1:35:45 (Lesson Learned, The Hard Way)

I know this title wouldn’t pass an editor’s scrutiny if I were writing a book, but it does tell a story.  For one hour, thirty-five minutes, and forty-five seconds, I was on the phone with the CDS program manager.   Allow me to digress…

The hour of my departure is rapidly approaching.  My journey’s first plane ride takes off on Thursday, 9/5 at 7AM.  After finalizing my packing at about 12:15AM, I knew 4:55AM was going to arrive very quickly.  Before retiring for the night, I reviewed my mental checklist several more times and realized I was as ready as I’ll ever be.

The morning progressed normally, I packed my luggage into the car, and we were in line at the airline by 5:55AM for a 7AM Tampa -> Miami flight.  (I won’t mention the airline by name because this situation could happen with any of them.)  Fifteen people were in front of us and the line was proceeding slowly.  At about 6:20, an airline associate came out from behind the counter and I asked him what he could do to get my 2 bags checked and get me on the plane. 

He frantically helped me for 5 minutes, but had no choice but to share the bad news.  Forty minutes before the flight leaves, passengers are no longer able to check-in luggage.  By then, it was 35 minutes before the flight was scheduled to depart.  This is not what I wanted to hear knowing that if I wasn’t on the Miami flight, the rest of my itinerary would be nullified, and I would be unable to arrive in Uberlandia at 11:30PM Thursday.  

Soon I was on the phone with the CDS program manager.  He was my liaison to the company who would cancel my original flight and book me a new one.  After much negotiation, time on the phone (1:35:45), and a lot of patience, I had a new itinerary that would get me into Uberlandia at approximately 9:00PM on Friday, 9/6.  Unfortunately, the new plans involved a red eye from Miami -> Rio and an 8 ½ hour lay-over in Rio.  So much for flying during the day and seeing the majesty and magnitude of the Amazon rainforest from 35,000 feet.

Morale of the Story  --  Even if you are taking a domestic flight, arrive at the airport at least 90 minutes before your flight leaves.  If you are not checked in at least 40 minutes before the flight leaves, you’re out of luck.   : - (    (A customer service manager told me that some U.S. airports have a 45 minute time limit.) 

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