Alaska Airlines

Friday at Oakland airport is always hectic and this week was no exception. Lots of folks in a hurry going places.

I get to the counter to check in for my flight to Orange County and Hit #1 the flight is delayed (6:10p to 7:30p). Hit #2 I am in a middle seat (7E). No worries I can fix number 2 I asked the desk if I could purchase a first class upgrade for the flight. No seats were available but I was wait listed -- all good.

Security was a little slow but still good because I am not in a hurry. I am chilling at gate 6 reading Power Play by Joseph Finder and as we neared the time the gate agent called my name to come up to purchase the first class upgrade. Sweet! (oh, Shut up! It is still my birthday month and I can still treat myself) Also, the mere thought of not bumping elbows with my usually cranky seat mate was enough for me to put down my c-r-e-d-i-t c-a-r-d.

We boarded the flight, no elbow bumping except for this curmudgeon elderly gentleman who was intent on putting his bags up and did not care that I had been putting my stuff up first. I think he was not cool that I was in first class but that's a whole other thing that I don't want to get into. He did the same thing later but I digress.


We are all comfortable, the flight attendant is getting our drink orders, and I have promptly forgotten the grump across the aisle. Disaster strikes. The pilot comes out and announces we are waiting for a standby altimeter. They called ahead to get the part and when the flight got to Oakland the part had not yet arrived and they would wait for either it to come from San Francisco or another plane already at the airport.


Well, neither option happened and the pilot soon came on the horn and said we should get off the plane because the part was not available. Humph! No matter a flight was coming in and we could use that plane. Folks were getting grumpy. The gate agent handed out food vouchers to a rather long line. I was not up there getting a voucher! I don't want food I want to go home.

Guess what I was eating a pizza slice about 15 minutes later. Just after I settled down we got moved to gate 8. We are now close to 8:40p and the later flight to OC is about to take off. I check and there is no room on that flight. Very grumpy people in the waiting area. I also asked if our flight will a make it into John Wayne Airport not LA like they sometimes do and was assured that it will. John said I should invoke rule 240 which gets the airline to put you on another flight that may not be theirs if they are having issues. Very tempting.

The plane came in and the gate agent made the announcement that the flight was going to fly into LAX. Awww flipping sticks! Now I had to tell my honey to drive to LA to pick me up. There was more drama though. There was a whole gang of folk at the gate desk all irate and there was even some yelling. Next thing I know two security show up and not long after two more show up. That is a first for me. I have pictures in my phone of all the commotion but have not figured out how to get them out of my phone! Need to step it up on the technology front. I'm not represetin'.

We boarded the flight and it took a while for us to take off. The attendants were all in the doorway have a fine chat possibly waiting for paperwork but I was itching to go. Another 10 minutes later, which felt like an eternity, we rolled back from the gate. First class was jovial, I got my drink order after we were in the air all was good. One of the ladies in first class must have had too much to drink because she was getting louder and louder. Considering all the drama I did not blame her. Or she must have been winding down from all the commercial real estate stress (she was some sort of commercial real estate agent).

The guys in the aisle across from her were into gin one had gin and tonic (yeah, you guessed it, he is English and a consultant), the other had a gin and soda water (he was web zine business guy). Both were loud as well. The guy sitting with me was keeping it real with a simple beer. The girls behind me were a little giggly who knows when they started. The grumpy old man and his wife well, they were a little stiff. I had orange juice (I know, bo-o-oring!)

Even the flight attendant for first class was a little giggly. Maybe she was just happy that this was coming to an end. The best part is we landed, albeit a little roughly, and I was getting giddy myself on the the thought that I would not be seeing any of them anytime soon. Even better is not too long after a got out my hubby showed up in the stretch with a plate of food and drink. Now, that is what I call servicio! Eating steak sandwiches and drinking propel my flight ordeal was almost a distant memory.

I still plan to write a note to Alaska Airlines.