Here's how this morning went.
Edinburgh: Oooh look a snowflake.
Me: That's nice. Let's focus on getting off the ground.
Edinburgh: You know, we're basically the last major airport open in Europe.
Me: Peer pressure. Resist it.
Edinburgh: I see another snowflake. There's like three now. Maybe we should...
Me: Don't even think about it...
Edinburgh: Airport closed.
Me: NO!!!
Yes. They closed the airport. While I was ON the plane. We had literally just been cleared for takeoff and Edinburgh was like, oops, sorry, just kidding, we're closing until 2:30 at least. Wonderful. So I sat in the airport for four hours having a mild panic attack watching the snow fall. (1.5 hours of sleep does horror to your nerves.) Half my friends in Edinburgh had had their flights closed indefinitely already, whether because of Heathrow or other connection places, and I REALLY did not want to join the growing number of American students stuck in Edinburgh until at least Thursday. Fortunately, however, 2:30 came, the snow had paused, the snowplows were actually diligent in doing their job, and before Edinburgh could change its mind our flight crew hustled us onto the plane and we were the first flight out.
By the time we made it to Newark, I had gotten a little more sleep and was slightly less prone to crying/flipping out. So the fact that I had missed my connections, along with all other flights to Denver for the night, and that I'd probably have to spend the night on an airport bench in New Jersey, was kind of whatever. BUT. In a highly unexpected show of American airline kindness, the lady at the desk gave me, in addition to the first flight out tomorrow, not only a hotel voucher but also free meals tonight and tomorrow morning.
So as I write this, I'm chilling on my own massive bed at the Ramada in Newark. I've never stayed in a hotel by myself before. I'm kind of having a party. On the way over from the airport, I met a really sweet British-American girl from my Edinburgh flight who also got stranded, so we ate our complimentary hotel grill dinners together, which was much nicer than eating alone. :)
Flight out at 7 in the morning, home by noon-ish. Yay.
Love,
Melody
I told Niko that you'd have some random adventure today. But in my story, you befriended a group of nuns, not an American girl. Well, close enough.
ReplyDeleteWow, I can't believe that stopped you when you were already loaded up. So glad that you were able to get out later that day though. Also very nice of the airline since it was completely not their fault. Have a good time at home
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