My San Antonio travails

[starfish1113]

Well, the city itself is great. I stayed at the Westin Riverwalk and had the opportunity to eat at one of the Riverwalk restaurants. Absolutely a fantastic place. For me, it was kind of like Seine-meets-Disney for grown-ups. I loved it and will go back again with Tracey, because it is a place that is tailor-made for couples.

Now, the flight back was a little more dicey. I had a 6:30 flight from San Antonio to Dallas and a 9:30 from Dallas to home. Since I was scheduled for a two hour layover, I figured I'd just eat dinner at the Dallas airport. Anyway, our flight started boarding at around 6:30 (a little late) and I was in Group 5, the final group. After about 15 minutes, they finally call my group. There are about 20 people behind me as I approach the plane door when all of a sudden the people just getting on the plane start turning around. I hear "Get off the plane!!! Quick!! Run!!" So, I turn and try to run, but the people behind me were slow and we ended up fast walking back up to the gate. Of course, I'm thinking the worst, especially when I ask a guy who had already been seated what had happened inside the plane. He said that the captain came on to the speaker and said everybody had to get up and leave quickly and leave their stowed carry-ons behind. We are all huddled at the window and see four or five emergency vehicles surround the plane. After about ten minutes, they leave. It turns out that the power unit that powers the plane when it is on the ground had a circuit breaker pop, smoke started coming up and there was a fear that a fire would ensue, so they got everybody off. Not as big a deal as I thought.

So, we waited for a while while they determined whether that plane was going to be used. Once we saw them taking the luggage off, we figured out the answer on our own. There was a 7:30 flight to Dallas (the last one of the day), and I was somehow able to get a seat on that one. Unfortunately, it didn't take off until about 8:15, leaving me very little time to get my connecting flight. We landed at 9 and I felt comfortable that I'd make it. Then we waited. And waited. And waited. The gate we were assigned to was taken and apparently American Airlines didn't have any extra gates. After a half hour, we finally got to a gate. My flight was scheduled for 9:30 and it was now 9:31, so I did some quick math and figured out that I might miss my connecting. I get off the plane and do a quick dash to my gate, 11 gates from where we landed. My quick dash lasted about 300 yards when I realized that I'm not in the shape I was 20 years ago. I almost gave up, but I did my best pre-homicide OJ Simpson impression, and made it to the gate, with about five minutes to spare.

There were other annoyances during the whole process, so I have promised myself that this is the last time I take American Airlines if I can avoid it. Not a good traveling experience, to say the least!

[minimetoo26]

AA out of Dallas was probably my all-time worst airline experience. And it wasn't a tight connection. It was three hours.

They are just so inefficient there, it's scary....

[peacock2121]

I am sorry - this cracked me up!

my best pre-homicide OJ Simpson impression

Glad it all turned out with no one getting hurt.

[earendel]

There were other annoyances during the whole process, so I have promised myself that this is the last time I take American Airlines if I can avoid it. Not a good traveling experience, to say the least!

I'm not happy with AA, either. That "free round trip" voucher that I mentioned last week turned out not to be quite what I was told that it was. After getting in touch with the AA reservations people to see about a flight to Minneapolis (my boss reluctantly agreed to let me go), I made the reservation and told them I had the voucher. They asked me for some numbers off the voucher, which I gave them. The reservations person did some checking and found out that the voucher was not actually for a "free round trip" as had been told to me by the ticket agent when I received it. It was only good for a certain amount off a flight - in this case, $200, which was much less than the actual fare for the Denver to Louisville flight that I was bumped from. Since the flight to Minneapolis was significantly more than that, I cancelled the reservation. So there will be no trip to Minneapolis. Later elwing did use the voucher to get $200 taken off of the cost of our flight from Anchorage to Louisville in July.

[peacock2121]

There were other annoyances during the whole process, so I have promised myself that this is the last time I take American Airlines if I can avoid it. Not a good traveling experience, to say the least!

I'm not happy with AA, either. That "free round trip" voucher that I mentioned last week turned out not to be quite what I was told that it was. After getting in touch with the AA reservations people to see about a flight to Minneapolis (my boss reluctantly agreed to let me go), I made the reservation and told them I had the voucher. They asked me for some numbers off the voucher, which I gave them. The reservations person did some checking and found out that the voucher was not actually for a "free round trip" as had been told to me by the ticket agent when I received it. It was only good for a certain amount off a flight - in this case, $200, which was much less than the actual fare for the Denver to Louisville flight that I was bumped from. Since the flight to Minneapolis was significantly more than that, I cancelled the reservation. So there will be no trip to Minneapolis. Later elwing did use the voucher to get $200 taken off of the cost of our flight from Anchorage to Louisville in July.

Bummer

I wanted you to do the Brain Bus.

Next Time!

[a1mamacat]

okay, now you have scared me.

We are supposed to change planes in Dallas and have a grand total of 1 hour between flights.

Fortunately, we are flying the day BEFORE the cruise, so should be okay. Homeward, well as long as I get to Canada that day, I'll be okay. And the beauty of travelling with a group, the Travel director will have to deal with the stress and upset.

[silvercamaro]

I try to avoid American Airlines whenever possible.

When. Ever. Possible.

[peacock2121]

okay, now you have scared me.

We are supposed to change planes in Dallas and have a grand total of 1 hour between flights.

Fortunately, we are flying the day BEFORE the cruise, so should be okay. Homeward, well as long as I get to Canada that day, I'll be okay. And the beauty of travelling with a group, the Travel director will have to deal with the stress and upset.

The other advantage is the airline is more likely to hold the flight for a group than they are to hold it for one person.

[MarleysGh0st]

There are about 20 people behind me as I approach the plane door when all of a sudden the people just getting on the plane start turning around. I hear "Get off the plane!!! Quick!! Run!!"

Yikes!

But it's amazing that you made your connecting flight, after all that.

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

okay, now you have scared me.

We are supposed to change planes in Dallas and have a grand total of 1 hour between flights.

Fortunately, we are flying the day BEFORE the cruise, so should be okay. Homeward, well as long as I get to Canada that day, I'll be okay. And the beauty of travelling with a group, the Travel director will have to deal with the stress and upset.

We have never had a problem using AA and connecting in Dallas. Usually we have a 1 hour layover.

[Bixby17]

I love Continental. Love them love them love them.

I will be crushed if they merge with some stoopid airline.