18:45 - arrive at LGA with little fanfare. As I get into the terminal, I check the boards to find my next flight, headed to PVD, set to depart from gate 10, on-time (19:59). So I wander a bit past gate 10 and review the stores/food court. No interest.
19:05 - return to gate 10 with yogurt parfait and water in hand. Find a seat and enjoy my food. I notice that there is no airline personnel at the desk nor is the flight monitor active. About a dozen passengers are around. After eating, I pull out a book to read.
19:35 - a passenger wanders by looking for a seat and asks the general area whether this is the right gate for PVD and why hasn't boarding started. It does seem strange. I notice my phone is dying and I should find a receptacle. An airline person walks to the counter.
19:40 - I move across the way close to the door near a power receptacle and plug in my phone. I reopen the book and wait to see what happens. The woman takes the mike and announces, 'the plane outside has been sitting there for two days for mechanical issues. They are still working on it. We will let you know.'
19:45 - second announcement. 'Flight is not taking off. Passengers can hurry and take an US Airways Express flight to DC and then back up to Providence. There are no other flights to Providence. The DC flight is at gate 18 and boards real soon now.' She told some people that they should rush over to the gate.
19:55 - I don't panic even when 12-15 ppl rush away from the gate. I ask about any flights to Boston. There is a 9pm flight. I decide to take that info and think about my options. I try reach my friends in Boston (voicemail) and then call my friend in Providence. Mike suggests that maybe the airline would compensate a train ticket to PVD from NYC or from Boston. Also, he could just come to Logan. I check back with the airline person and they don't know if I could get a voucher for a train. When I am ready, I should head to Special Services.
20:10 - I head to Special Services and ask to transfer to the Boston flight. I also ask to have my checked bag transferred because otherwise it would stay in LaGuardia (I assume). I ask the manager about getting free access to WiFi (it costs money) to search for travel options or train vouchers. No dice. She says I can send an email to US Airways and mention the situation to get reimbursements.
20:30 - I head over to gate 19 (other side of airport). I notice that the 9pm Boston flight is listed as delayed until 9:30pm. Ugh! I ask at the desk and find that the plane is enroute and arrives by 8:50pm.
20:45 - After settling in to wait, I see the departure boards and notice a PVD flight listed to depart at 9pm. I didn't note the gate number, but the flight number was my old one. I ask the desk near me and they are confused. Asked me who said that the flight was cancelled. They call Special Services and find out yes, mechanical delays and it will be listed as cancelled. Local manager confirms. I return to my seat and ignore the board.
20:50 - I spend some time researching how to get from BOS to PVD. Maybe Amtrak, maybe rental car. Talked with my friends in Boston. Mike planned to call me back.
20:59 - I packed up my bag and was planning on asking the desk about the Boston plane. I hear an announcement stating last call for Providence flight at gate 8! What? I rush to the desk and ask this guy about the announcement. He comes out of a daze and says he didn't hear it. I ask to check for the PVD flight and gate 8. A woman looks and says that it still shows maintenance issues. The guys says that no one is answering at 8. I decided to rush back over.
21:10 - I arrive at gate 8. I ask the woman about a flight to Providence. She (Lucy) says that it is ready to leave and I missed the flight. I quickly explain and she calls on the radio down to the tarmac and asks to hold the plane. She finds out that I can board but my bag is not going to make it back to this flight. Tarmac radios that some bags bound from Providence have just arrived. Lucy and I rush down to the plane and she takes my claim ticket to see if my bag is on the cart before they load it. Nope. But I can still go to Providence if I want. (The plane destined for Boston is now at its gate and prepping for travel, with my bag).
21:30 - I am the sole passenger on a small prop jet headed to PVD. Just me, two pilots, and a flight attendant. I actually have to sit in the back for weight balance. Kinda fun.
And that's how I arrive in Providence and my bag heads to Logan. Fortunately, I am not on some crazy high-level business trip. Fortunately, Boston is a short one hour trip away. Fortunately, I have some good friends in Boston to meet up with for dinner.
It is often said that how you react to circumstances is the key. Like water off a duck's back. Take every situation as a blessing in disguise. One I like is that the size of a man is equivalent to the size of the thing that pisses him off. Worst case scenario - buy new clothes. Best case - a day in Boston. And that is what I had.
Thanks for reading,
~J^3
I love this post. Great story!
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