Cardinal Forums

I'm in New Jersey. Another real life adventure in modern air travel in getting here. It all began when I got on an Embraer 145 at KXNA headed for KEWR. Left on time (something of an unusual occurance), taxied out to the runway and did a 180, shut off the engines. Had to wait 30 minutes for a passing thunderstorm cell to clear the takeoff area. Pedal to the metal enroute made up 20 minutes. Not sure why, because we reached NJ and had to hold for two circuits before being allowed to continue on the approach

Safely on the ground, we taxied to a holding apron while we waited for ground traffic to clear the gate area. Lost 15 minutes there. Then we taxied into the gate area and shut down to wait for a tug to pull us into the docking ramp. It was explained to us that it was necessary because the area was very tight. 5 minutes later we were hooked up and pulled to the gate. Ten minutes later we were backed back out. Seems the gate mechanism wouldn't align with the plane. We made 4 (as in FOUR) docking attempts before they got the ramp in place.

My solution? Pop the exit doors and use the slides. They didn't think that was funny.

So I'm headed back today. No big deal, except that it's into the remnants of the hurricane in NW Arkansas and SW Missouri. You'll get "the rest of the story" if and when I arrive at home this evening. Sure hope Patterson isn't flying co-pilot ... :-)

Sorry to here that Mike. Now something that sends shivers down my spine it the thought of sitting in a shutdown aircraft on the tarmac (Been there and done that). I don't ever what it to happen again. I heared the horror stories about Jet blue awhile back where they sit in crowed aircraft for hours. I hope for a good return trip.

Well, the airlines did OK if you consider 30 minutes getting out of Newark OK. That's about average because you wait in line for 15 minutes for a runway.

The real fun began at Fayetteville. Got off the plane and headed for the lot. I had parked in the far corner of the economy lot to save money and dented doors. Raining like mad from the friendly hurricane remains. Got soaked like a drowned rat before I got to the car. Drove to the exit and encountered a “credit card only” exit. No sweat, I have a credit card. Stuck the parking ticket into the slot and then it asked for the card. Stuck the card into the slot and it couldn’t read the magnetic strip on the credit card, rendering an “invalid card” reply on the LED screen which I had to wipe off to read. Got out and explained to the cars behind me that the #@!$ thing wouldn’t let me out and that I needed to back up and get out of there. Backed up and found another exit to the other manned exit booths. Stuck the card into the exit machine to raise the arm which let me pass through to the exit booths and the card had gotten so wet (I guess) the machine wouldn’t read it and wouldn’t raise the #$!@ arm. Backed up, forcing two other cars to back up behind me and drove up as close to the exit booths as I could, got out of the car and walked in the pouring rain to the booths to ask how the heck I’m supposed to get out of this mess. The lady looked at me like I’m a vagrant (I’m sure I looked lovely with wet clothes and hair) and then shut down the booth and drove her car over to the barricade and raised the bar to let me through. Finally got out of there and drove home.

Always an adventure.

Oh man what a trip. Mike the wet I could deal with but the *%^*% at the gate would have done me in.

Hi all, I think it is better to drive now if possible. We had a 16 year old grand daughter we took to KSAT to go to Tenn. via KCLE. We dropped her off and my wife checked to make sure everything was OK with the flight. Well it was slipped 1 hour, well OK. We got home and our grand dauthter called and said that she had gotten a call from home and her flight had been cancelled. We told her to go back to the check in location because no one was at the counters near the gates. She was able to handle it and she was routed to KATL in about 3 hour take off. She did get there that night. Thank God for mobile phones.
John Gilg CAL 2051