Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Have a Good Night... Morning

Since I haven't uploaded any photos from my recent trips, we'll begin playing catch up with the following story...

All was well when Ty and I boarded the plane on June 9th in Dallas. We flew straight to Atlanta, ON TIME! Our flight in Atlanta was ON TIME! When I went to college years ago, Delta had the cheapest tickets between St. Louis and Wilmington, only problem was you had to fly through Atlanta and nothing was EVER on time. I mean I was always late. I even stayed the night in Atlanta once, not by choice either.

So 2 flights on time in the same night was very very impressive.

As we began our descent into Wilmington, things got a little bumpy. I had noticed on our itinerary that we were on a "Air France" plane. Apparently they joined up with Delta and share planes. I didn't think much of that, but when things got bumpy that little fact came back up in my brain... especially since this was just a week or so after that terrible Air France crash.

We were coming in for the on time landing (10:56 pm)... Ty and I were not sitting together, but he told me later that we were really low- he could see cars very well- and it was really dark.

Yet the bumpiness did not stop. In fact it got worse. I was never afraid for my life or anything- just a little uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, the lady sitting behind me was afraid for her life. As were the 3 ladies sitting behind Ty. The panic attacks started. And they were bad! I started humming out loud just to try and drown out her words. The husband behind me was firmly telling the wife to cut it out and stop- which only provoked her more. And the sweet little high school graduate sitting next to me was breathing hard and getting motion sick.

Next thing you know, we're going back up and circling out above the ocean. 15 minutes later (okay maybe only 5, but it felt like 15) the pilot comes on to say that a storm has settled right about the run way so we will circle a bit to see if it will move.

15 minutes pass. We go in to land again. Guess what... storm is not gone. The bumps come again. As do the very vocal panic attacks. Oh this is getting bad. Not to mention VERY LATE!

We head back up to the sky.

Meanwhile, my sweet mom is waiting in the tiny Wilmington airport where you can stand in one place and see the whole airport. she watches our plane try to come in twice and leave. Next thing she sees is our flight erased from the monitors. Then a man comes out into the lobby and announces, "Anyone here for flight 57 from Atlanta, please come in to this room."

Immediately everyone's faces fall... this sounds like it's going to be a personal explanation of a crash. The quickly and quietly walk over to the room. He then tells them, " the plane diverted to Myrtle Beach." whew. that was close.

In Myrtle, I call mom. She already knows we're there and is ready to drive the 45 minutes to come get us. They won't let us off the plane. They won't let us do anything. The panic attack ladies are getting worse. And it's getting really late. I just don't want to deal with those ladies anymore. The pilot jumped off the plane to find out about the weather and the flight attendant just keeps telling us to stay seated. It was terrible.

We needed more fuel. We were basically out. It was after midnight, most airport workers have gone home. Finally they find a fueler, we get fuel. Apparently the storm is moving South- oh towards Myrtle, nice.

As they are about to close the doors and take off, the suddenly tell the panic attack ladies they can leave. What? I wanted to leave, but they said no. Ugh.

Ty switches seats with the high school graduate. The panic attackers are gone.

We have a peaceful, non bumpy, easy flight into Wilmington. We land at 1:13.

Nevermind about Delta being on time. Once again, they were not.

2 comments:

Joann said...

I would have been one of the panic attack ladies, only worse I would have been crying along with it. I am a terrible flier.....TERRIFIED, just ask Wayne, he said he doesn't want to fly with me ever again!

Sarah W. said...

I am also really terrified when I fly....I have to repeat Bible verses when its turbulent. It's lame but true.

But the funniest part is that Brett and I will actually pay more to avoid flying through Atlanta. We, also, have NEVER been on time while flying through there (Which we also did--separately--a lot in college). Its the worst. We have each spent the night there, too!