Here is a close look at our travel day. It's really quite funny when you think about it. It certainly was NOT at the time, but I can laugh about it now.
Thursday, September 11Th 2008
My itinerary:
SLC-DFW Departs 6:00am
DFW-YYC Departs 10:45am
12:45am Go to bed after cleaning and packing
3:30am Get up and ready to go to the airport
4:00am Grant arrives, packs the car. I get Lizzy up and ready.
4:07am Leave the house for the airport
4:42am Arrive at the airport. Stand in a long line full of new missionaries to get checked in and check my bag.
5:02am Gate agent #1 offers to check me in while I'm still in line. (agent #1 knows I am travelling to Canada with a toddler)
5:13am Finally reach the check-in counter and check my bag (now, agent #2 knows I am travelling to Canada with a toddler) asks for my passport and nothing else.
5:16am Get to security, everything goes smoothly during my strip search. (J/K! it just feels that way sometimes.
5:22am Go to a shop and get some breakfast for Lizzy.
5:28am Arrive at the gate, now we're just waiting to board.
5:30am They start boarding. First class first. I was in group 4 to board, so I went to the store and got Lizzy some juice, I wanted milk for her, but they didn't sell it.
5:45am They announce that anyone with a stroller needs to check it at the counter. I go to do that.
5:48-5:51am Agent #3 notices that I am wearing flip flops and asks if I have any other shoes. I say "yes, in my checked bag." She says "You can't fly stand-by and wear sandals." (Something I remembered from my frequent flier days, but thought that was only if I was going first class. Since I had Lizzy, I knew 1st class wasn't an option.) That's not the case. I reply to her "Are you SERIOUS!?!?" Her reply "yes." Then she asks me to go buy some from another passenger! I looked around, all I saw were old women with small feet. (Like Carny-folk small :) I run down stairs to the only clothing store in the airport to find shoes. They only sell SLIPPERS! With pigs, frogs and some blue animal on them! Really? Are they for real? PIG SLIPPERS!!! I run back up the stairs.
*NOTE*
All this time I am towing a back pack, a stroller, Lizzy and my purse. All full, all heavy.
5:52am I return to the gate and ask if slippers are acceptable. She said "YES!" Can you believe it? Pig slippers over black flip flops?(I thought I understood the company policy until then. I thought we were to wear shoes to represent the company nicely. Eh?)
5:53-5:55am She asks for my passport and Lizzy's. "Lizzy doesn't need one," I tell agent #3. "Not until June 1 2009." agent #3's response, "Yes, she does." "But I read the travel requirements a thousand times before I left! Just to be sure I was reading it right! She only needs proof that she is a US citizen, like a birth certificate or something like that!" I say. Agent #2 pulls agent #2 over to discuss. They decide that I cannot travel without a passport for Lizzy.
I ask what they are going to do about my checked bag. Agent #3 says she'll call Canada and have them send it back. CANADA? It has to stop in Dallas first, maybe we should catch it there. Eish...
5:56am I call Grant to have him come back up and get us. He had just gotten to his apt. in Provo. So, I called Michelle know that she would be getting off of work in American Fork at 6:00. We made arrangements and she was at the airport to pick me up at 7:00. Thank you Michelle.
9:27am Finally arrive back home after taking Jenny to school. I put Lizzy and myself back in bed.
I still don't have my luggage back. I wonder what things my bag saw on its journey. I bet it saw some great things. Great things.
11 comments:
this has to be the most awful story I have ever heard!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am confused as to why you couldn't travel if you read the passport thing right?
i would be so pissed! i didn't think the passport law went into affect until next year (including adults so i didn't think you needed one either). and the slippers? wtf???
p.s. you forget that i live RIGHT next to the airport. the next time you get treated like a terrorist give me a call and i will come pick you up!
What the heck!! That is so crazy!!!! It is kind of funny to imagine you running around the airport and then pig slippers?!?!?
That is crazy. I would be pissed too. And the whole flip flop thing, ridiculous. Traveling with kids is hard enough with having to go through security and have to take your shoes and child's shoes off and have to put EVERYTHING on the conveyor belt and then hope you get through security in time to catch your stuff and then put everything back on and they expect you to wear shoes? Don't even get me started on the whole passport thing. Sorry you had such a crappy experience.
That is so totally NOT funny and yet incredibly hysterical at the same time.
What a story huh?
Sorry you didn't make it to Canada.
I know how difficult airports can be with kids. At least they were nice to you at security though right? That's always the part that I dread the most.
Wow that is so crazy. Doesn't it take weeks to get a passport. I hope that is not the case. Well at least you have an interesting story out of the whole thing. :)
Oh I am so sorry that happened! That really sucks! I agree it is and isn't funny!
I am sorry. I did not find that funny at all. STUPID airport. I mean HELLO its not like you are going to leave her in canada and then come home and say "Lizzie be a good girl as you come home from there." GAH. That is just so frustrating. I am so so so so so sorry. :HUGS:
Sad day!! At least you got your workout in for the day by carrying all of your heavy stuff around the airport, and hey, you've got some very professional pig slippers as a bonus!! :)
yeah. reaaly- it is funny now- in a 'that is so totally and incredibly a DUMB agent!' but it was super fun though! I'm glad you called me- running on little sleep, we are fun together!
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