June 18th The trip home from hell, part 2!

To go along with the problems on the way out, the trip home was nothing short of a spectacular Charlie Foxtrot move on the part of American Airlines.

They had posted our flight as an on time departure, and we loaded in at about 0815 for an 0845 departure.  After we got settled, the captain came on and said they had been posted for an hour and a half delay- and he said he would prefer that we deplane, so as not to be hostages for the time. Only good thing of the day.

We were in the terminal, when after 20 minutes, they said, we were back on, to reload, and prepare for a quick take off.  

NOT

We got settled, then he came on and said they just pushed us back 40 minutes, so we would have to stay.  

We finally were wheels up at 1002-  On the way, the captain advised there was still weather in the area, but we were looking ok. 

After an hour or so, we went into a climbing pattern for about 40 minutes.  Back off that, then another 40 minute holding pattern, which put us wheels down at DFW at 220 pm.  Actually, that was ok, since our connecting flight was at 325.  It was posted as on time, so good to go.

NOT

We were at the gate, and smelled a rat-  they were saying that a flight to Leon Mexico was scheduled at our gate to depart at 310-  no way our 325 flight was going to be available, even though there was an aircraft at the gate.

NOT

At 315, they posted that the flight to Greenville was CANCELLED.  No reason given, just cancelled.  The gate attendant then said we all could go to one of three gates way far away, from B3 to B 26 or B-28, or B-40.  

We schlepped down to B 26 as directed, waited on line for 20 minutes,, only to be told gruffly that we were not in the rebook line for B26-  and were told to go next door to the rebooking line-  then she thought enough of the 30 of us who were on line to make an announcement that they might want to change lines-  so now we have 40 people or so on line, and we start the process again.  We worked down to about 10 people, when they announce that the ticket agent is being reassigned, (I think that meant going on a break)- and that they were closing down, and we could now go to Gate 40.  About a half mile away.  

NOT

There must have been a 100 people on line at gate 40-  we also learned that they had summarily cancelled the remaining flight to Greenville, which was to leave at 730.  Not looking good to get home this night-  

I made an executive decision to head back out the the main ticketing, risking going through security again, and Cooper and I headed out.  By now it was almost 5 pm.  We ascertained that there was a flight to Charlotte leaving at 645, well now 745- and huzzah, there were seats on it!
Set to arrive in Charlotte at 1130 pm.  

We called Bette and she agreed to come the 2.5 hours or so to Charlotte, 145 miles, vs the 45 miles to Greenville-   Saved.

NOT  

We made a futile attempt to rescue the checked baggage off the cancelled flight to Greenville and get them put on the Charlotte plane-  Didn't  happen, so for the second time on the trip, Cooper and I are without baggage.

They are supposed to fly the bags into Greenville sometime in the morning.  Then they will deliver them to us here in Saddle Hill.

So about 24 hours later, I'm typing the trip from hell report.