I’m on a United flight from Charlotte to Chicago and I have achieved my holy grail – an entire row to myself! As it got late in boarding and no one was yet here, I tried to avoid getting too worked up. The last few times I thought I had a HG situation some latecomer came in at the last minute and harshed my empty row mellow. I have crap strewn through all three seats, all the armrests up, my legs stretched out and the laptop deployed. Aaaaahhh.
Another of the multitudinous fabulously wonderful things about living in the Grand Strand is flying out of Myrtle Beach International. I live about 10 miles from the airport, and had a 6:20 AM flight out. I left the house at 5:20 AM (?!), parked at 5:40, the shuttle bus drove straight to me and carried me straight to the terminal, I was checked in by 5:45 and at the gate at 5:50 AM. I lived 10 miles from Hartsfield in Atlanta, and I always left 3 hours before a flight. I’m a nervous flyer but I’m only nervous about making the plane. Once I board, I’m happy as a clam but I live in constant fear of missing flights. This was actually closer than I meant to cut it, but it turned out fine. Since there is free wifi at the gates in MBI, getting there early just means you can dork around as you wait. Next time I plan to leave earlier but it is nice to know that you aren’t screwed if you don’t. If I was still in the house one hour before a flight out of Hartsfield, I’d be on the phone changing my tickets because there would be no point in trying to get there.
I’ve never missed a flight myself but I share your phobia. Once I had to haul ass from one end of Dulles to the other to make a flight to Londonand I _nearly_ missed it but i didnt. I think they held it for me.
But I always wondered whjat would they have done if I had missed it. would my ticket be garbage and I’d have to pony up more $$ for another flight overseas (cringe) or would they make me stay in the pre-boarding area until there was another flight with a spare seat? (cringe cringe) I dont know – then there’s that whole miasma of not even checking in on time – what happens to your tickets then – its too much to think about really.
Hey Dave would you care to test these theories out for your “gentle readers”? I would go a long way to settling my nerves “pre-flight”.
I think the worst they could hit you with is the change fee, depending whether it was your fault or theirs that you missed the flight. Rather than buying a whole new ticket, it should be $75 or $100 or so. That’s the theory at least. Sorry, I don’t plan on testing any of this out if I can help it.