Never be late for your flight when it snows

 

My plane! It LOOKS ready to take off but it isn't really

Sitting at DFW airport waiting for my flight to Los Angeles (LA). The USA and International Yoga Championships are this weekend and I'm going to volunteer and see some of the most awesome yogis! I'm so excited! I missed my flight, uh, due to the weather, yea, that's it, the weather....so I had a lovely stroll through terminal D and did some shopping and got a pedicure. (Something I needed to do before I left but didn't have time.)

Now sitting at my gate waiting, feeling pretty darn lucky the lady at the counter got me on this flight instead of standby. The flight is full and there are 50+ people on standby. UGH! Feel so sorry for those people on standby. Is it bad I am secretly smiling inside, SO happy I got on the flight? I've been there though, on standby, hoping someone didn't show up for the flight. That is pretty much what these people are hoping, someone else's bad fortune is there good fortune.

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Made it to Los Angeles (LA). Just 8 hours AFTER I was suppose to be in LA. I was suppose to be on a flight that got in at 11:30, missed that, was rebooked on a flight that was suppose to leave at 1:25 and arrive in LA about 3:30. My new flight, the flight that was suppose to leave at 1:25 didn't board until sometime after 1:40 (I gave up looking at the clock.) Once we got on the plane we had to wait for everyone to get on, which seemed to take FOREVER! Then we had to wait for all the bags to be loaded. Then we had waited so long we needed more fuel, had to wait for them to refuel. Then we had to wait to exit the gate.

Once we left the gate we were told to not get too excited, we still had to wait in line to get "de-iced." AFTER we cruised all the way around the airport we got in line to "de-ice", we were 9th. They must have been "de-icing" the plane with tiny scrapers, it took so long I fell asleep.

After waking up I realizing we were still on the ground waiting to leave. UGH! And then, about 6:10 pm the pilot comes on to tell us we are next to leave! YEA! Just 5 hours later than scheduled, most of that time on the tarmac, with one water service.

Am I annoyed? Not really. Do I think it was a crazy day? Of course. But I got to shop a little in Terminal D, get a pedicure at ExpressSpa, admire cute boys getting manicures at ExpressSpa and I got dedicated time to study my dialog, which was much needed. So sure, I was delayed and got to LA way past when I thought I would but heck, I made it and I got to see Joseph Encinia, the 2009 USA Champion.

Can't wait to see him and all the other USA competitors compete tomorrow. It is going to be an exciting display of yogi talent! Stay tuned!

Where are the Glass Salt and Pepper Shakers?

It's a small thing, literally, but what happened to the salt and pepper shakers on flights? It is like they were banned from airlines for bad behavior.

There are many wonderful things to say about First Class on airplanes; they have bigger seats, more leg room, most airlines give free headsets, you get free drinks, long flights have food, hot towels are fun and well, it's just more comfortable. And all of those things are wonderful....but today I was reminded of one thing not still in First Class, salt and pepper shakers. It isn't that I am a flight snob, I sit in coach most of the time but when I do get the chance to upgrade, particularly on a very early flight, I do. It is one of the great perks of frequent business travel.


Through the years I've noticed some changes and I noticed it again today as they served me a cheese omelet with potato, fruit and biscuit. What happened to the tiny salt and pepper shakers that use to come on the tray? I miss those, they were so cute! Now they give you a tiny envelope looking thing with salt a pepper in sealed baggie. Don't know what I am talking about?! Think I am crazy? Sure, but that was a given before I started writing this silly blog.  Back in the day, American Airlines use to sit tiny glass salt and pepper shakers on the food trays. They had little silver twist on tops that were shaped like cones. They reminded me of restaurant shakers but on a miniature scale.  They were square and after using them I would neatly set them side my side like two peas in a pod, yen and yang just hanging out together.  I'm sad they have been demoted to some closet at the AA corporate office. A sign of the times perhaps. Maybe people kept swiping the tiny jewels or maybe it took too long to refill them each flight. Who knows, all I know is they are gone.


But I am glad to see real silverware is back! After 911 real silverware was removed from planes. It was a little weird to eat from ceramic dishes, glass bowls and drink from glassware and yet, use plastic silverware. Granted, American bought some of the nicer plastic ware but still...I missed the oddly small fork with tiny tines and petite knife. Some time ago, maybe a few years now, I noticed real silverware was back...but still no cute tiny salt and pepper shakers.


These tiny cuties are exactly like the ones in First Class but we only got two, not a whole basket full!