Aside from unexpected traffic at every turn driving from the Ks to Ontario (Calif.) airport, everything was looking just jim-cracky fine for the flight back home. Check-in went cleanly, and the minor difficulties of baggage inspection at ONT were quickly overcome. We trucked up to the United corner of the terminal and hung out.
The plane was about half an hour late coming in. No prob.
Then they announced that the flight was very overbooked, and they were offering a free flight pass to anyone who would give up a seat on the flight. Takers would be shuttled down to Orange Co. (Calif.) and would fly out on a plane from there to Denver, arriving a bit before ten, vs. 5:30 on the present flight.
I am a creature of expectations. I can do okay in a crisis, I think, because I don’t expect expectations to happen. But when given a choice of giving up my expectations, my first impulse is to take a big passerino. All I wanted to do was get home and have a quiet evening. Besides, I had a game to run the next day.
And, besides, there was big crowd of folks gathering at the podium already. Right?
I pinged Margie. She left it up to me. Fine.
Well, then they announced the need again, some more. The joys of Spring Break (beginning or ending).
Finally, they announced that they needed three more. Hell with it. I dashed up to the podium.
And they took it with no problem, since they really did need more than the three mentioned. Moreover, they were offering either free tickets, or $400 in travel vouchers per ticket. Well, hell, we usually spend about $200 per ticket when we travel, so …
So we hopped the shuttle van down to SNA, along with some other fellow delayed travellers. Ended up eating a nice dinner with Margie’s folks across the street from the airport, got home at a late but doable hour, and got $1200 in travel vouchers which I am sure we will be able to use over the next 12 months.
Keen.