Waiting

Usually I enjoy sitting around, doing nothing, and getting paid. It's great when I am sitting reserve at home (that means I am on call, for those non-flight attendants out there). But when I am sitting in another city, in an airport with nothing to do for hours on end, I am not a fan.

Monday I had to get up at 3 am, get ready, drive to the airport (which takes me 40 minutes), take the parking shuttle (another 15 minutes), then take a plane to LAX, wait an hour, take a plane to Fresno and sit reserve at the airport. By this time it is about 9 am. I get a call advising me that I will be working a flight to Denver, so I head over to the gate. This flight was supposed to leave at 6 in the morning, but had mechanical issues. They were still working on it and kept saying it would be ready shortly. By around 1 pm we were told to go ahead and board, so we got all of the passengers on and...the mechanical problems was still there.

Keep in mind that these people have been waiting for this plane since 5 in the morning...so they are quite cranky. We then had to tell them to deplane and wait longer. We went down to sit in the crew lounge and wait...and wait...and wait. Lots of waiting. By about 3 pm they decide to cancel the flight. Those poor people! I was grateful that I was not customer service...I don't know how anyone can survive that job!

So they told us to go get our hotel room and we would take the plane to Denver the next day. Fresno was hot. There was nothing by the hotel, so I had to walk at least a mile in 100 degree weather to find some food. Ugh. I wish I would have packed my swimsuit, cause they had an outdoor pool. I will have to do that from now on.

The next day I get up at 4:30 am, cause we were supposed to get to the airport at 5:30. Then, as I am heading out the door, the pilot calls and says "I hope you haven't already gotten dressed and everything cause we aren't leaving till 9 now." Grrrrr...of course I got ready! I can't just wake up at 5:15 and throw on my clothes like a guy! So...I go back to bed for a bit and head to the airport at 9. Lets just say there was a lot more waiting. At almost 1 pm I get told that they will be sending me home to Salt Lake at 4:30. I asked them why they wouldn't put me on the flight that was getting ready to leave to Salt Lake...and they never gave me a good reason...they just told me I could try to get on myself, but they would not get me a seat. Hmmm...anyway...I went to the gate and by some miracle I was able to get the last available seat.

I don't want to come off as a complainer. I LOVE my job...there are just some things that annoy me.

Oh, and I went to my sister's graduation. It was a good time, but sooo hot outside. I got sunburned cause I forgot to put on sunscreen. Congratulations Shelly!

venting

So I am on a four day trip currently. I stayed in Long Beach last night, but didn't have time to do anything. Today I am in Medford and was too tired to do anything, so I took a 3 hour nap! Hey, I can't do it at home with two kids, so I will take advantage of it when I can. Tomorrow I will be in Palm Springs and I am so excited, because they have a really nice pool and it is supposed to be hot!

Ok, now it is time to vent. Today I had a passenger get on my plane and he had been drinking, which was apparent because of the nasty alcohol smell coming from his mouth. I was slightly concerned to I let the captain know. We decided that it wasn't a safety issue, so I closed the door, did my safety briefing and we took off.

I have heard that drunk people get worse once they get up in that 30,000 feet altitude level. Now I know. This guy was so annoying. He came up to me when I was getting everything prepared for the beverage service and asked for a beer. He handed me a debit card and I told him that we only take cash, which he didn't have. I was so glad he didn't have cash because I wasn't going to sell it to him anyway, so it made everything easier for me.

Then he goes on to tell me he is a Marine and wants a free drink. Now, I appreciate everything that Marine's do for our country, but I am not allowed to comp drinks. Then he asked me if I would pay for it...bahaha. First of all I will not provide people with alcohol, because I don't think it contributes anything good to society. Second, I certainly would not pay for the drink of some guy I don't know. So he gets upset and goes back to his seat.

I start my beverage service and when I get to him he asks me again if I can give him a drink. He tells me he will pull out his military ID. Once again I let him know I can't and he throws a tantrum...I have never met a Marine that was a crybaby like this...it was ridiculous. After that, he starts asking people around him for money! I couldn't believe it! I told a couple people to watch him and let me know if it started happening again. Luckily he fell asleep eventually.

This was at eleven in the morning mind you...people shouldn't even be drinking that early! Ugh, I just had to vent about this. If you are going to drink that is fine, but don't get intoxicated before going on a plane. I can't wait for Palm Springs tomorrow. The end.