Just got back from a short trip and as I shuttled between gates watching my A, B & C flights take-off, I had plenty of time to totally revise my ‘I think I can make it even though it’s looks absolutely hopeless'-non-rev travel formula;) and to engage in some serious people-watching.
And as people watching places go, airports have some pretty interesting people passing through.
Flight A
A one hundred member men’s chorale. They did a little a cappella number right there at the gate - sounded great!
A family on vacation. They had twins in a double stroller and a whirling dervish kid who preferred running around pretending he was a car to watching a movie on his DVD player.
The parents “free rangers” occasionally yelled “Stop it, sit down“, which our ‘race car kid’ totally ignored.
Eventually ‘car kid’ tired himself out, sat down put his head in his hands and started swinging his feet (fortunately there was no seat in front of him)
Full flight -vouchers-we waived goodbye.
Flight B
The remaining members of the men’s chorus, a guy with tattoos and lots of piercings
(I bet he set off all the bells and whistles at security) and a group of kids on their way to Australia - all members of the Bulging Backpack Brigade.
Again the agent announced a full flight, offered vouchers and asked pax to gate check carry-ons. Several jump at the vouchers, but no takers for the gate check. (Is there ever?)
During general boarding the agent reminded everyone to carry their backpacks & duffel bags low in front of them.
Question - Are backpackers totally oblivious to that fact that they whack every aisle sitting pax when they board?
However it wasn’t the backpackers but the mobile boarding passes that wouldn’t scan that brought boarding to a total stop.
The agent announced the “voucher volunteers” wouldn’t be needed and started calling for “passengers “X”, “X” “X” & “X“ she called again and again - we were told to stand by- we stood there teetering between “there’s no chance we’re making this” and “wow I can‘t believe it”. It started to drizzle, more calls for “X’, “X”, “X” and “X”
and then …………………………running up totally out of breath “X’, “X’, X” & “X” .
The non rev gods do like to tease. We sat back down.
Full flight - lots of bags checked at the gate- we waived goodbye, again.
Flight C
We talked to a group of soldiers traveling home from Afghanistan. They were looking forward to seeing their families and eating In-N-Out Burgers. The agent announced those in the military would be boarding with the first group, they were all smiles.
One of those young starlets, (no I don’t know her name, I think she‘s in one of those sci-fi movies) walked up with a friend to board. She stopped to talk to the soldiers and take pictures - click-click-click, big, BIG smiles all around.
We waved goodbye to another full flight.
Flight D
The cleaning crew had taken notice of us; joked about picking the absolute worse day to fly standby.
The agent called me over and said she thought we’ll make the next flight.
I told her we’d be folding up our tent after this one and would try for SAN.
We somehow make the flight and wouldn’t you know it, ground hold - lightning.
The non-rev gods really do like to tease.
Finally we’re on our way, during the beverage service the FA offers the soldiers on our flight comp snack packs and when she got to our row whispered “long day, but somebody likes you” and hands us comp packs too.
And I have to agree, with full fights, thunderstorms rolling through, and large groups of standbys for every flight, I knew if one of us made it we’d be lucky, but when we all caught seats home, I knew the non-rev gods were smiling on us; although they certainly do like to tease and definitely love to see you - SWEAT! :cool:
