Gang aft a-gley.
If my travel scheme hadn't gang a-gley, I would, as I write this, be flying home to Seattle from Newark, New Jersey, after a joyous 2½ days of frolic amongst the bucolic pleasures of Acadia National Park, and the more sophisticated delights of adjacent Bar Harbor, Maine. Instead, you find me sitting at home in Seattle, churning out this dismal blog essay.
I've described my proposed trip in earlier posts. I would fly Monday to Newark on Alaska Airlines, transfer to United Airlines for a connecting flight to Portland, Maine, and drive the following day to Bar Harbor. On Friday, I would reverse the order and arrive back in Seattle tonight (Friday).
Instead, as I was aboard my plane, about to depart Seattle, I received a text from United advising me that my flight to Portland had been canceled because of "severe weather conditions." Oddly enough, these severe conditions did not show up on either my Apple weather app, or on Yahoo! Weather.
United had been cancelling evening flights to Portland for several days, because of "severe weather conditions," and so I wasn't surprised. The night before, I had located one seat available on a Tuesday morning flight, and had booked it as a back-up. Unfortunately, when I reached Newark, booked a hotel near the airport, and settled back to review the situation, I discovered, lo and behold, that I had booked the flight not for Tuesday but for a later date. I turned to Expedia to find out what was available on Tuesday, on any airline. The cheapest flight available would set me back over $1,700. A flight back from Portland was available at a reasonable price, but on Thursday, not Friday.
I gave up. I booked the earliest Alaska flight back to Seattle that was available at a reasonable price, which required an overnight in San Diego. Yes, that city down by the Mexican border.
So the summary of my definitely not inexpensive week is as follows:
Monday flight from Seattle to Newark;
Overnight stay at airport area hotel in Newark;
A full day in the Newark airport, after checking out of my hotel, on Tuesday;
A 6 p.m. flight to San Diego;
A 9:30 p.m., Tuesday night, check-in at a downtown San Diego hotel;
Arising at 3:45 a.m. for a 6 a.m. departure from San Diego to Seattle on Wednesday.
It's been an exciting week. Some Alaska algorithm had mercy on me, and bumped me into First Class for the final flight home from San Diego. For this kind gesture, I give thanks.
My conclusions?
1. Travel is always an adventure. Take nothing for granted. Go with the flow, and make the best of things.
2. United is suspect. Last year, readers may recall, United lost my luggage and didn't get it to me until the night before I left for home.
3. 2022 is not 2021. Everything is more expensive.
4. Everyone is traveling. Each of my three flights on Alaska was totally full. And United had no (or few) seats between Newark and Portland available on short notice. (And Newark is a major United hub.)
5. Newark airport is not a terrible airport, but once inside security, you find yourself in a small space with fewer than ten gates. This breaking of the area inside security into small units limits available food facilities, and especially sit-down dining. I've never minded Newark airport on past visits to New York City, but then on those trips I wasn't spending a full day trying to amuse myself. Riding the inter-terminal air-train is fun once, to while away a few minutes, but it's located outside security.
6. San Diego's airport is excellent, with far more facilities available to the stranded traveler than Newark's.
7. Alaska Airlines is always a pleasure to ride. And not just because they bumped me to first class, from San Diego to Seattle, and to premium coach class from Newark to San Diego.
8. Don't expect your fellow travelers to care for themselves or for you and others by wearing a mask. I'd say that fewer than ten percent of flyers on the planes and of those mobs milling about inside the airports, were wearing any form of mask. Wear a mask, and preferably an N95.
9. My eagerness for travel is only whetted. Next time, I hope that my efforts will result in my actually arriving at the planned destination!!! I've had enough of ganging a-gley.
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