2008 RLF Gathering Travel Thread

[Kits]

BtEO, I will possibly be taking you somewhere BLASPHEMOUS on Friday. Be warned.

[Kits]

Carl, directions have been sent to my house by PM. It's soooooooo easy though, about 5 minutes off the interstate. If you're the speeding type watch out for cops on Howell Mill, they like to lurk there.

[BtEO]

Just a reminder of what you need to look for at the airport.


Edit: All packed and ready to go.

[Lizzegirle]

I like the poster in the background.

[Deacon]

Just a reminder of what you need to look for at the airport.

The crazed child molester dude who never outgrew 80's metal?

[BtEO]

Joyous news.

My flight to Atlanta has been cancelled. I'm currently booked on AA1074 arriving in Atlanta at 1925 on the 11th.

There's a chance I may be able to get something earlier from the ticket desk in Dallas. I'll post any further changes.

Apologies to Kitsune, I may not be able to meet you this time.

Apologies to Rkitect and Pickle, we may have to leave later than you'd like.

[Jezebel]

I may have flight issues too. >:( American!!!!!

[BtEO]

I'm just about to board, so from this point I'll be out of reach for 10 hours.

[rkitect]

Yeah.. weather is not cooperating with flight plans this year...

[bagheadinc]

That and the FAA have bumped up safety standards after the Southwest incident last month causing American Airlines to cancel hundreds of flights.

[rkitect]

Well yeah... but more obviously the weather

Or as the meteorologist said this morning "Storms topping 35,000 ft in height wreak havoc on the airline industries today, more when we return..."

[Martin Blank]

That and the FAA have bumped up safety standards after the Southwest incident last month causing American Airlines to cancel hundreds of flights.

They didn't bump up safety standards. They checked on various airlines to find out who was sticking to the requirements after the Southwest debacle (you were right on that one, Jez), and found that American and Alaska were deficient.

[bagheadinc]

That's kinda what I meant, by bumped up, I meant not ignoring them like they were before the Southwest incident.

[BtEO]

The story so far:

• I arrive at London Gatwick on time, perhaps a little early even.
• Upon checking in I'm informed that my DFW-ATL flight has been cancelled, they book me on the new flight listed previously.
• My plane from Gatwick leaves on time, but takes a route that goes over Scotland, crosses the Atlantic just touching the bottom tip of Greenland, flying down to Dallas going over a fair chunk of Canada in the process; ostensibly to avoid the weather. This adds a couple of hours flight time, but as my connecting flight no longer exists that doesn't seem to matter much.
• Eventually I reach the ticket desk at DFW, they are able to get me on AA1868 Arriving in Atlanta at 1405 (Kitsune, you'll probably have to pick me up and all my luggage until I'm handed off to Rkitect.) First class also, according to the ticket.
• They also give me vouchers to cover the cost of a hotel for the night, and journey to and from the airport.
• The useless shuttle driver delivers us to the wrong hotel, and drives off before we can inform him of his mistake.
• Two other people dropped off at this wrong hotel and I get a taxi to the correct hotel - because the first driver took our vouchers this is out of our own pocket.
• The correct hotel needs a credit card for the booking (in case I use the phone or similar) - I have no credit card, nor a supported debit card - I'm informed that it will be difficult to find a hotel where this is not the case.
• They kindly let me use their Internet though, hence my being able to post this.
• The plan now is to use my return shuttle ticket, and find some way to idle at the airport (or sort things out better with the ticket desk) until my flight.

[Kits]

I'll be there!