Air travel these days can be a real bummer, and I suspect many of you know that. I fly often between Maine and Houston, and I can’t tell you the number of times that I have had to spend the night in one airport or another from Portland to Boston to Philadelphia to Newark to Detroit to Atlanta. You’d think by now I’d be used to all the inconveniences, but that is not the case.
Take today. I left Rockport this morning at 6:30 AM, glad to have a ride to Portland with friends who were heading that way. I arrived at the airport 4 hours in advance of my flight, a real first for me to be that early.
With time on my hands, I had a leisurely Burger King breakfast, did a little primping since the early departure meant come as you are and proceeded to the gate to await my flight, still on schedule. Maybe today was going to be a lucky one.
Think again as it wasn’t too long before the announcement delaying the flight to Baltimore came. It was followed by another and another meaning that I would not only miss a Baltimore connection but the last flight out to Houston as well.
I tried to put on a happy face but all that came to mind was why me……again! Now you would think that the airline would have made every effort to be accommodating since I would have to spend the night in Portland. Not so. To make a long story short, after much begging the airline finally agreed to put me up in a hotel at their expense where I would be more comfortable until my 5:45 AM flight tomorrow. Gads, such an early departure probably means a sleepless night worrying about waking up on time.
So why am I telling you all this? Because right now I’m feeling really sorry for myself and want all of you to have a little pity for me too! And if you’re so inclined, you can tell me your sad travel stories. I’m betting you have at least one.
i so appreciate your visit in the comments you leave behind
Lulu's Musings 
So sorry to hear this… I fly back and forth from Austin to Portland several times a year and do not have problems with connections. It is a long trip though. Love your pics of the sea smoke.
I think I’m jinxed when it comes to air travel!
You are definitely not alone. Same thing with me in Japan. They had to take us to a hotel. Also, a delayed flight on my way to my homeland, Philippines. Disappointing because I was so missing my Motherland and it cut short because of flight delay.
😉
When I walk into an airport a black cloud lands over my head!
The breakfast looks good!
I feel your pain, Lulu. Been there, done that. One Christmas, travelling form NJ to Truckee, we had to overnight in Denver because of flight cancellations, Got up at the crack of dawn to catch the 6am flight to Reno, only to find that had also been cancelled. We did eventually get there, but had to fly to Sacramento instead. I have found internal winter flights in the US, to be the pits. That is one miserable face you show here. 🙂
Flying these days doesn’t seem to be much of a pleasure any time. At one time in my life, I was a flight attendant and I remember it being much better.
Somehow I missed this post. Oh, Linda. This sounds horrible. So sorry and hope you are all cozy at home now and won’t ever have this happen to you again.
I am sad for you, but I think I could have been sadder if you weren’t jetting off to someplace warm and sunny 😉 !!
How i wish it were warm and sunny rather than chilly and dreary in houston.
I think you’ll see warm and sunny in Houston much sooner than we will!
I feel so bad for you. I would have been a rumpled grouchy mess by the time I got on the plane. I only fly direct. We’ve even cut vacations shorter to do that. We arrive and leave at terrible hours…but I do not want to land and take off more than I have to. Just once, we had a four hour delay leaving Chicago due to snow. That’s it. Maybe I just don’t fly as much as you.
Jane x
I think I’m just terribly unlucky when ut comes to travel.
Oh dear…I do feel sorry for you. Hope you can rest. Wait…I think I’m coming in with this comment late! Hope you are back in Houston by now!!
Finally back but this turned into the longest trip ever!
I can so relate! For twenty five years I traveled over 250 days per year, sometimes flying several times per week. I have spent more than my share of nights at the airport. I am retired now and have over a million Delta miles saved but really have no desire to fly.
Considering the hassle of flying these days it’s easy not to want to!
Bummer about another flight issue on your many trips from Maine to Houston, but the girls and I got a good laugh out of your picture! Hope today’s trip is right on time.
So sorry to hear the flight delays that you have encountered. It’s not easy to endure, say the least.
So sorry, LuLu. When my parents were still alive, I used to have to fly to a small town in Northern Wisconsin often. Always a nightmare. One time in specific, we sat in Chicago through two promised flights due to storms. Finally, in the middle of the night, they told us we were going. You have to understand for full comprehension of this ordeal, that the planes are bitsy ones in which you sit in the same area with the pilot and they move the passengers around to equally distribute the weight. (also embarrassing!) We flew in terrible turbulence, thinking it was my last moments on earth, and finally were over my little town. We bounced up, down and around and finally got the word from the pilot that it was too dangerous to land and we were going back to Chicago. So repeated the terrifying experience. Once back in Chicago they gave us keys to our hotel room. I opened my room and walked in to a couple ‘going at it’ in the bed. Perfect ending to my horrendous day. 🙂
Hope you are home safely now. Happy New Year!
I understand fully the pains for travel. May today be a better day!
What a bummer. It won’t be much comfort to tell you that discomfort, like yours, is the main reason that I rarely travel by air. Bon courage.
Sometimes theres no choice. The bus would be worse and train is limited. Im trying to keep a good spirit but its being challenged.
We have a rule in this household….if the destination is less than 6 hours of driving, we drive and not fly….my hubby gets stuck at airports all the time….and sometimes if it is due to weather….too bad…they not put you up in a hotel at their expense…at yours…I so remember it was my mom’s first time of flying…and it was from Orlando to Toyko, via L.A. her flight was delayed and missed her connector….we kids were horrified knowing she was all alone and then having to get through this on her own…thanks to the airlines being so kind, they pretty much walked her through everything, making sure she got to the hotel, and then making sure she made her shuttle back to the huge LA airport and then on her way to her destination…Since then, we made sure she did not travel alone…and it was a great excuse to take the trip!!! … and BTW, when she finally arrived in Japan…she arrived safe, but no luggage for 3 days!!…Air travel just isn’t the same!…People used to dress up when boarding a plane…now, it looks like many (other than business travelers) look like the are getting ready for bed!….Hang in there…hope you get home safe and sound tomorrow…Do you need a wake up call ????…:) 🙂
I dread flying, especially in the winter. Portland isn’t too bad with the hotel situation…I hope they put you up in a decent one. We are flying several times in the next month and I’m just hoping the weather will cooperate. We got stuck in London a couple of years ago because of a blizzard in Boston…our plane got deiced twice but we finally got out. When landing in Boston, the plane had to abort it’s first try landing. Needless to say, we were happy when we got home.
Forgot my most important thought, wishing you a safe flight home. 🙂
Sorry you’ve had so many airline troubles. Of the hundreds of flights I’ve taken I have only been stranded at an airport once overnight and they put me up at a nice hotel. It may be the north country that’s causing the problems because of weather?
It was a mechanical this time, Levi. With luck it’ll only take 32 hours to get from Maine to Houston! Arggggg…..
That is tough. Sorry!!
We own homes in CO outside Denver in the mountains on land, and in Galveston. We fly back and forth. We get stuck in weather ALL THE TIME. We do not have to transfer so you have more chances of DELAYS than we do, but it just happened due to weather. And we travel with a small dog in a case, who has to be lightly sedated, so a four hour delay is another story all together. TRAVEL used to be glamour. NOW IT IS AN ENDURANCE TEST… but so grateful for tow such diverse homes. So complaining sounds so trivial…..
I agree about being lucky to own two homes and wonderful places, but the travel agony happens to me all too often.
Oh what a pain!!! I luckily have not had a bad travel experience yet even flying to Florida from Buffalo 6 times a year after my parents moved there. But they had many MANY issues coming here to visit so I know the stories well. Hope all went well after!!
I think I have a black cloud hanging over my head when it comes to air travel.
Rather than experience continued sad travel stories (which I have for years), I now avoid air travel at any and all costs. Domestic air carriers don’t give a hoot and that’s putting it mildly. I have discovered and love Amtrak and will book a trian ride as often as possible. Sure it takes a bit longer but the conveniences and peace of mind is well worth the trade-off. 🙂
Traveling by train from the Northeast to Houston might be even more difficult, but it couldn’t take any longer than this trip is.
I’ll take challenging to predictably inconveniencing any day. 🙂
No fun, Linda. Hope things go better tomorrow!
A couple of years ago we went to Montreal and Quebec City where we had a marvelous week celebrating Dennis’s mid-November birthday. To come home, we had two connections that seemed OK on paper. We flew from Montreal to LaGuardia where we were told our flight to Detroit was departing late. When we arrived at that airport, it was about 8 PM. We ran like hell, only to see the door being closed when we were 20 feet away. We waved at the pilots through the window to no avail. The plane left without us, but with our luggage. Then, it took an hour, but we were put up in a fleabag of a hotel near the airport, so that we could return at 5:30 AM the new morning for the next flight home to Houston. WE SYMPATHIZE WITH YOU.
I’m glad you’re sharing my pain.
ROFLOL, that face though!
Thanks for the pic; made my afternoon as I’m still at work and I should be off!
Sent from my iPhone🌴♻
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Im glad you got some pleasure out if my dilemma.☺️