Wireless In Rhode Island

For anyone who scoffed at my need for a wireless connection at any airport, I have a little story. I arrived at a certain airport at noon last Wednesday for my 1:14 pm departure. After everyone boarded, they decided that the plane (regional jet) was over it's weight limit. They make a lame announcement which basically says "we are over our weight limit and we need some people to get off the plane". Yeah, Mr. Airline Employee that's going to work. So "Little Miss Helpful Let Me Tell You How To Do Your Job" (aka - me) sitting in the front row tells the guy "I think you need to tell people a little more info if you want them to volunteer. You know, tell them if you are offering any vouchers, tell them when they will be rebooked, things like that". Blank stare from Mr. Airline Employee.

Of course no one volunteers, so I said I would sacrifice my 110 pounds - HAHAHAHAHAHA. Six other women (who are now my new friends) volunteer also. Then the chaos begins. The gate agents start pecking on their keyboards looking for alternate flights for us and what do you know, can't seem to find any. "Little Miss Wireless" (aka - me) fires up my laptop, logs onto my favorite travel website and proceeds to find flights for myself. I also tried to help my new friends but they were all traveling together and it wasn't easy to find six seats. Yes, I was one of "those" people - but hey I wanted to get home. The gate agent tries to tell me that there aren't any seats on the flight I found and I say "yes, actually 3F in first class is open and that will work just fine for me." The seven of us then proceed to re-negotiate the original voucher offered and got them to increase that a bit as well. Only fair since I did a bit of the work.

It took TWO hours to get all of that settled and then still had a couple of hours before the new flight. So I headed to the airport bar with my six new friends and had a couple of drinks. They were a hoot!!! So if you ever get stuck at the airport just give me a shout and I will hook you up!!

P.S. - Angela, Mark is of course excluded from any frustration that I appear to have with Mr. Airline Employee and his co-workers. Mark is the pilot, the one that gets me home safely. I say THANK YOU every time I pass the cockpit door when getting off of a flight - even if it is late.