The day United Airlines Flights were Grounded

  
Yes, I know you will say there were many such days, and I won’t disagree, but I’m referring to the one day this year I was to fly on United Airlines. July 8th. 

Well I never did fly on United that day, but it worked out ok in the end.

I was going to Orlando. Yes, I know- why would anyone go to Florida in the summer? Well, first, it seems I often travel off season. Second, Won’t Run and I had $200 voucher credits from United from a prior canceled flight (do you detect a pattern here?) that had to be used by some date in January and Orlando was available and cheap. So we made plans. As time went along- two days here, three days there, it was all fitting into place nicely.

So July 8th. I packed lightly (always proud of myself for that) and left my apartment at 8:20 or so to catch the bus to LGA. Won’t Run texted me something to the effect of NO PLANES? And I did a quick Google search and learned that an automation issue had brought UA to a screeching halt. Yikes. I got to LGA and saw the United lines around the airport. Anyone who’d waited till the morning to check in was out of luck -the systems were down- so they waited on long lines that didn’t seem to move.

Thankfully, I had checked in on line the day before! I went to the American Express Centurion Club and waited for Won’t Run to make his appearance. Already, my flight was scheduled to be delayed (scheduled to be delayed – ha!) over two hours. This was quite unfortunate as I was connecting through O’Hare Chicago and that flight was not scheduled to be delayed yet. After watching the board (and Wimbledon on the screen in front of us), We surrendered and ordered a drink, my motto being “when life hands you lemons, make a Bloody Mary”

I decided it was time to make a call. Flights were now back up and running but I feared mine would certainly mis-connect. I had platinum status last year, but none now, so I waited for quite some time, but eventually spoke to an agent who was as nice as can be.

She checked and checked but was certain I’d never get out of Chicago that day, if I ever even got there in the first place. She arranged for us to be rebooked on a Delta flight, and so we hauled our butts to Terminal D and got where we had to go. We didn’t have the premium seats we were promised but we did make it to our destination. 

And so ends (or begins) another chapter of Will Run For Miles travel snafus!