‘Cancelled?….cancelled flashes the flight status screen as I stand dumbfounded staring at the glowing monitors before me. ‘I can’t stand this airport for another night?, cries an elderly woman standing next to me. As the groans continued throughout the crowd gathered around the screen, I slowly turned around and made it through the sea of angry, sweaty, and stinky passengers…most of whom had slept in the Airport the night before.
I stand in a long winding line for two hours at the special services desk attempting to be placed on an alternate flight to Detroit. By now my back and shoulders are aching due to the weight of my laptop bag and carry-on suitcase. The 6?3 special services associate passes out cards with a phone number for everyone to call in order to receive help.
‘The next flight I can get you on that will get you to Detroit is on Tuesday?, mumbles the voice on my cell phone.
‘I’m sorry; I thought you said Tuesday for a second there. Surely you mean Monday right? I laugh nervously.
‘Oh no, you heard right. The flight leaves Tuesday?
‘I see…I don’t know where you are on this planet, but where I am here in the United States it is Sunday. If I understand this correctly, and I hope I don’t, you are telling me that I am stuck here in Philly until Tuesday????
‘Yes, that’s exactly what I said.?
‘I see…I’ll call back soon when I can process this information. Thanks for your help.?
I overhear Kristen, the dance student I met trying to fly to Detroit, speaking to a reservation agent over the phone. She’s smiling so I assume that she was able to work something out.
‘So when do you leave?? she asks with a smile on her face.
In my best attempt at not seeming angry I force a smile and mumble, ‘maybe Tuesday??
‘Really? I was just put on a flight to Detroit that leaves tomorrow morning.?
‘Interesting?. What’s the flight number??
She gives me the flight number, I call back, and mention the ‘sudden? availability of seats on a flight to Detroit, yet the older woman on the phone still cannot find any available seats for me.? Yet as I’m waiting on the phone I see ahead of me the distribution of tickets to numerous people at the Special services desk?.everyone smiling?.
My turn is finally up to speak with a person at the desk. The older woman finds a flight for me that connects in Cleveland. A puzzled look comes over her wrinkly weathered face now accented from the glow of the computer screen.
She hesitates at first but finally says ‘Your ticket has no value. I can’t get you on a flight if your ticket is voided.?
I speak slowly while trying to maintain my demeanor, ‘That’s funny because it clearly is here in front of you, I have paid for the ticket, and you have found my itinerary. Furthermore, I just got off the phone with a representative who said they could get me on a flight to Detroit on Tuesday.?
She places a phone call to her supervisor?.a phone call in which she was placed on hold for twenty-minutes. Success! She is cleared to transfer me to the flight leaving for Cleveland in two hours. She prints the ticket and places it in my hand. I thank her for her assistance and patience with me and everyone else during such a stressful time.
‘Wait, the flight to Cleveland was just cancelled. I can put you on standby to the last flight to Detroit tonight and hope someone doesn’t show up.?
‘At least there’s hope.? I think to myself as I ask her to print me off the standby ticket.
I make my way via shuttle to terminal F where the departure gate is located. As I reach the gate I hear overhead that the flight to Detroit has been cancelled. Out of the corner of my eye I see the familiar ‘Special Services sign? The bags on my shoulders begin to lighten as the adrenaline pumps thru my veins. I do my best Ussein Bolt impression as I run to the desk.
‘Can I help you sir?? the middle aged gentleman says while peering up at me over the rim of his bifocals.
‘I dunno, we’ll find out?
The line begins to form behind me as I feel my heart begin to beat faster and faster.
‘I see that the flight your airline just placed me on not more than ten minutes ago was cancelled. Could you tell me why??
‘No sir, as of now I can only tell you that it was cancelled.?
This is it, the gloves are off. I hear the gavel fall and my many lessons in law school replay in my mind
‘So you know why it was cancelled but you can’t tell me, is that right?
‘Sir, I can tell you that the airline is not at fault for the cancellation of the flight.?
‘I understand, but my question was merely that you know why it was cancelled but can’t tell me, is that correct??
‘Yes sir, that is correct but I can tell you??
‘You can tell me who to speak with regarding getting on a new flight to Detroit and who will be happy to answer my simple questions.? I say clearly and slowing with a smile on my face.
The people behind me in line are beginning to whisper now and a few audible laughs are heard.
‘Yeah, why was my flight cancelled? I’m not staying in this airport for another night!!!? A young woman yells from the line.
‘Sir, the flight was cancelled because we are unable to locate the stewardesses assigned to work it.?
‘I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you over the noise behind me? I say loudly’thinking back to my Trial Advocacy class.
‘We can’t find the stewardesses for the flight so we cancelled it!? the services representative says loudly’loud enough for a few of the people in line to hear.
Tempers are beginning to flare now in the line and I realize its time I leave before things get really ugly.
‘Thank you for your help. Please issue a refund on this ticket from here to Detroit. Happy Holidays.?
He issues the refund without saying another word to me and I make my way to baggage claim to get my bags.
I explain the situation for my dad who, on the internet at his house in Michigan, locates a hotel with available rooms near the airport and I make the reservation.
The hotel lobby is where I sat, at a small oak table typing this for you, the interested reader.? I was told that morning that the airline had no record of my luggage having ever been in the system, yet the baggage claim check sat next to my phone on the table and the gentleman at the airline baggage claim at the Philly airport informed me that the system showed it was sent to Detroit.
My dad had been driving since 4:30 am to pick me up. What followed was a twelve hour long father-son chat on the drive back to Michigan. It was the longest conversation ever between us since I moved to Orlando three years ago for law school and I know that I’ve grown closer with my dad because of it.
After graduating from Clarkston High School and going to college I grew apart from my family and my dad in particular. That great divide between us grew exponentially once I moved to Florida and only coming home to visit family every Christmas did not help. It was that trip that started the most memorable Christmas break ever.
The true meaning of the holiday season is evident to me now more than ever. No matter how crazy things get, no matter how many crazy arguments you might get in with family, they are there for you. For some people in similar situations family was sleeping beside them in an uncomfortable airport terminal seat’for me, family comes in the form of calls every twenty minutes to see how I am; it is the last minute payment on a credit card in able to cover a hotel room; and last but not least- it’s a twenty three hour drive across three states and back to make sure I got home for Christmas to be together with family- one of the best presents ever.
Ed Elkins resides in Winter Park, Fla.