Well... it's been little more than a week. In that time frame, I've closed up shop in Glendale, packed my meager carry-on possessions along with a few bits I was bringing back for the girls, including a DUCK DYNASTY calendar for my friend Mike (Big Fan), and a couple of used brake light switches for his son, Chris.
I personally have never seen the show because as some of you know... we have Bell Satellite television with 5000 channels, none of which are any good/interesting/useful/entertaining or worth the price of admission to watch.
Bell... minus 1
Net Flix... plus 9.9
My return trip was truly a flyer's nightmare. Super Shuttle did great, showed up on time, delivered me to Terminal 4 in short order, from there it was pretty much all downhill. I'd printed boarding passes for my two flights home, and arriving at Air Canada's Phoenix Sky Harbor counters, I was greeted by about two hundred people that seemed somewhat perturbed and maybe irritated waiting in line in a haphazard manner.
A short while later, one of the male AC attendants stands on the luggage platform and hollering through cupped hands informs us their "computers are down! For those of you without checked baggage and with pre printed boarding passes, proceed directly to the gate." After a long walk, a bite to eat and spending only a very short delay in security where I removed my laptop, shoes, belt, keys, underwear (just kidding, I wasn't wearing any) and then was lucky enough to be "scanned" like some pork chops at Safeway, I arrive at Gate 26. To find, the flight is delayed. I look outside, it's a beautiful day, nary a cloud in sight, and we are already delayed. I wonder if it has anything to do with the "computers being down?"
I find an empty seat at Gate 24, where AC is scheduled to depart soon to Calgary and wonder if I shouldn't be taking that flight instead. Names are being called over the loudspeaker system, no standing on a counter here. Of course you haven't a clue what is being said. I thought I heard 'Simon' so I made my way over the the counter along with about 20 people before me, and that many more behind, only to find my boarding pass is inadmissible. She wants to send me back to the AC counter downstairs about 3 blocks walk distant. That would mean having to stand at the counter where the computers are probably still non functional and then having to go through security to be scanned once again!
It takes me awhile to convince the frustrated attendant to just scan my bar code from the printed sheet I am carrying in my hands, and finally, I think because the cue was getting longer with irate customers, she relents. Lo and behold... it doesn't fry the system, no planes fall from the sky, and we are good to go!
Except the plane is further delayed...
Calgary, which was scheduled to leave a half hour later than my T.O. flight boards and departs, as I sit along with a couple of hundred other passengers, gathering dust.
No explanation...
Eventually the call for boarding begins but by this time the staff seems oblivious to our plight and they do not indicate who is boarding and when. Now, it only makes sense that those in the latter rows should board first, doesn't it? It seemed like a free for all circus to me...
I'm not too worried, unlike some people with connecting flights, mine is scheduled for a 2 1/2 hour stopover before I head east to the Maritimes.
Of course by the time we are descending into Toronto, we are 90 minutes late. This means I have to walk the long walk, get through Canada customs and complete my half marathon to gate 36B, only to find this plane is delayed by first an hour then an indefinite time as we travelers are to find out.
Given the problem I had with my boring pass in Phx, I patiently wait at the counter with several others and ask the attendant (who's first language and possibly not even her second, was certainly not English.) Why do these company's place people that don't speak the language of the country they are in is beyond me. I tried twice to inquire if my boarding pass was acceptable and after the third try, gave up. She was not able to understand my question.
Boarding pass in hand; "Excuse me, I had difficulty boarding the plane at AC in Phoenix... I want to make sure my preprinted boarding pass is acceptable?"
Replies varied from; "yes the plane will be here in only 10 minutes" to "Please have a seat sir..."
After an hour had passed, with virtually no updates, and people crowding the counter in frustration, she was obviously distressed and announced we would now be boarding at Gate 34 rather then 36!
One hundred or so passengers follow her, me right behind in her footsteps, to the new gate which, not surprisingly is locked. She turns and says; "They will open the gate in only a few minutes" and then promptly disappears not to resurface until the gate finally does open... two hours later!!!
We, the people... stood there blocking the hallway for two hours without so much as seeing another AC employee or hearing any announcements or being told a thing.
When finally admitted, the same attendant who clearly, should not be working in that position fumbles through getting us aboard and we eventually leave Toronto after nearly 3 hours delay.
Not until we are on board the short haul jet, does the captain of the flight, upon hearing of our problems, offer an apology! Not once, but twice...
Is it any wonder people have no sympathy for our national airline...
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