I awoke on July 24th at 6:15, anxious to start my adventure flight, showered
and left for the airport at 7:45 arriving at Terminal 1 at 8:30, 2 hour prior to
my flight. Checked my bag and proceeded to the gate for flight 1171 scheduled to
depart at 10:30 a.m. At departure time we were notified that our flight would be
delayed. No panic yet as there was two hours between the connecting flights.
At 10:55 my name was called and they had me transferred to another flight
leaving at 11:00. The mad dash was on, as it was a considerable distance to the
new departure gate, only to discover that the vacant seat I was to have by a no
show, showed. No seats to be had on that flight. But, I was assured my luggage
would be on that flight and I could pick it up in Vancouver. Another flight was
found leaving at 12:00 p.m. one gate further than my original flight, so off I
went. Fortunately I was put on Executive class, one good thing to happen today.
The 12:00 p.m. flight only gave me 1/2 hour to get my connecting flight in
Vancouver which is do able, I am told. But again there was a delay of 20 min;
still I hoped I could make it if I was escorted through customs to the plane.
All of this was to be arranged by the pilot and ground crew as well as
notification to relatives joining with me in Vancouver.
We arrived in Vancouver at 12:12 and no one seems to be aware of anything, no
escort, no help, no concern, but I was told that they were still boarding on
flight 47 and I’d better run. So like an idiot I did my best impression of the
O.J. Simpson commercial and hurdled my way through the first stage of customs to
the luggage pick up.
What? No Luggage!!!!! What a surprise.
I was then told the flight had left even though there appeared to be 6 of us
waiting. Because I had passed through the first stage of customs, I was not
permitted to return to any part of the terminal without an Air Canada escort
that was called to escort me. Par for the (Air Canada) course the escort was a
no show. There was no phone either so I could not even call to inform anyone of
my situation. The Air Canada agent who finally arrived, helped me to get a
ticket on standby for a 7:30 flight, or I could stay the night in Vancouver and
they would accommodate me with a hotel room. Mighty big of them I'd say. I was
told when they got me to Honolulu, if I made the 7:30 flight, # 33, I would have
to wait at the airport or get my own accommodations as Air Canada would no
longer afford me a hotel room having full-filled their obligation to get me to
Hawaii. Of course as my commuter flight to Kona was missed and there would be no
connecting flight till the following day and thinking I'd rather be in Honolulu
I went for the standby option as the next flight would be 2:30 p.m. on Monday.
What a wasted precious vacation day that would have been.
So, for three hours I remained in limbo land (customs) waiting for my luggage,
2:30 to 5:30 at which time, lo and behold, my luggage arrived off the original
flight which arrived 4 1/2 hours after it should have. My ticket was changed to
flight 33 on my baggage and off I went. Guess what? The 7:30 flight was delayed,
what a surprise. It was set for 8:30 then 9:30 and finally departed at 10:20
with a slight delay due to a panel control light reading of compression problems
in the cabin. Oh well, I might have to wear a mask for the flight.
I arrived in Honolulu at 12:30, Honolulu time or 6:30 am. EST. I’m sure you can
guess what’s next. That’s right, no luggage, yet another large surprise. The Air
Canada desk seemed to be a little more helpful and booked me on an early flight
to Kona so I would hopefully have a full day my first day (with no clothes
though). They were actually willing to put me up but there was no room at the
inn they said. At this point I would have to wait yet another 3 hours for the
next flight.
They gave me an essentials bag but only after I asked, so you will happy to know
I could brush my teeth and clean my pits. They also gave me water, juice and a
muffin for the wait. Oh, I feel so much better now, NOT! Security came by to
check on me several times while I waited as there was no one else around. He
even said a prayer for me. I started to feel like Tom Hanks in the movie. I
guess I must have looked quite the worse for wear.
At 4:30 I wandered over to the Inter-Island terminal to catch my 5:40 flight to
Kona. What do you know? Air Canada can't book me on any flights when the
Inter-Island flight office is shut down. I have no flight!! Stand by attempted
again with possible booking for 7:25 a.m. I think I see a light at the end of
this tunnel of horror. So off I go to gate 52.
Security check once again, but no, not once, I was picked for double security,
double wand and a lady security was called over, I thought I was going to be
strip searched. Thank God, only a total bag (not me, the luggage) search. NICE.
Keep in mind this is Monday morning now and this is a commuter service, what’s
my chance for this standby? You guessed it, none of course.
So once again I have yet another two hour wait. I decide to immortalize this
adventure from hell with this short story so I will not have to repeat my tale
of woe. I can just tell them to "read all about it" I finally made it to Kona,
but don't go away yet, I still have to get to the condo. Now where, oh where,
can that condo be? I am going to get a car and join fellow travelers who say
they know the way.
HALLELUIAH! I did get help and a phone number so I called Mom and Dad and they
came to get me. Oh what a site for sore eyes that was.
After several phone calls, my luggage finally did arrive at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday
only two days late. Oh the stories that luggage could tell.
Stay tuned for the return trip conclusion of this fascinating trip from hell,
Compliments of Air Canada.