Also see:
This is gonna be a histrionic, text-heavy post, I can just feel it.
Faced with the prospect of spending 2 hours at EWR, I made my way to the Admirals Club – thank god there was one. Well, it was really a US Airways Club with the branding replaced. Everything about Terminal A in EWR is “US Airways.”
I thought maybe I could get some additional help with my routing and getting down to New Orleans in the Admirals Club. I explained that my check-in had flubbed and that I’d been separated from my companion. Not only that, but the plane had just left with my seat still available. And now, what were my options?
I said I was on standby for the next flight already. Was there anything else I could do? Any way to get a confirmed ticket – I’d even be willing to connect somewhere?
“The next flight to Charlotte after that one is at 1:15pm.” (7 hours after my original 6am flight, mind you.)
“I don’t want to wait that long. Could I connect somewhere else? Philadelphia, O’Hare…?”
“After the 1:15pm, we’re sold out for the rest of the day. You can try again tomorrow.”
Really. So at this point I was not feeling too great. So I grabbed some OJ, a yogurt, and a coffee, and wanted the Departures board like a hawk.
Before boarding, I made my way back to the gate agent before they got too overwhelmed for the flight I was hoping to get on.
“Just wanted to see if I’m having any luck getting onto this flight.” *presented my boarding pass*
The agent furrowed her brow and said, “Mmm. Hmmm. Ahhhh. Not looking too good.”
OK. “What can I do if I don’t get on this flight?”
While she plugged away at her computer, I pulled up flights on the American app. There was a 9:45am from LGA. I noted it mentally.
“Well,” she said finally. “You could always take the train to Philly. Yeah.” I’m not sure what kind of look I had outwardly, but I was thinking to myself, “You have got to be freaking kidding me.”
“You just take the AirTrain to [station] and transfer at [other station].”
“And how long does that take?”
“Two hours. If you leave right now…”
“But what if I get on this flight? And what about this 9:45am from LGA?” I read her the flight numbers.
“Oh, yeah. I see that. American flights,” and she chuckled to herself.
“Yes, American flights,” I confirmed.
“Oh, well that might work. Take a seat. But it’s not looking good.”
