just because u have a flight home, don't mean your going to GET there

So I went down to Miami for a long weekend. Had a great time with friends. Even ate at my favorite Miami restaurant Yuca....yummmmy cuban...had garlic mashed potatoes, shrimp and avacado salad...all soft foods! but SOOOOO good.
Anyways, Tuesday at Noon it was time to head to the airport and back to reality. My flight was scheduled for 2:55pm to arrive in NYC at 6pm. The board showed it was delayed to 3:15 when I arrived but OK. No biggie.
Clear security and head to the gate.

As soon as we boarded, I fell asleep. When I woke up, strange enough, we were still at the gate. Felt like a nice long nap though! When I looked at my watch, I realized it WAS a nice long nap because it was not 3pm but after 5pm! Look around a little lost, when they made an announcement saying they were still working on the mechanical problem. I wished I was still sleeping because now that I'm awake, I'm upset we're still there!!

Now, I've never been on a plane that went out of service. A subway car, yes. Plane, no. But, at 5:30 we were told that the plane was not fixed, and we'd have to get off, to board another plane. Only, that other plane wasn't there yet. So our new departure time was 9pm - 6 hours after our original time. But we get $10 to eat. In an airport, you know that doesn't get you too much. AND it can't be used on alcohol. RATS! Yet, the 260 some odd people on the flight wanted their vouchers and were not interested in making a LINE behind the counter. Instead they all just crowded around, with little patience or courtesy for anyone else.

9pm comes and we've got a plane! But no crew. Because our original crew is "illegal" - they are over the number of hours they can work. OK. We're getting a NEW crew. But they aren't here yet they tell us. They are coming in from NY. But their flight is delayed. So we're not leaving until 10pm. More waiting.

10pm comes and here comes the crew. So now we're leaving at 10:30. People are clapping as the crew walks past and boards the plane. We begin boarding AGAIN. We've finished boarding, and the Captain comes on to say he has some bad news. Weather in NY has closed JFK and they are waiting for more updates. Hopefully the weather will break and we can leave by 11pm. The passengers start shouting, and he calmly says 'hey. I wanna go home too. I was done for the day until I got to Miami and was told this flight hadn't left. But if you don't want anymore updates, I won't make them'.....people quiet down. UNTIL.....a commotion comes from the back of the plane. A couple people just from their seats and come to the front. Two guys, are FIGHTING. 40 year old men, are fighting because one pushed his chair back on the other. *sigh*

So here come the police....and the Marshals. They remove both men and the women they are with.....And we wait.....At about 11:15pm we're told "due to the events of this evening, this flight will not be departing." To get off, get our voucher for a hotel and we'll leave the next morning at 8:30am. OH, did I mention the weather in NY had cleared, but the crew refused to fly with us, because of the fight. *sigh again*

Well, you know your girl, was one of the first folks off, and at the counter waiting. Poor lone guy, looked like he didn't know what to do. I politely gave him a piece of advice - he'd better get those marshals out here, to keep order, otherwise, he will have that same crowd that fought for $10 fightin MORE for these vouchers. So the police presence kept MOST people in order. Except for the guy who's meds must have been in his bag who kept carryin on...OH...and our bags are stayin on the plane. My estimation is that you've got about 200 people without deodorant, hair products, hell maybe even toothbrushes. NICE RIGHT???? Around 12:30 I'm on the way to the hotel.

Next morning, up at 6, get to the airport....and guess what. We're not leaving at 8:30. We have no crew again. At least we still had a plane! We finally departed after 10am.

I called my job and told him what had happened. I felt like he's thinking - nah, she just wanted another day in Miami. But as the world is small, the next day at work, I found out my office already heard about my flight, because my coworkers brother was on it with me. Good thing it wasn't me fighting. :)

Ah....home sweet home....