Air Sick

I just arrived back in NYC after a brief business trip to Chicago (touring details and pic will be provided later) and I have to share my air travel experience as a means to vent frustration. I chose to fly ATA even though the company was paying the bill...a mistake I will not make again. The flight was leaving Chicago Midway Airport at 3:00, and I was flying standby since my later flight had been mysteriously cancelled at the last minute. As I crammed myself in the middle seat of the 24th row in this Boeing 737-800 I suddenly had the feeling that this may be the worst flight I've ever endured (and I've endured some bad ones). Two grown men on either side, babies to the left and front and most irritatingly what seems to be the least bit of legroom I've ever experienced....and I've flown Ryanair before so I know tight fits!

As we lifted off from the runway all seemed well despite the cramped quarters...but this brief moment of satisfaction was not to last. Babies, joining together like a demonic choir of discontent, let us all know their opinion of the flight. Oddly enough I shared the same feeling of "Get me out of this place...now!"

I coped with the crying, gasping and screaming until nearly 20 minutes before arrival time, when the pilot announced, "Uhhh...ladies and gentlemen, we seem to have....uhhhhh...some gridlock on the ground...and...uhhh....I'll keep you posted on our new arrival time...should be 20 or 30 minutes. Thanks for your patience and we're working on getting you home."

Long story short, we landed one hour later in Connecticut...Bradley Airport to be exact. We stayed on the runway for hours..waiting to be refueled and cleared to land in NYC.
I dealt with this situation is several ways:
1. iPod - charged and full of music
2. Water - staying hydrated in important
3. Book - an advanced copy of Turning the Tables kept me occupied nicely
4. Mentally abusing fellow passengers - picking out who I would like to kick, slap and/or punch for annoying behavior is a nice pastime when trapped on a plane for multiple hours...do not however act on these thoughts...many celebrities do not seem to have the "don't abuse" policy in check, so avoid their mistakes

After nearly 7 hours of flying, waiting and flying again I arrived in NYC. Never have I been happier to jump into a Yellow cab, listening to my cabbie hurl obscenities at other drivers, knowing that Astoria was just a few miles away. Top Tomato here I come (don't ask...it's an Astoria thing).

Stay tuned for Chicago info...much less complaining...much more travel talk.