6.26 SUNDAY - HOMEWARD BOUND

OR

Standing all the way to MIA is NOT an option!

“And there’s no Charge… really?

“No sir, it’s with our compliments for all the inconvenience we may have caused.”

We last saw our hapless travelers last night at the front desk of the Wyndham Garden in Long Island City, NY, awaiting confirmation that their “online” reservation would be honored - since it seems that last minute online bookings need to be reconfirmed… at least twice.  Fortunately they were and the Wacky American Tourist and Ever-Lovely Dragon Lady  were on their way to room 404 - city view - [NOT… it was the roof of some building to the south] and a quick unraveling to find a bite.

Too whupped to try looking for something off property we found an Eurasian eatery in the basement – we say Eurasian - since it had Won-Ton Soup, Hamburgers, Tofu, Spaghetti and Sushi… but also Blue Moon on tap…

“Orange slice, Yes-Please.  “

with Miso Soup and Pad Thai to sooth their grumbling tummies.

A relaxing soak of her swollen legs and cooling shower had Dragon Chic out like a light while Chucky checked in online for tomorrow’s flight… just to make sure, and plan the next day’s strategy.  All this while trying to hook up with Classmate Henry Bassman in NJ to no avail.  Time to Crash... it has been a VERY long day.

In spite of no sleep on the plane, Chucky was up before the sun and hustled to DELTA.COM to check if the seating for DELTA 2043 - JFK to MIA had opened up.  Finding several open seats in the “for a fee” DELTA Comfort category, he immediately calls DELTA to see if he could buy them.  

The usual "hold for the next agent" - then "do you wabt a call back" message ensued with a Call Back 15 minutes later directing him to Wonderful William.

Chucky proceeds to calmly {seriously... he was actually reserved} go through the entire litany of the last couple days chaos and indicating, rather firmly, that it was time for DELTA to Step-Up and do something right by them for a change, to which the Ever-So-Cordial William says:

“Let me see what I can do sir…

OK, I see the aisle seats you want are available for a fee, but would you allow me to seat you in two aisle seats in the Emergency Exit row, with extra leg room at no charge as a courtesy for all that you have been through?”

Say WHAT?!? – Exit Row Seats… Extra leg room... for FREE?!? Hell Yeeaahh!

“And there’s no Charge… really?

“No sir, it’s with our compliments for all the inconvenience this may have caused.”

“Why Thank you William, you are a Prince, we will surely mention your 'above & beyond' courtesy in the forthcoming Customer Satisfaction Survey.”

"And you have a Nice Day Now"

{must be a DELTA Thing}

Sooooo, not only does neither have to stand on the way to MIA, but they now have REAL seats, on the aisle, with extra leg room… FREE, and all is well in HIS world.

Dragon Chic is now wide awake taking in his exuberance and instructs him to:

“Chill Chucky and just call the car service to get us to JFK on time for our 1130 Flight.”

Hey… its only 7:00AM, we have time.

For once, a leisurely re-packing {no Ballet}, a calm check out and 2 calls to EVERYWHERE CAR SERVICE has our driver answering the 2nd call with an annoyed:

“Just give me the address… and you have vouchers, yes?”

20 minutes later Boris arrives, 

"You have vouchers, yes?”

takes a large trash bag full of empty water bottles and other stuff out of the trunk to make room for our bags, and just leaves it in the middle of the street.

Must either be Recycling or Trash day in Long Island City - or both.

The trip to JFK warmed up, once we "engaged" Mr. Grumpy Driver, and we were all great buddies by the time we pulled up to: Terminal 2 - Door #4 of JFK.  

{Aside from unraveling Delta Agents and Rivercruise Concierges… HE can still charm the barbarians}

From the look on his face, the Smiling DELTA Agent must have sensed that she needed to HANDLE Chucky gently and after checking the LUGGAGE - bubbling and gushing all the way {I want whatever SHE's having} and assuring him all would go “Swimmingly" from here on, offered to reprint their boarding passes...just in case: 

"These Cell-phones do Glitch sometimes, Dontcha know?"

Then off to Security and with only one machine working our TSA Pre-Check status was useless, so off come the shoes, belts etc, until the lead agent saw our boarding passes and says:

“They are Pre-check - move along please.”

and we are hustled through…

except when the travel sized aerosol deodorant rings the alarm in the x-ray cabinet. 

“Oh… Pre-Check?  OK- go ahead.”

We find an interesting spot for breakfast near our gate – I say interesting because:

You get to use an iPad to order, and a card reader to swipe for payment – all pretty people-less. 

But... HEY, it’s JFK in NYC - 

So there is an automatic 18% gratuity very prominently added {SAY WHAT?}… 

just for :

– Seating ourselves, placing our own order, and paying at the table with our credit card - all so a food runner can bring our eggs and waffle.  

Ya just gotta luv it!

We found a spot to charge electronics and read until time to board flight 2043 along with some of the rudest southern-bound travelers, who continued to ignore the boarding agent to wait for THEIR Zone to be called  and kept trying to jostle on first.

Settling into our - FREE - Aisle Seats - in the Exit Row:

“Are you able to assist others in case of emergency?!? Yes… Good!”

And after a 30 minute wait in line for takeoff, we actually manage to rocket off for an uneventful flight to MIA... 
"Uh...Two White Wines and those "Que Cute" little pretzels, Please?"

Upon arrival we have the privilege of hiking ½ mile from the very last gate {always} down two stairways to baggage claim {the very last carousel}, and allowed to grab the first bags off the belt – 

YEA…first time.

All the while, DL is calling Greg and Cristina to see how soon they would be there. But they were already waiting at door #27 to hustle us to back Hollywood and of course we manage to make it to I-95 just in time for... rush hour traffic – only a day late - but...

HEY… WE”RE HOME!!!!!!

{And... no one had to stand all the way here or a be Hijacked to Cuba - Thank You Mr. Lemmon!} 

Stay tuned for the usual "It's A Wrap" with closing remarks, a few choice comments for all those mentioned in the last 25 posts as well as observations, recommendations and ratings, etc…

or maybe not.

{No, the camera hasn’t arrived yet to add pics}

And as you surely must be accustomed by now... you'll just have sit on the edge of your Whatevah, quivering with breathless anticipation for that…

Or not.

Ciao for Now,

Uncle Chuck & The Soooo Glad to be HOME!

Dragon Lady