I am proud to say that until last week, I have only missed a flight once before, and that it was due to a major error on part of the airline. The flight I missed on Friday was largely my own damn fault.
I always check in online and leave ample time to get to the airport. Last week, I did neither of these. Perhaps my nearly flawless travel record had over-inflated my confidence.
I arrived at the counter 45 minutes before the scheduled departure time and handed over my ID. No bags to check. The attendant informed me that I was too late to check in and the flight had already been closed. This was distressing, but I swallowed my anxiety and politely asked if it was possible to call the gate and ask if a late arrival could be let on board. This seemed reasonable, as I could see the boarding gate from where I was standing.
No exceptions could be made. I had not checked in online and arrived too late to check in at the counter.
Not a problem. There are dozens of flights between Johannesburg and Durban every day. I went to the ticketing counter and asked if I could take the next flight. The next available flight was leaving the following day. In fact, every airline was fully booked until Saturday afternoon. I was stranded.
On any other occasion, I might have be glad to spend an extra night in Johannesburg. However, on this particular occasion, Thanksgiving dinner was on the line, and I had to prepare green beans, scalloped potatoes and chocolate chips cookies. There was no way I was going to miss out on the only truly American tradition I maintain in South Africa, or let everyone else go without scalloped potatoes. So at 3:00 in the afternoon, I marched up to Tempest Car Hire and booked a one way rental to Durban. I drove.
6.5 hours on the road with only one pit stop for fuel and a shitty coffee, but I made it back to Durban before midnight. And on Saturday, I gathered around the table with my South African family to share Thanksgiving dinner, just as we have done for the past three years.
I love this tradition we have made together. I wouldn't miss it for the world.
I always check in online and leave ample time to get to the airport. Last week, I did neither of these. Perhaps my nearly flawless travel record had over-inflated my confidence.
I arrived at the counter 45 minutes before the scheduled departure time and handed over my ID. No bags to check. The attendant informed me that I was too late to check in and the flight had already been closed. This was distressing, but I swallowed my anxiety and politely asked if it was possible to call the gate and ask if a late arrival could be let on board. This seemed reasonable, as I could see the boarding gate from where I was standing.
No exceptions could be made. I had not checked in online and arrived too late to check in at the counter.
Not a problem. There are dozens of flights between Johannesburg and Durban every day. I went to the ticketing counter and asked if I could take the next flight. The next available flight was leaving the following day. In fact, every airline was fully booked until Saturday afternoon. I was stranded.
On any other occasion, I might have be glad to spend an extra night in Johannesburg. However, on this particular occasion, Thanksgiving dinner was on the line, and I had to prepare green beans, scalloped potatoes and chocolate chips cookies. There was no way I was going to miss out on the only truly American tradition I maintain in South Africa, or let everyone else go without scalloped potatoes. So at 3:00 in the afternoon, I marched up to Tempest Car Hire and booked a one way rental to Durban. I drove.
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| Somewhere in Free State |
6.5 hours on the road with only one pit stop for fuel and a shitty coffee, but I made it back to Durban before midnight. And on Saturday, I gathered around the table with my South African family to share Thanksgiving dinner, just as we have done for the past three years.
I love this tradition we have made together. I wouldn't miss it for the world.
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