Return Journey Fiasco

My return flight from Chicago O'Hare International Airport was scheduled for 6.20 pm on Thursday. I had decided to drive to the airport and return the car at the AVIS location there. I had seen the route on Google maps, but I had forgotten to take a print-out of it. All my Illinois maps were also packed in my bags. So I decided to risk relying completely on my memory, which turned out to be a bad idea. It didn't take long for me to be lost in downtown Arlington Heights, and time was slipping away. Just as I was about to stop and ask for help, I spotted a road I'd seen on Google maps and heaved a sigh of relief. I soon got back on track, fueled-up the car and reached Avis.

It was an emotional moment for me to say goodbye to the dark gray Hyundai Sonata that had been my constant companion for the last two and a half months. The AVIS shuttle dropped me off at the airport. After checking in my bags and passing through security, I settled into the United First Class lounge waiting for the announcement of my flight. One is really pampered and treated like a celebrity at one of these lounges! Traveling first class also means you're the first into and the first out of the aircraft and your bags are the first to show up on the conveyor belts :)

Boarding the aircraft, taxiing on the runway and taking of happened as usual. Once in the air, I reached out to the buttons on my armrest to tilt my seat into a more comfortable position only to find a small sticker on it that said "Defective - defect # 438". My seat would not budge from its initial upright position. That would mean I would have to sit straight in that position for over 8 hours till we landed in Frankfurt. That would also mean that my company is paying a first class fare for me to sit in a seat that is worse than an economy class seat!! I immediately called one of the flight stewardesses and expressed my displeasure about the whole situation. After discussing among themselves for a long time, they finally decided to exchange my seat with another passenger. The other guy was probably traveling for free or else who would agree to sit there? Also, he was all pally with the staff on board, so I suspect he was a United employee. Anyway, I got a proper seat, and the rest of the flight was very comfortable indeed.

Once in Frankfurt, I made my way to the United lounge, took a shower, had breakfast and settled in the lounge waiting for my next flight announcement. BIG MISTAKE!!!
My next flight from Frankfurt to Bangalore was a Lufthansa and this was a United Lounge, and they wouldn't announce departures of flights other than United. By the time I got suspicious and went to the lounge reception, it was too late. The lady said that my flight had already departed, and I would have to take the next flight. Imagine my horror when she said that there were no more flights to India that day, and the one to Bangalore the next day was all booked. I would have to take a flight to Mumbai the next day, and then another one from Mumbai to Bangalore. All of this would cost me about 200 Euros (a cool 12500 Indian Rupees). But since I didn't have a choice, I gave her my credit card and asked her do whatever she thought best while I waited in the lounge cursing myself :(

After about 5 minutes, I heard them calling my name over the intercom; and I slowly walked to the reception to find out how much damaged my pocket had suffered. Now comes the best part...
Imagine my surprise and joy when the nice German lady at the reception said that my original Lufthansa flight to Bangalore was delayed and I could still make it if I hurried. I could not believe my luck and nor could she. She said she wished some of my luck would rub off on her. I hope it does, because she was a very pleasant woman indeed.

From there I ran like a madman through the mighty Frankfurt International Airport so that I would make it in time to my departure terminal. People all around were staring at this psycho running like that, but I was too overjoyed to care. I made it well in time and got my boarding pass. Everyone else in the terminal was sulking because the flight had been delayed for about 2 hours, but I was the only one who couldn't stop smiling. They must've surely thought I was insane :)
In my hurry, I forgot my Wrangler jacket in the United lounge itself - but I'm still not complaining. I'm just glad I could catch my flight!!

My Lufthansa flight was Business Class but I would say it was as comfortable as, if not more comfortable than United First Class. There was a South Indian woman sitting next to me, who had been upgraded to Business Class since she was carrying. This was her first time in Business Class and I spent some time showing her all the cool stuff at her disposal :)

Thankfully everything else went well and I landed in my own dear country a little after midnight, on Saturday, 27th September 2008.