So… I very recently went on an extended trip across the ocean. I had a great time seeing friends and family.
But while I was sitting at the airport preparing for my return flight and going through the annoying stress of arranging my documents, preparing to check in and get my boarding pass, and thinking of whether my suitcase was too big or too heavy and where the security gate was located, I started to think about the only time in my life where I unexpectedly got bumped from a flight due to overbooking.
This happened to me just over 20 years ago at O’Hare airport in Chicago. My wife and I were returning home from a short trip to San Francisco and were in the process of checking in to our connecting flight when we were told…..
“Sorry, but there’s no room for you on the plane.”
Before I had any chance to really digest that news, the lady added, “Don’t worry, we’ll get you on another flight…tomorrow.”
My wife and I looked at each other with blank faces and turned back to the woman from the airline and asked quite quietly, trying to understand the situation, “But what happens to us until then?”
“’We’ll put you up in a hotel here at the airport.” She quickly added, “Don’t worry, we’ll look after you.” She then pointed us to some sort of an airline hospitality desk that then sorted out the logistics. Hotel, food vouchers, etc..
I can still remember the excitement running through my brain as we made our way to the elevator towards our hotel room. How cool is this! I thought. An unexpected extension to our vacation! And in Chicago! I immediately thought of our options as I felt completely at ease and settled with this situation. We could get in a cab and go somewhere and just walk around the city. Perhaps have a nice dinner somewhere. I had a real feeling of positive exhilaration running through me. Kind of like winning a lot of money in the lottery (which sadly has never happened to me. Ha!).
But as all these thoughts and emotions were racing through me it was only when we stepped into the hotel room that I turned to my wife and we made the first real eye contact since leaving the airport. I sort of froze in my footsteps.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. I knew instantly that she did not share my excitement. I could see only worry and stress and a look of real anxiety in her eyes.
Like me, this was the first time she had encountered this type of situation. But we reacted completely differently. When we talked it became clear that where I saw this as an opportunity for some unexpected adventure, she saw it as an opportunity for unexpected and unwelcome stress. It all came out…
What about my parents, my cat, my boss? We don’t know anyone. So .. over the next hour she essentially told me that this delay filled her with nothing but apprehension and that she was rattled.
The complete opposite of how I felt.
Anyway, we ended up staying there for almost 3 days. We spent our time lounging in bed watching Harry Potter movies and wandering aimlessly around the airport until we got on our connecting flight. The very happy ending is that we got bumped up to First Class and ate and drank complimentary fine food and drink for the next 8.5 hours until we got home. My wife was delighted with that!
Have you experienced something similar to this? Or would you like this to happen to you?
So ….what’s your opinion?
