After a wonderful vacation in Brazil, it was time to start the long journey home. We started at the Falls do Iguacu airport. We walked out to our plane and boarded our flight to Rio.
Now, you'd think that the Rio airport would be big, nice, and air conditioned right? Well, you would be wrong. It's tiny and HOT. And we were hot, tired, and a little grumpy.
While waiting in the endless line for the Delta counter, I realized that we did not have any seat assignments on our itinerary. Not good...not good at all! I was starting to get very nervous because this was one of the biggest traveling days of the year with everyone heading home from various Holiday vacations. When it was finally our turn we headed to the counter, handed over our paperwork and waited. The first thing the attendant said to us was, "are you in a hurray to get home?"
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"Well, if you were willing to wait until Monday to travel, we would put you up in a hotel here in Rio until then and fly you home business class."
"Huh? Don't we have a seat?"
"Not at this time."
So, we said we would rather travel home with our family and so he checked us in WITHOUT a seat assignment.
Again, not good. Not good at all.
We went back to the gate and I sat down to wait for a Delta attendant, and Kirk and the girls went upstairs to grab something to eat at the ONE eatery for the whole airport. Yes, it's quite a good operation they have going there in Rio. (forgive the sarcasm!)
Our flight started to board, and I still did not have seat assignments for my family, and no one to talk to. They kept sending us from counter to counter telling us that someone would help any minute now.
Finally, my father-in-law threw a mini-tantrum in Portuguese, and they handed us 4 Business Class tickets and one Coach. We were ushered on the plane with First Class status, and we all said good-bye to Kirk as he headed back to spend the next 10 hours in Coach.
Now we were on the plane, but our troubles were not over because our seats were not together. At this point, I was the poor, disheveled, pathetic, crying mother at the front of the plane. Luckily, a wonderful couple took pity on me and moved so I could sit with my girls.
I wish I could fly this way everywhere. We had an amazing 3 course dinner (the food was really good!) and the flight attendants were so good to my girls helping them with everything while I took care of Olivia who had spiked a fever. (she decided to start cutting her molars!)
After eating, listening to some music, and watching a bit of a movie, Monique turned to me and said, "I'm tired. I think I'll go to sleep now."
And with that, she positioned her seat to lay back, put her sleeping mask on, pulled up her blanket and went to sleep.
We all slept very well, in fact, right through breakfast. Gotta love Business Class!
We made it to Atlanta and through our last layover and flight home to Denver.
Ah..... Home Sweet, Cold, Snowy, Icy, Cloudy, Brown.....
WHAT!!!!
Take me back to the beach!
Now, you'd think that the Rio airport would be big, nice, and air conditioned right? Well, you would be wrong. It's tiny and HOT. And we were hot, tired, and a little grumpy.
While waiting in the endless line for the Delta counter, I realized that we did not have any seat assignments on our itinerary. Not good...not good at all! I was starting to get very nervous because this was one of the biggest traveling days of the year with everyone heading home from various Holiday vacations. When it was finally our turn we headed to the counter, handed over our paperwork and waited. The first thing the attendant said to us was, "are you in a hurray to get home?"
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"Well, if you were willing to wait until Monday to travel, we would put you up in a hotel here in Rio until then and fly you home business class."
"Huh? Don't we have a seat?"
"Not at this time."
So, we said we would rather travel home with our family and so he checked us in WITHOUT a seat assignment.
Again, not good. Not good at all.
We went back to the gate and I sat down to wait for a Delta attendant, and Kirk and the girls went upstairs to grab something to eat at the ONE eatery for the whole airport. Yes, it's quite a good operation they have going there in Rio. (forgive the sarcasm!)
Our flight started to board, and I still did not have seat assignments for my family, and no one to talk to. They kept sending us from counter to counter telling us that someone would help any minute now.
Finally, my father-in-law threw a mini-tantrum in Portuguese, and they handed us 4 Business Class tickets and one Coach. We were ushered on the plane with First Class status, and we all said good-bye to Kirk as he headed back to spend the next 10 hours in Coach.
Now we were on the plane, but our troubles were not over because our seats were not together. At this point, I was the poor, disheveled, pathetic, crying mother at the front of the plane. Luckily, a wonderful couple took pity on me and moved so I could sit with my girls.
I wish I could fly this way everywhere. We had an amazing 3 course dinner (the food was really good!) and the flight attendants were so good to my girls helping them with everything while I took care of Olivia who had spiked a fever. (she decided to start cutting her molars!)
After eating, listening to some music, and watching a bit of a movie, Monique turned to me and said, "I'm tired. I think I'll go to sleep now."
And with that, she positioned her seat to lay back, put her sleeping mask on, pulled up her blanket and went to sleep.
We all slept very well, in fact, right through breakfast. Gotta love Business Class!
We made it to Atlanta and through our last layover and flight home to Denver.
Ah..... Home Sweet, Cold, Snowy, Icy, Cloudy, Brown.....
WHAT!!!!
Take me back to the beach!
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
2 comments:
I feel for you. I think that's why we don't fly anywhere! I'm so glad there are nice people out there who are willing to trade seats to help out others. Glad you were able to fly business class--I'm sure it was so nice!! Poor Kirk having to be all alone in coach :( Glad you were able to get home safely though.
oh man ... glad you got some help with the girls.
the one time we flew business class, every seat had its own TV. the next plane we got on was a serious disappointment to my then-2-year-old daughter, who kept asking where the TV was and looking for one in the armrest.
Post a Comment