Greyhound flashbacks...

for those of you who don't know my Greyhound story - the title is probably odd - but trust me, it was so much more dramatic and painful than the current saga:

took a 4am bus from UL to Dublin Airport on Saturday. Arrived an hour early - good start, eh? WRONG. after being awake since 630am Friday morning (less a few tiny naps), I crashed on the mezzanine level and got caught sleeping by a custodian. I found out that Aer Lingus and Northwest Airlines are not networked together, so I was only able to checkin for the Aer Lingus flight - and had no boarding pass for the last 2 flights. once I was able to check in my luggage, I went up to grab some breakfast and buy some souvenirs for friends. (fyi: spar at the airport does not carry full size toothpastes - nor does anywhere else in the Dublin airport!).

11:20 plane leaves around 11:40 and arrives in london 20 mins late. after waiting to get someone to unlock the door into the building, I make my way to the train and then on to terminal 4. I find the NWA/KLM desk only to find out that (after 30+min of cross-airport travel) my first flight landed 5 mins after boarding for my transatlantic flight closed - and since I was not checked in, I was restricted from the flight.

flight changed to 24hrs later.

back on train - to Aer Lingus desk. they comped me 2 meals and a hotel for the night. ummm... maybe I should say "motel" in the shape of a "hotel". the bathroom wasn't clean and my hairdryer had blue sparks flying out of it when I tried to put it on high.

managed to find a grocery store with my friend's toothpaste, YAY!

crashed. with no fan. for 11 hrs. :) I guess I can sleep without a fan after a 3-day conference and being awake for the greater part of 60hrs!

today, I arrived at Heathrow 3hrs in advance. got to the check-in counter with my boarding passes to make sure my baggage was checked through on this flight, but NO. That would make life too easy! :)

The airport had no record of my baggage. 2 NWA employees and 30min later, they found my bags and told me to check with NWA after I crossed security to make sure that NWA had them logged into their system. Did that. The lady SAID it was there, but to check with the people at the counter to double (in this case, quadruple)-check. checked with the employees at the boarding gate - was told that the luggage "would" be on my flight.

flight sat on the ground for nearly an hour, spent the first 2hrs in the air without audio/video because the system kept crashing, arrived in Minneapolis after nearly 10hrs on a plane... to NO LUGGAGE.

spoke with 2 NWA employees in MSP who informed me that there is NO record of NWA ever having my baggage, that London hires out employees who are contracted and not actual NWA staff, and that the people in London probably (and I quote) "just told me that my luggage was on the flight to keep the line moving".

so this trip, I have cried, once again -- but not in the good way!!!

:)

*sigh*

still in MSP. called the 800# and complained. can't file a missing baggage claim until Canada if I want my luggage to be shipped to me in SK on NWA's tab and then it will be an additional 24-48hr minimum before my luggage arrives.

if it arrives. my luck with missing luggage is all or nothing. should be 'interesting'.

PS
my scrapbook, my primary thesis texts, and the books I bought at the conference are all in my checked luggage...

I hope to never repeat this experience & I honestly wish I could get out of flying with NWA on my return flight, but that is not an option, eh?

later!