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| Stratford is just west of Kitchener |
Anticipation
I'd been looking forward to my visit with sister Marilyn for several months. I usually fly into Toronto's large Pearson airport, but in a moment of brilliance, I booked a flight to Kitchener via Chicago O'Hare, knowing that Marilyn's home in Stratford is about 30 miles from the airport, thereby knocking off at least an hour of drive time in each direction. I had visions of us enjoying a glass of wine on the patio before I had time to unpack my bag on Thursday afternoon. If only I had known ...
Dark and stormy night
I was a little apprehensive on Thursday when I awoke to continuing rain after a stormy night. Bob drove me to MSP in the early morning darkness and the trip started off well, with short lines at security and an easy hike to the gate. The first sign of potential trouble became evident with a delay n the arrival of the incoming flight from Chicago. So we left MSP late and then unsettled weather delayed our arrival at O'Hare. I began to worry about the 54 minutes I had to make my connection to Kitchener.
No Kitchener flight for me
Problems began immediately after our arrival in Chicago. A power failure resulted in jetway delays, and despite a very efficient and brisk walk to the Kitchener gate I missed getting on the plane. Turns out a massive systems failure at American Airlines had crippled information delivery, and I had no way of knowing just then that the flight would not leave for at least another hour, but the aircraft doors had been closed, and my seat had (presumably) been sold to some other customer. Surely they could have found a way to get me and one other passenger, a woman from India, on that plane.
Rerouted
As soon as the computer system came back up, I raced to the desk to book another flight. A sour and tired customer service rep wasn't helpful as I struggled briefly to decide between a 3 p.m. departure to Toronto over a late evening flight to Kitchener that wouldn't get me to the airport until after 10:00 p.m. I decided on Toronto and immediately got on the phone with the very pleasant and efficient Shelby at Stratford Airporter, who booked me on a 7:30 p.m. shuttle that would get me to Marilyn's door in Stratford shortly after 9:00 p.m. Everything was looking good.
Phantom 3:00 p.m. flight
Off to from Concourse G to a new gate in Concourse H. Three o'clock came and went, with occasional "updates" from American. The plane was "in the hangar" and didn't arrive until about 5:00 p.m., by which time a storm had moved over Chicago, with lightning and hail that made departure impossible. We were finally called to board around 6:30, but elation soon turned to dismay when we were told that our flight crew had "timed out", and we would have to wait for a new pilot, on stand-by somewhere. The pilot eventually showed up and we seemed to be ready to go. By now the sun was setting and everyone was tired and hungry, since most of us had missed a couple of meals and some passengers had been travelling since the previous day. A couple of crackers and a drink would have been nice. A woman in front of me thought we should all be given a glass of wine. Ha!
Change in luck
The flight to Toronto was quick and efficient, and we sailed through Customs and Immigration. I followed Shelby's instructions to the ground shuttle desk, though the 9:30 shuttle was long gone. I was told that "Plan B" would get me to the Kitchener Holiday Inn via an Airways shuttle and I'd then hook up with the Stratford Airporter for the final leg. We were underway just before 10:30 and the two shuttles went off without a hitch.
Saints ...
Yesterday was made easier by all the wonderful people I met: the young mother so in love with her three-month-old baby that even all the delays couldn't dampen her happiness; the cheerful woman returning to Toronto from Ontario, California, where she was working with the Affordable Care Act; Brenda, my pleasant and wise seat companion on her way home to Guelph after a business trip in Des Moines, Iowa; everyone at Stratford Airporter and Airways Transport, including the administrative staff and two friendly, competent drivers. I especially enjoyed conversation with a fellow shuttle rider who, like me, was headed to Stratford.
... and sinners
On the minus side, I found most American Airlines staff unsympathetic and lacking in communication skills. I certainly understand the frustration of trying to muddle through a day of chaos without reliable information systems, but it would have been so easy to make everyone's day a little easier, if only someone had stepped up. No one did.
At Last!
I arrived at Marilyn's by 12:30, sixteen and a half hours and a time zone away from my departure. I was a little taken aback to be told that she was almost expecting a heavy knock from the OPP, instead of my timid little tap on the door. I was, of course, ten hours late. The A beer and some cheese, hummus and crackers as well as a few good laughs concluded the day nicely. I couldn't help thinking about Syrian refugees in some hostile land, with no happy outcome to yet another perilous day.
