Flying the Friendly Skies

For Christmas Mark gave me a trip back to see my friends in Texas.  He intuitively knew I don't need more stuff, I just need my friends.  So he arranged for me to head to Texas for 5 days with friends.  I know, he's great like that. 

In the process of planning the trip he called a friend to see if my old Tuesday morning Bible study ladies (sorry ladies, you're not that old) would be meeting, knowing that I would probably want to see them too.  They were, but during the call Natalie (the friend) offered a "buddy pass" to fly standby, saying it would otherwise go unused as it expired at the end of January.  My husband, ever the bargain hunter (my kids would say "cheap") took her up on it, and my trip was set.

We have been undeserving recipients of many buddy passes from our friends who work for the airlines based in our old hometown.  The first time was the first day we flew to Houston.  Mark's father had died while we were travelling, and we were met with that news at the airport, but also with two buddy passes to fly the next morning to Buffalo NY.  On several occasions Mark flew on a buddy pass to see his mom in times of crisis during the next years.  Then, when Mark's mom and my dad died three weeks apart two summers ago, once again we were saved from exhorbitant last minute flight fees with buddy passes.  Praise God for our friends, and for their generosity.

This is the first time I can remember that I used a buddy pass purely for pleasure.  The thing about a buddy pass is that you fly on standby, and you are on the bottom of the totem pole, or in this case the waitlist.  So I arrived early (4:45 am) for my 6 am flight to Houston.  Only the plane was full and I had to wait for the next flight, a little after 8 am.  Now I was third on the waiting list but made it on the flight without problem.

Once in Texas I enjoyed 5 days visiting with friends, who graciously shuttled me around the state and in some cases let me disrupt their children's sleeping habits and bedrooms to give me a place to stay.  Before I knew it, it was time to return to Phoenix.  And that's when things got interesting.

The night before the flight Natalie looked on the company website and saw that the flight I was hoping to take was oversold by 6 seats, and there were 13 people on standby (I think I was #12)...Not much chance of catching that flight, she said, and because it was so oversold, the flights the rest of the day would probably also be backed up, and even into the next day.  Yikes.  Things were not looking good.

I wasn't willing to concede.  I'd just go to the airport and wait.  I don't mind sitting around and reading for a couple hours.  Natalie said she'd take me to the airport and would be shopping at a nearby store when I was ready for her to come and pick me up to bring me back to try again the next day.  She didn't think I had a shot of getting on that flight. 

I may not have had a shot, but I did have a prayer.  As I waited, at the very crowded gate, the first thing I noticed was that it was time to board but it wasn't. As it continued to be delayed they announced that the crew was changing a seat cushion or cover.  (I will guess that someone had to use the little bag in the seat back during the previous flight...) 

Finally, about an hour late, the flight began to board, and the gate agent began calling names from standby.  Then I noticed he was calling some people two and three times.  Since by now all sections of the plane had boarded, there were few people at the gate.  He called about 4 different names, but each time, no one went forward.  Finally he called a name, and a man jumped up, delighted to have a seat.  It appeared the plane was about to leave when the gate agent closed the access to the plane.  The second gate agent was walking down the jetway. 

Noticing me standing waiting, the last one left, the gate agent called me over.  It seems someone had checked in, but hadn't boarded.  The second agent was going to board the plane and see if he had perhaps somehow slipped by without getting his ticket scanned.  "do you want to wait at the end of the jetway, just in case?  If he's there, you'll have to come back."  Yes, I said, feeling a bit like I was walking the plank. 

As I waited, I prayed that the man wasn't on the plane.  The baggage guy, who was waiting at the end of the jetway to get gate-checked bags, looked at me.  "Standby?" he said, and I nodded.  "I hate that wait," he said.  I smiled and told him I was praying that the other guy wasn't here.  Moments later the second gate agent came off the plane and said, "You're on," took my ticket, and the baggage handler took my bag, and I was on board, just as the flight attendant was telling people it was time to turn off their laptops and electronic devices.  I had a couple quick texts to send, to Natalie and to my husband, telling them I made it.

My best guess is that because of the delay, several of the people ahead of me on stand-by decided to give up the wait.  Maybe they could make it out later that day, or just change their flight plans.  As for the man who checked in but never boarded, I'm guessing he may have been thirsty and headed to the lounge. His following headache was my blessing...and I'm praising God for flight delays.  The airline's ontime record may have suffered, but I'm not complaining.  Smile.  And welcome to the friendly skies.  Where we fly on a wing...and a prayer.