I am sure that title is completely unoriginal, but it is new to me, therefore mildly amusing. It would be better were I not so mad.
Chicago, give it a rest, will you? I got up at 4am today to work an off-day — I was excited ALL day because Lala was coming home at 5:15pm. We were going to get burritos. Then the flight got delayed. Until 8pm. Then 11pm. Then 1am. Then she sat ON THE RUNWAY for three hours, watching the rain, before they unloaded them again.
Her flight is now cancelled, nothing leaving until 2pm tomorrow! And the hotels are now full, so they’ve given her a cot. I could barely hear her for the blaring announcements, so I’m sure she’ll rest well there.
She’s sick as a dog. When she called, I didn’t recognize her voice, it’s so far gone. She rarely gets sick, and when she does, she’s SICK, so this is awful.
All because Chicago is having something called "weather." What, you can’t fly in the rain? Come on, don’t go all L.A. on us here. You people are supposed to know what to do in "weather."
And I know my rights. I went to the Weather Channel to see if a hurricane had hit, and sure enough, there was RAIN listed with 16mph winds. Sixteen. Okey-dokey. So I clicked on further info, for Warnings and Watches, and I was only told, "No warnings in affect for this location."
Effect, Chicago. It’s effect. Buy the right vowel, okay?
Actually, it’s not even Chicago’s fault, when it comes right down to it. It’s American Airlines janky-assed attempt at running an airline. If I pay $875 for a ticket, and you charge me $5 for a dry turkey sandwich, with no apologies? You get me home on time. All I’m saying.
Amen.
At least you can still go get those burritos….
That’s so frustrating. But I was on a flight in a rain storm a few years ago and I was terrified so maybe it’s for the best. I hope she’s home soon.
Breathe, Rachael … breathe…
Say it with me, now: Better that the airline is keeping her safe. Say this: I’d rather be inconvenienced for a little while to know they’re not taking any chances with my precious cargo….
Ok, now that you’re calm it’s ok to say “WHY THE HECK IS THERE NO FLIGHT UNTIL 2:00 TOMORROW!?!??!?!”
That’s ok, ’cause that’s not safety-related. Wait a sec, though; let me cover my ears.
Ok: Yell.
Can’t wait ’til she’s home!!!
you know chicago’s been taking all of the credit for years for being the “windy” city and all. did you know that boston is windier? sure is…
i hope lala gets home safe.
Ahhh, Chicago. I’ve spent many hours waiting on planes/flights/cancellations there. Really, I think it’s part of the whole O’Hare experience. If you’re not delayed coming out of Chicago, something went wrong.
I hope she gets home safe!
Oh, I’m so sorry! If I were in Chicago, Lala would have had a guest bed (err… air mattress) to sleep on.
Chicago air travel really *does* blow. I once sat on the runway in Chicago for *FOUR HOURS* because of fog, missed my connection in St. Louis, and had to spend the night there, at the airport. (I was a poor 19 year old college student with $20 to her name, and airlines don’t give you hotel rooms if the delay was caused by fog and not, say, a wing falling off the plane.) I had my bassoon with me. At least Lala has her banjo for comfort, right? 😉
American is on my “never fly again unless i can’t help it” list. They couldn’t get us from DC to Chicago in SIX HOURS in order to make our flight to Dublin. And then they lost our luggage for 5 days.
But one positive note – S wrote them a decently nasty letter and they sent each of us $200 travel certificates… might be worth a letter from Lala.
Oh dear, poor LaLa! I’m really sorry she got trapped here, especially sick. (I personally believe Chicago to be a bit like the Hotel California…you can check out when you like, but you can never leave.)
The storm last night was absolutely insane. Something like 4 inches in under an hour. Plus? Scary wind, and lightening and lots of hail. I’m surprised they couldn’t take off by 1am, though…I think most of it had passed over the area by about midnight(ish).
Next time y’all are stranded at O’Hare, give me a ring. I’ve got a couch that is *way* better than any airport cot.
Chicago is on my do-not-fly list. Seriously, I will move travel dates if my only fly-through option is Chicago. It’s not just O’Hare. For Lala’s sake, I hope she’s at O’Hare instead of Midway, where your only food options past security are plastic wrapped sandwiches at roach coaches. WORST AIRPORTS EVER.
I’m so sorry to hear about the delays! If I had known, then I would have hopped in the car and kept her company! But, in any case, I am sitting in my Chicago apartment and will say that it is quite sunny and there doesn’t seem to be much of any wind (16 mph or otherwise), so I think that her flight for today should be a go…Enjoy your reunion and burritos!
Poor Lala! I hope she gets home soon so she can crawl into bed and rest up (and snuggle up!).
O’Hare is totally the Jewish Grandmother of Airports. I’ve experienced that many times as well. And flying while sick is the worst thing ever–I hope Lala is OK and gets better soon.
Oh no, poor La! I hope you’ve stocked up on chicken noodle soup for her. She’ll be home soon!
I tried to get into Chicago for hours until finally all flights were canceled.
Isn’t traveling fun?
I hope that Lala is on her way home now…’cause there is no place like home.
Hope she didn’t check anything important. Who the hell knows where it is now.
be glad they didn’t let her take off – crazy crazy storms here last night. crazy like knocked over trees on side streets where no wind normally goes. i had to step into the street twice on my walk to the El this morning due to storm-tipped-over trees.
but next time dude, she should call me. i would give her soup w/ her cot. 🙂
My husband and I got married in Chicago 7 years ago.
That afternoon we ran over a bum.
So yeah, that city’s got some issues…
My husband & I scheduled flights through Chicago 2 weekends ago. O’Hare closed for 3 hours, we sat at the gate at our starting point that long (watched the entire in-flight movie before leaving home), our flight out of Chicago was cancelled. My favorite part was the airline counter guy at O’Hare explaining that this happens about every other day, so it’s better not to fly through Chicago. You can bet we won’t again!
oh poo and double poo on being sick — I was stuck in O’Hare when the radar went down for that whole area
Excellent rant 😉 At least she’s flying backwards in time.
Oky, I have to defend my home town! Yeah, Chi-town got bums and what not, but Monday, the weather really was bad. I called my folks, and their electricity was out, and the phone was off and on working. I’ve been to Boston and live in Minneapolis, and Chi definitely wins as coldest and most windy.
I’m glad Lala is back home safe though. I was sick as a dog when I flew from San Francisco to Mpls–I know the feeling, poor thing…here’ some virtual chicken soup from me…>>>chicken soup<<<