travel sagas

flight from Chicago to DIA diverted to Colorado Springs

We sat on the tarmac for a couple of hours

Finally cleared to fly up to Denver

We got to Denver ---- my bag made it to the connecting (Durango) flight ---- I didn't.

a) Nobody there to operate the jetway
b) Our gate was on the far end of the terminal - the Durango gate was on the other end (gate 80)

With the weather - virtually every hotel room in town is booked.

I'm sitting at Quality Suites - grateful I have a place to crash - even if it's only until 1:00

Isn't travel fun? Welcome to the Mile High City. Good timing.

Travel home safely, BB. Nothing more wearing than disrupted travel plans.

another day of delays at DIA ---- oh joy.

hotel kicked me out at 1:00 PM.

Looks like just about every room in Denver is already taken.

Do you need a place to stay tonight? Can you get downtown to catch one of the RTD buses that comes up here? I could drive you back down in the morning.

Isn't travel fun? I guess if you can't find a hotel room your best bet is to head to the airport and see if you can fly standby. I have had some "success" with this strategy although sometimes it means you have to fly to Phoenix to catch a flight back to Grand Junction.

Not in the mood to spend more time hanging around the airport in the hope of catching a standby flight? You might try some of the hotels and motels along the I-70 corridor out to the west of Denver or see if there are any rooms available in downtown Denver proper.

For me the break point is who is footing the bill, if I'm paying for the trip then I'll hang out at the airport until I can get on the next flight to somewhere that connects to where I want to go. If my company is footing the bill I'll normally find a hotel room some place close or at least convenient to the airport. For high priority jobs when Customers are waiting on me to show up at their facility I have rented a car and driven the distance between where I was and the Customer's facility.

There are almost always options to get yourself where you want to go, be sure to eat at normal intervals and keep a positive attitude (it sounds stupid but it makes a big difference). Take a few seconds to explain your plight to airline agents, hotel clerks, and any one else who is in a position to help you. Sometimes you get lucky and people will step up and help you out or at least point you in the right direction.

I won't bore you with the details but I spent four days and nights in the Orlando airport during and after hurricane Charley in 2004. Obviously I got home eventually but it took some doing and some mental and physical endurance.

made it home late last night - after being bumped 4 times.

I really have a bone to pick with United, though ----

my suitcase made it to Durango Monday evening - I didn't.

Why? Because our plane sat at the gate for 15-20 minutes, waiting for a gate agent to drive the jetway up to our plane.

United simply shrugged and said "it's the weather --- your problem, not ours....."

Which is probably why, in a poll released yesterday by NBC, they're ranked last of all airlines.

PM - thanks for the generous offer!

Didn't need your assistance, this time - but have made note that I have at least one friend in the front range!