Posts Tagged "airport"

The Airport Has a Welcome Center?

Dear Kid,

I was at the airport last night, and while I waited for Pi’s plane to land I thought, “We have a really nice airport.”

This is not a thing one generally thinks at an airport.

Generally, when one is at an airport, one is thinking about where one can find a bank to loan one enough money to buy a small bottle of water. Or one is thinking about how one is going to find a way to get from where one is to where one wishes to go without using the airplane one had originally planned to ride. Or one is thinking about why one is using the word “one” so often.

Whatever one is thinking, it is generally not “Wow, this is a great place.”

But that’s exactly what I was thinking last night.

I think part of the reason was that I wasn’t trying to go anywhere. I was just there to retrieve a child, and I was pretty happy to have her back home. Also the drive to the airport had been easy breezy beautiful (no, Cover Girl did not pay me for that). In the garage, I parked in the Ultimate Parking Spot. And I learned that CVG has a Welcome Center.

Rosie Red inviting you to the Welcome Center at CVG. And to the 2015 All Star Game. DearKidLoveMom.com“Meeting someone?” asks a sign held by Rosie Red (yes, the airport is mildly decked out for the All Star Game). “Follow the signs to the Welcome Center”

Welcome Center? We have a Welcome Center?

I went inside the terminal. “This way to the Welcome Center” I took the escalator down. “Welcome Center” said another sign with an arrow indicating a U-turn. (I want you to know I executed the U-turn flawlessly.) Then (after walking the length of two escalators) I was there: at the Welcome Center.

The Welcome Center consist of two lovely areas with café tables and chairs where one can wait for whoever it is you feel like waiting for. The walls are glass so you can see who’s coming and decide whether or not to greet them. The food and beverage options consist of several vending machines which is less than chic, but since you don’t have to go through security you can bring as much of your own beverage as you want so it’s not a big deal.

Pi landed and in short order (that is not a height joke) came through to the Welcome Center, where I (being the kind of mother I am) welcomed her.

In a serious breach of union contracts, her luggage arrived quickly and (after hugging everyone six or seven times) we climbed into the car, left the Ultimate Parking Spot, and headed home.

Really, it’s a lovely airport.

Love, Mom

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Part 3 of a Travel Series You Didn’t Know Was a Series

Dear Kid,

This is Part 3 of my Traveling From Las Vegas Saga. If you want to review, you can see Part 1 and Part 2 (which I published out of order, but that’s life in the fast lane).

Ridiculous that it takes three blogs to capture the full story, but—believe me—it seemed much longer IRL.

After having been denied travel ability on Saturday (and nevertheless having a grand old evening Saturday night), we ventured off again on Sunday to Mccarran Airport.

This time we left SUPER early so that we wouldn’t be at all bothered by long waits in line.

There were therefore—of course—no lines.

This did not distress us at all.

We got coffee, went to the gate, and waited for our flight.

All of which went without the slightest possible hitch. In fact, we landed at Reagan National Airport early for our connection to Cincinnati.

And as soon as we deplaned, we learned that our connection had been cancelled.

Just so we’re clear, let me set the stage.

It was 9:00ish in the evening. It was flippin’ cold. The airport people were tired and cranky and had been putting up with distressed travelers all day.

And none of us had had dinner.

The airline peoples’ first suggestion was that we hang around for 27 hours to get a flight to Cincinnati. We countered with a polite rendition of “let’s keep looking for other options, shall we?”

The airline people countered with suggesting we hang around long enough to develop teleportation.

Fortunately, we split into 2 groups (there were five of us traveling together at that point) and the fantastic (and reasonably cheerful) Keisha was helping us. She did not suggest teleportation, which was points in her favor.

After much keyboard tapping (and a long monologue by me), Keisha was able to get us on a flight to Indianapolis.

The monologue (which was hilarious) was in response to the way her coworker Malcolm had been treated earlier that day by a Distress Traveler. Malcolm seemed to be of the opinion that it wasn’t his fault that the weather had messed up travel. Being the kind of Mom I am, I cleared that right up for him, explaining that of course it was his fault and he should stop playing with ice-delivering technology. Yeah, in print it’s not that funny, but IRL it was and I managed to improve everyone’s mood.

After Keisha had us rebooked, she had to reroute our luggage. Spoiler alert: the luggage rerouting worked better for some of us than for others of us.

Then we had the great joy of walking down icy steps to the shuttle bus which sat on the tarmac (doors open) waiting for other passengers to show up. None did, but we almost froze to death.

Then the shuttle bus drove us 6 feet to the next terminal. Where there was no food. To be accurate, there was plenty of food but by that time it was Shut Down for The Day Time and so there was no food to be had.

We flew to Indy. Making great time, I might add. One passenger suggested that the pilot had a hot date he needed to get to. I was not able to verify that.

We went directly to baggage claim to claim our bags. As I said, some of us had more luck with that than others. So those of us who needed to filled out claim forms.

We rented a car and began driving to Cincinnati.

Did I mention that people hadn’t been fed? This was a group that travels better when nourished on a regular basis.

So we stopped at Waffle House.

Waffle House Hash Browns

Waffle House Hash Browns

I don’t think I’ve been to a Waffle House in the last 15 years. Did you know they have a whole variety of ways to serve hash browns? You can have them smothered (with onions), covered (with cheese), capped (mushrooms), chunked (ham), diced (grilled tomatoes), peppered (jalapenos not on a steek), topped (chili), or country (sausage gravy). I was impressed and overwhelmed.

Eventually we made it to the Cincinnati Northern Kentucky airport where we dropped the rental, reclaimed parked cars, had a moment of panic when we thought we might not be able to leave the parking garage because there were no attendants, and drove home.

I arrived home (and promptly woke the puppy for a quick reunion) at 4am.

Note: Just in case you weren’t 100% clear, this was not the original travel plan.

Note: And just to be doubly clear, I am delighted to be home.

Love you kiddo,

Love, Mom

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It’s About How You React in Life and Airline Travel

Dear Kid,

It’s all in how you react. Some people scream and yell and carry on and others take life in stride. All you have to do is look at a kids’ soccer game to see examples of both. Which are you most impressed by?

I recently had the great pleasure of being stuck in the Las Vegas airport. (For what happened after the airport, click here.) Here was my view when I was standing up in the line.

Standing in line at the Las Vegas Airport. DearKidLoveMom.comThis was my view most of the time. The line was moving at a mere 3 feet per year and there was no real seating, so my coffee and I sat on the floor. Lovely carpet, no?

Sitting in line at the Las Vegas Airport. DearKidLoveMom.comOf course we went through the 7 Stages of Travel Changes:

  1. Dismay. WTF! How could they do this to me??
  2. Electronic. Let’s see if we can get rebooked online.
  3. Telephonic. Let’s try to reach a live person.
  4. Line waiting. And more line waiting.
  5. Utter defeat.
  6. Gratitude. Sincere gratitude that we were dressed for travel and not wearing crazy heels.
  7. Indignance. I can’t get out of here until WHEN???

Rinse and repeat.

For the most part, our fellow travelers were reasonably calm as we were herded through the non-moving line. Which was good, because there really weren’t any alternatives.

Love, Mom

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Flying High | December 17th

Dear Kid,

Imagine it is 1903. The century is barely begun, but the year is almost over. It is December 17th. On the Outer Banks of North Carolina, two brothers from Dayton are about to make history.

What? No in-flight beverage service?? DearKidLoveMom.comYes, Orville and Wilbur make the world’s first successful flight in a self-propelled, heavier-than-air aircraft on 12/17/03 wow–can’t really write it that way, can I? Orville was the pilot. Wilbur was the ground crew, the in-flight attendant (albeit not in the plane), and the control tower. He was all those things very, very quickly because the plan only stayed aloft 12 seconds.

In honor of this we are driving to Florida for vacation.

No flying machine will ever fly from New York to Paris. Orville Wright

Note to burglars: The vicious attack dog is staying home to guard the house and its contents. He will be hungry. Intruder is his favorite snack. We are also leaving venomous snakes to guard the valuables. Of which we don’t have any.

If God had really intended men to fly, he’d make it easier to get to the airport. ~George Winters

Fast forward a few years to 1911 when we get commercial passenger flights. At this point, air travel was less than comfortable. It was less than a lot of things, actually, and in some respects it’s amazing that We The People even bothered continuing to invent the industry.

An airplane? I’ll stick with my broom, thank you very much. Glinda

But Uncle Sam stepped in in 1925 and encouraged airmail delivery and passenger delivery. The first was by passing the Kelly Air Mail Act and the second was by subsidizing the price of passengers’ tickets. Neither of which seem particularly relevant in today’s day and age.

In 1930, United Airlines hired graduate nurses to tend to passengers’ comfort and needs. They were called stewardesses (after the similar position on cruise ships). Stewardesses (in those days) were responsible for all sorts of things like refueling airplanes and loading luggage. Then everyone got specialized and stewardesses were responsible for refueling passengers and watching them struggle with carry-on luggage.

These days, flight attendants are not even responsible for the safety announcements (all recorded) and if you want food on a plane you’d best bring your own (or marry a zillionaire).

Flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. Douglas Adams

Speaking of which, if you haven’t read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, you really should. You may borrow my copy as long as you return it at some point. Bring your own laughter, you’ll need it.

Love, Mom

Defying Gravity (which is pretty much what flying is) for your viewing enjoyment

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