Stewart families had together, and how I could reenact the events in my blog. But, the tune of that all changed when my babies and I ended up camping out all day in a place where people are rude, customer service falls very short, you pay an arm and a leg for any refreshments, and children have no place to nap or roam. I'll enligten you on the events, however, I am not writing this for a personal pity party, or as a United airline complaint (although I have many), but just as a journal entry. Aah....maybe one day I can look back and laugh.
It all started when we got to the airport at 9:10 a.m. Andy came to help me get through all the red tape, keep the girls in line and get through security. We were (literally) yelled at to go to another line because we wanted to check our bags. After getting in the very long line, and attempting to keep Julia from wondering to every baby or child within her eye sight, I noticed a sign that said all baggage must be checked 45 minutes before the planes depart. At that time we still had about 5-10 minutes before 9:44 and so I convinced myself that all was well. (Our plane departed at 10:29.) After finally making it through the long line, we were escorted to our computerized boarding assistant. Yes, we waited in line all that time for a machine. What were those people behind the counter doing anyway? We looked around, unsure how to use the dumb thing when we finally flagged down a lady who told us my credit card would work. So, we pushed one in the machine which told us immediately that we were too late to check bags. I looked at my watch which read 9:45 and a half; while the machine started directing us to a later flight. We flagged down the lady again for help, explaining I could not wait for a later flight. She informed us that she could not bypass the system and that we would have to wait in another line to see what could be done.
After trying my darndest to keep Julia from roaming to the seeing-eye-dog a yard in front of us, we finally made it to the customer service person at about 9:55. I told the man there was no way I could miss my flight with two toddlers with me and that I needed to check my bags. He said nothing could be done and my water works started. Sitting in silence for a few seconds, I realized I would just have to lug all of our stuff through the entire airport to gate check my bags. The man said that was fine, and in turn gave me the boarding passes for me and the girls and gave Andy a security pass to help me get the three small bags, two carseats, 2 small carry-ons and girls through security and to our gate. We needed to hurry!! So, we ran; me slower than Andy because I was trying to steer the umbrella stroller while carrying luggage; but both of us bogged down with luggage while trying to keep Julia on course. We got in line for security, realizing there was a slim chance we could get through on time and trying to figure out what to do, when a lady told us to go through the premier line because we had so much stuff. THANK YOU! That sped things along for sure. The girls milk in their sippie cups and my toiletries had to be inspected. The bag with the toiletries would have been checked... I guess they have a chemical solution that checks for harmful liquids....whhooo...milk was clean of any fatal chemicals-- good to know. Okay, almost 20 minutes to get there-RUN!
"Julia, stay right with us..."
"Julia, look where your running..."
"Julia run right towards mommy, NO, not for the dog, run towards MOMMY!"
So, we made it to our gate. Phew, 10:25 a.m.-late-but surely they'll let us on. (Doors close 10 minutes before flight is scheduled.) Out of breath, I begged the man to let us on. He said no, he could not, I had missed the deadline. Then the pleading started. The man at the gate called down to the plane, telling them the Stewart's had arrived and that we needed to get on. But, the answer was still no. I cried and pleaded a little more when a man coming from the plane walked though saying "Sorry, we all ready to fly."
The man at the gate said he understood that I was in a predicament, but that the plane had to leave on time, and that he could put us on standby for the next available flight at 12:40. He told us to go to customer service.
My goodness this story is so long. So, we went to customer service, who told us that they could indeed put us on standby, but that it didn't look good for us because the flight was full and even overbooked by 9 people. Ummm.... I HAVE to board this flight. I'm so tired and so are my girls.
Andy helped us trek over to the new gate number and then bought us lunch at Quizno's. After all that, Andy had to leave for work. I called Dave, crying and shaky. How was I going to be able to wait with two babies in an airport for two hours for a two and a half hour flight and survive it all?
I asked the lady at the ticket counter what I needed to do to make sure I could get on the flight. I could do nothing....just wait to see if some seats were available. She only told me the same thing the customer service person told me. No new information or solutions. Why did we have to wait in line for customer service to tell us the exact same thing that each gate person told us?
The flight was indeed full. (It was delayed until 1:05. There goes the "planes have to leave on schedule" theory.) Next flight is at 5:30. I can't even move all of our luggage to the next gate by myself. I asked the lady to call for one of those airport golf cart thingies to take us to the next gate. After getting to the gate, I realized the gravity of our situation. We couldn't even get a snack or go to the bathroom if we needed to. How were the girls going to nap? They were already cranky. I couldn't check our bags incase we didn't get on a flight that day--I needed the car seats in case we had to travel somewhere by car. (The 5:30 flight was full as well.)
Advised by Dave and my Dad, I waved down a lady with the airlines for help. I asked her if we could put our bags in safe keeping and explained the situation to her. But, she informed me nothing could be done. I cried, yet again, telling her that I couldn't even take my two-year-old to the bathroom or to get a drink. She conceded and took my stuff to the gate 47 break room.
Now that I was freed up, I went ahead and took the girls to get drinks and to customer service again. I wanted to make them let me get on the 5:30 flight. That didn't work, but they did make sure I was on the 7:07 flight and let me stay in a special needs room for the next few hours.
I asked for a supervisor, to ask him some questions, but he told me nothing new and offered me no help.
Aubrey and I talked about staying the night in Denver and flying out the next morning since the girls and I were exhausted, but I decided to just come home. Aubrey did drive half way to Denver to possibly stay over-night with us, but at 6, I decided to just go home even if we wouldn't get make it until midnight.
Well, we did get home at midnight. The girls, although still not well-rested, have not started sleeping normally again. Lord, please help us. Now that I have this long story off my chest, I'll be able to share all the happy moments and pictures from our Wyoming trip in my next blog. Thank you God we made it home!!!