When Travel Goes from Bad to Worse

Rob Saron Bovie Medical A few weeks ago I wrote a blog on travel tips. Tip number six was about when things go bad, don't stress over things you can't control. I got a good lesson on that very point the evening of June 13th.

My flight was delayed twice out of Providence, totaling one hour, but I had an unusually long layover in Atlanta. I wasn't that hungry, so I decided to wait to eat in Atlanta. Well, during our 2 hour and 11 minute flight, one of the flight attendants that recognized me (you know you fly too much when that happens) and whispered in my ear that there was bad weather in Atlanta and we were going to land somewhere else. Our new destination became Charlotte. However, being the seasoned traveler I am, I went to the Marriott web site and reserved a room at the Spring Hill Suites at the Atlanta airport while still in the air. To get to it you just go through baggage claim and jump on the train to the rental car shuttle. Once again experience says, when you need a room and are waiting for a shuttle bus to a local airport hotel and it pulls in with a 12 seat capacity and there are 40 happy travelers waiting, it isn't pretty. But wait, we haven't gotten to Atlanta yet, and now I am sorry I didn't eat in Providence. Delta's largest hub is Atlanta and I know they will get us there eventually. After being on the ground for less than an hour we get fuel and off we go...still a chance to catch my Tampa flight because it was also delayed. But at least if I don't get on, thankfully I have a room.

We land in Atlanta and pull in to gate A-9...I look up at the monitor and my flight for Tampa hasn't left yet and it is across the hall at A-10. I run to the gate and the nice Delta man says "it is closed". Now I can still see the plane, the aforementioned ramp is attached, but I am not getting on. It is close to midnight and there are no more flights. As I trudge to the exit I call Delta Special Member Services. I am a little annoyed but then see a line of approximately 800 people waiting for help at the Delta Help Desk. I realize I am in a lot better position than these people are and life once again comes into perspective. A nice lady says she is sorry, but she can get me on a flight at 11:05 AM arriving in Tampa at 12:39 PM. I get on the train to rental cars and get off at the first stop where the Marriott Spring Hill Suites is located. I wait in a short line and give the desk clerk my reservation number 90070252. The lady says we are oversold and we have booked you in a Hilton Garden Inn ten minutes away. I say, "but I have a reservation and if I don't show you still charge me...how can you possibly be oversold"? She responds, a taxi will be here shortly, please wait out front. The taxi takes me t Rob Saron Bovie Medical o the Hilton property and as we pull in, there is a line out the door. The photos don't do it justice. There is one guy trying to check people in...slowly. English is not his first language, but he is pleasant to each worn out traveler. One hour and a half later I am in my room. I usually have some extra clothes when I travel, and this was no exception. I iron my shirt, brush my teeth and hop into bed. A few minutes later someone else tries to come in my room, but it is securely locked and I was not up for meeting a new roommate anyway. Since I've got an 8:30 conference scheduled for the morning, I set my phone for 7:00. I also called downstairs for a wake up call for the same time...it never came, but I woke up early anyway.

When I was leaving the hotel their manager was greeting everyone. I complimented his night attendant on attitude and then noticed he was still manning the desk. I pointed to him and said it was ugly here last night but your clerk greeted everyone with a smile. As I walked out to get on the shuttle bus to the airport it was pulling away and wasn't coming back until the next run. I had time, wasn't concerned, but the manager came flying out the door, chased the van, and called it back.