Thursday, January 26, 2012

University of Arkansas -3 airlines, 2 cancellations & 1 delay.

I often tell people that if I am running late, there is a strong possibility something is terribly wrong with me. I am far more comfortable being early and waiting, than late and running.

I arrived to the airport fashionably early yesterday to catch my flight for my show at the University of Arkansas. I had checked in the night before and made the decision to go the mobile boarding pass route. No ticket counter, no checked bags, just a QR code and my trusty iPhone; I was set!!!!! Or at least I thought I was. I arrived at the concourse, checked the monitor for my gate assignment and was looking forward to an Acai super-antioxidant smoothie from Jamba Juice. Instead, what I got was the word CANCELED written across my flight number and enough butterflies in my stomach to carry away the small child that was screaming at his mother because he wanted McDonald's behind me.

When I arrived at the American Airlines counter, I was informed my connecting city, Dallas, was having bad weather and that is why the flight was canceled. The kind lady booked me on a Delta flight to Memphis,my new connecting city, to Ft. Smith, Arkansas, a regional airport about an hour from where my performance was. I would arrive about three hours later than my original planned time. Being late makes me nervous.

I arrived in Memphis and when I looked at my gate assignment for the connection to Ft. Smith it read CANCELED. I laughed and shook my head. On my way to the counter, about four hours late, American Airlines decided to leave me a message telling me that my 8 am flight out of Denver was cancelled!! NO SHIT?! I learned that the plane due into Memphis for connection to Ft. Smith, was suffering mechanical failure. I explained to Agent that I absolutely needed to be in the University of Arkansas area by 5pm. He then, very kindly booked me on a US Airways flight from Memphis to XNA-northwestern Arkansas. I arrive at the new gate, and guess what?!?! Yep, flight is delayed!!!!! I contact my transport person, Annalise, a graduate student in higher ed, and tell her about the fiasco.

Long story, short.........or long, I make it to Arkansas after 3 airlines, 2 cancellations and 1 delay.
The show was great and the students had a good time. I sit in the airport as I am writing this and the info board says ON TIME. I am early as always, and will enjoy an Acai super- antioxidant smoothie...... when I get home, because all there is here in this small airport is Little Debbie's Snacks and soda.