Morgan's parents flew out on Friday to visit her for a few days, and on Sunday I went to brunch with them at one of Tucson's favorite breakfast places, The Good Egg. So fun, and so yummy. I came home and relaxed a little before I had to get ready to work in the afternoon. Just as I was about to leave, Pam called me to let me know that she wouldn't he there. She was on her way to the airport and got in a car accident. Not her fault and everyone was ok, but she was shaken up. Needless to say, I was way bummed.Fortunately, we weren't delayed at all, as they were able to use an FO who was sitting ready reserve in Tucson (where you have to be at the plane in 20 mins if you're called). Our first flight was full of a group of golfers, the rowdiest bunch of passengers I've ever had. I could hardly hear myself talk when I was doing my announcements. We got to SLC and had a two hour sit, then picked up Colin, another FO. Colin flew to Oakland with us then back to SLC the next day... Slept GREAT at my home away from home at the Hilton Garden. Got up, did some Bible study, and got ready to fly. We got to the airport and found out that our flight was delayed an hour... and that turned into two. Colin and I decided to grab some lunch and chatted awhile while we waited for our plane to arrive from SLC. Apparently our aircraft had been delayed all day due to weather... and we heard something about a plane going off the runway in SLC which caused additional backups.
We finally arrived in SLC, said goodbye to Colin, and picked up Clayton, another FO. Another awesome guy too, based in Tucson. He made my day the first time I flew with him... and that trip was another Oakland overnight... interesting. Anyway, we got our passengers off and were ready to board the next group to Albuquerque. A couple tall guys got on... then some more... and then more... anywhere from around 6' to 7'1"... yep, it was a basketball team. The University of Utah's men's basketball team was flying to ABQ to play the University of New Mexico - game's tonight at 7pm. I felt so bad for them, because if you don't know, our planes (CRJ 200) are tiny... as flight attendants we're not supposed to be taller than 5'8", if that tells you anything. When I took my jumpseat and looked in the aisle of the plane, I saw a sea of red legs... The guys were wearing their red uniforms, and all their legs were hanging out at much as they could. I will just say that I have never had so many people wanting cran-apple juice on a flight. I ran out of it in my cart, and after my beverage/snack service (go Delta with the choice of snacks) I delivered six cans of the stuff! That was after they'd already had the first round. But this was a refill service (over 400 miles). Woohoo.
ABQ to SLC gave me a much needed break, as there were only 19 passengers. Easy service, and then some time to eat some of my delicious crew meal. Gotta love the tuna. Great source of protein. In SLC we boarded our flight back to TUS... on this flight I had my first prisoners. Ooooh! After we boarded we sat there for half an hour before the ground people gave us our paperwork Ridiculous. Luckily, we finally did leave, and were only about an hour and a half late. I got a call from Crew Support at about 1:30am as I was driving home, saying that they were pushing back my reserve time today until 11:15... aahhhhh. =) She said I must be exhausted, and to enjoy the morning.
So, my gripes about SLC. Actually, let me start with my first flight of the trip, from TUS to SLC. So I'm already bummed about Pam. We get to our plane and another crew comes off. The flight attendant is kinda in a huff, and tells me that the water's leaking in the galley so she just turned it off completely. Ok. So I get on and start doing my security checks. The trash in the lavatory is overflowing. Grrr. They want to board us. It was a mess so I had to clean it up first. We board. It's a TON of golfers. They're loud (big understatement). The guys loading the cargo tell me they're not going to be able to fit the oversized carryons in the back and we'll have to get them in the cabin. Yeah ok, there's a reason we check them in the first place. They won't fit in the cabin!!! Gosh! Then they tell me they might have to leave some golf clubs. Shoot, I'm not gonna be the one to tell all those men. Anyway, I do my announcements. The guys are so loud and carrying on shouting back and forth to each other that I can't hear myself talk. We take off, get up in the air, and I start getting ready for the snack and beverage service. Try to make coffee with the leaky galley water. It leaks but doesn't brew any coffee. I open up the drawer where there are the napkins, creamer, sugar, coffee pods, etc. Not stocked (that's either because provisions didn't do it or the previous F/A didn't order it). I look in the snack drawer in the cart. Not restocked (previous F/A's job). One bag of leaky ice left for the full flight. Fortunately, the flight was long enough where I could stock, serve, then stock again and do all my paperwork.
Ok, my gripes about SLC. It is cold there!!! =) Ok, on to number two. The hallways in the E concourse. Supposedly heated, but every time I have walked through there lately I can feel a little heat if I'm directly under one of their heaters, but usually feel like I'm going to die from frostbite. When I was there Saturday, my FO Maria said she felt like her nose was going to fall off. So it's not just me!! The people there just seem cranky... I try to be friendly to the provisions agents, but they are not happy. They did not fill my order right one time in the last three days. So that would be twice Saturday, once Sunday, and twice Monday. It is their job to do what I ask for right? Give me the products or supplies I need, drain my ice drawer since I can't, give me enough ice people!! I can't just go make it when I'm up in the air! Ok then, there's the ground crew and just operations in general. From SLC to ABQ we were on the ground for an hour after we closed the door and before we took off. Ridiculous. And that was after we'd already been delayed two hours. Then on our last leg last night they took at least 30 mins to bring us our paperwork so we could close the door. Ok, so I understand that some stuff is weather related and not their fault and blah blah blah, but I just don't like SLC. Sorry Charlie! (I mean, Jason) ;-)
Here's a little humor to leave you with, from the hotel in Oakland... only in America... =)
1 comment:
Hey Rach,
Thanks for the comment on mine. I love reading your blog, I've got you RSS'd so I know whenever you update. Mostly I love your blog for the pictures actually :-) Keep it up!
Geoff
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