They told me at the airport "Come back tomorrow. All will be well!"
"How are you planning to overcome the laws of physics and get two planes worth of people on one plane?" I asked.
"Come at 8:30," they said.
"But won't the whole delayed world be here tomorrow? Shouldn't I try to come earlier?" I asked.
"You can," they said.
I went home and called United. Was told, "Due to high call levels, expect delays of 90 minutes."
I held for an hour. Thankfully, I have just (finally!) cracked the code and can use SKYPE. The call cost me nothing. A nice lady was glad I did not yell at her. She told me the best she could get me was Sunday, Dec. 27. "But go to the airport tomorrow, too!"
"They told me to return tomorrow," I said. "They said I would have priority. I didn't believe them."
She had no information about what the plan was here, but said it was possible there is a local plan. "I'm showing nothing," she said. Then she thanked me again for being nice to here.
Meanwhile, I read a post on one of the local expat forums where a guy on our flight said he was rebooked for Dec. 23. The Spouse said "WTF?!" because when, a few days ago, he tried to move his flight today because of work issues to Dec. 23, they told him all they had on Dec. 23 was Business Class (which his firm sprung for, thankfully, but now it looks like he could arrive before we do if we have to go on Dec. 27).
In the meantime, the friend of a friend took United up on the hotel-at-the-airport option. She told my friend that United told her they would have two planes tomorrow.
I have two thoughts on this:
1. It's the only way, and
2. How on earth did they get their hands on a second plane?
BUT! I am getting up at the ass crack of dawn and taking the train back out there. Because I'd really rather not wait until Sunday.
Just sent kids to bed. They so do not want to wait for next Sunday. The sleigh is in the Ancestral Village, you see . . . Santa's sleigh.
Waiting...
-
*In October on Manezh Square, outside of the Kremlin*
It's the final countdown until the Olympics... Here's a link to an article
that was in the "Russia ...
10 years ago
7 comments:
Thats with United? What the hell??
Ive flown United from NYC to SVO once and did not have a problem, but the 20+ other times I have taken Aeroflot since it has direct flights from Los Angeles. Aeroflot is an experience all on its own too.
One time our plane was delayed 3 hours. No explanation. Then when we took off I noticed our plane (which usually goes over Idaho towards Moscow) was in fact heading to Seattle instead. We landed in Seattle on what was a non stop flight to pick up some Korean diplomats! What the hell!! Everyone had to get off the plane in Seattle, wait for these fools treated like kings to get on the plane, then everyone else got back on. Not only were we initially delayed, we ended up spending almost two hours in Seattle too. On a non-stop flight mind you.
Another time, I was stuck in Moscow traffic heading to the airport for my flight back to L.A. and we arrived 40 minutes early. I was denied boarding. I made it in plenty of time, and they said no sorry. The plane just took off. What the hell! The plane decided to leave 40 minutes early! And it did too. We saw it taxi down the runway and fly away. The pain of carrying the luggage all the way back to the apartment. I dreaded that.
I learned early on to request a seat all the way in the back (yes, near the bathrooms) becuase no one usually wants to sit there. Well, if you are lucky, no one else will be in the back row and you can put all the arm rests up and stretch out for a 12 hour snooze.
Good luck on your trip! If you ever take off that is.
THAT's a riot! Very Russian-y.
it was a dream, right? I got anxcious just by reading it! Good job. Irina G.
Hope you will get to fly tomorrow.
Merry Christmas and Happy New year!
I do not fly to Russia, but still can tell you millions of terrible and some strange stories to tell. Just last Christmas, our flight from NY to Atlanta was delayed by 3 days. And we are looking forward to another set of problems tomorrow, even so we are not flying but just driving.
Good luck.
Olga
Well, am I ever glad that I took an extra day of work off to jet off on Delta from JFK on Friday. I landed in Moscow Sat. morning and after a really long wait for our luggage to start coming out, I slepped 3 huge suitcases, a carry-on that must have weighed 40 lbs., a pocketbook that could have fit a small carry-on in it and a down coat that makes me look like Nanook of the North through Customs and saw my daughter.
Good like getting to the village in Ohio.
I just read your blog to Tami and remarked that it's so refreshing to read a blog where someone has a potty mouth and isn't always putting the future in God's hands and praying. That said, whatever it takes to getting on your flight is a good thing.
I also told my daughter that I really want to meet you and it's a shame that you're gone when I'm here.
Good luck.
"I dreamed a dream, drew back the curtain, then I new for certain dreams can come true"......ah Jospeh and his technicolor dream coat. best sung in the shower or bath!!
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