I had no concept what to call this submit, however I do not need to hold making an attempt to think about one thing else, hahaha.
Final week, I used to be actually desirous to get out of the home and simply go somewhere–anywhere. My mother and father, in addition to Jeanie and Shawn, are in Hilton Head, South Carolina proper now. My mother and father go down yearly to take pleasure in nicer climate within the chilly months of Michigan.
They’ve at all times needed Jerry and I to go down there (with the children after all) for per week or perhaps a few days, however we’re not “seashore” individuals and it simply is not a spot that we have had curiosity in visiting. (Noah and Eli have gone, although.) Final week, the thought simply popped into my head to go down there (alone) and shock my mother and father. Since Jeanie and Shawn are there now as properly, I requested Jeanie if they may choose me up from the airport if I used to be capable of go. She appreciated the thought too, so the following step was to ask Brian for a buddy go to fly.
The price of a ticket was insane–about $1000–so that was out of the query. Being a pilot, Brian has “buddy passes” that he can let associates/household use to fly for reasonable (to go to Hilton Head is $187 with a buddy go). The largest downside with utilizing a buddy go is that you do not have a confirmed seat. The most effective half is that you do not have to plan forward; you possibly can actually determine proper earlier than the flight if you wish to be listed for standby. It is form of enjoyable to make use of for last-minute journeys!
Sadly, Delta would not fly immediately into Hilton Head anymore, so I would need to fly into Savannah. And there aren’t direct flights from Detroit to Savannah, so Brian mentioned I would need to go from Detroit to Atlanta, after which Atlanta to Savannah (the place Jeanie would choose me up).
My bank card would solely get charged after making the flight, so if I did not make it on, then I would not need to pay for it. I would deliberate to go down on Thursday and the flight was trying an increasing number of full. By Wednesday evening, Brian mentioned that he was very assured that I might *not* make it on the flight (which means there weren’t many open seats and the record of standby passengers was lengthy).
On Thursday, Brian mentioned every part was trying okay for the primary flight (5:20 am) on Friday. The issue was that flights from Atlanta to Savannah had been full for all the flights besides the primary one (which might be my connection). That meant that if I did not get on the primary flight in Detroit (to Atlanta), even when I took a later flight, I might seemingly get caught in Atlanta.
I notice that is all complicated, haha. Anyway, I made a decision to go for it–Brian mentioned it will most likely be *very* shut whether or not I received on the flight or not, however I used to be actually hoping I would be capable of go. So I left the home at 3:45 am for the airport (Jerry dropped me off after which went out for espresso to attend and listen to from me whether or not I made the flight.
Once I received to the gate, I nervously watched the app, seeing my identify method on the backside of the record. Because the flight stuffed up, among the standby passengers got seat assignments. Primarily based on the variety of seats open and the variety of individuals on the record, it began to appear like I won’t make it. Nonetheless, issues change proper up till the final second.
Finally, I used to be third on the standby record. And there was solely ONE seat open. I observed that the 2 individuals forward of me had been seemingly touring collectively (similar final identify) and I hoped that since there was just one seat left, they’d go it up–and then it will be ME that received the final seat!
Then it received complicated for a second. After checking with the couple, the gate agent really gave me a seat task after which the second my identify got here from her mouth, a flight attendant got here out and mentioned that there was yet another open seat… so there have been really TWO accessible. And naturally, the couple on the record forward of me received the seats.
I used to be so bummed. Flying on a buddy go isn’t a assure, so I knew I many not make it–still, it was disappointing to be *that* near getting on the flight! It did get me to start out interested by going someplace else, although. I’ll take a spontaneous journey quickly 🙂
