Having allowed what United's website told us was long enough (1 hour) to catch our flight, we missed it by three minutes. The plane was still on the tarmac with the door open and steps leading up when we got there, but there was no United representative present at boarding gate. A security guard told us (somewhat tersely I felt) that we had missed the flight and that was that. After our initial outrage over the slow check in (our Premier desk was unattended when we arrived, and for many minutes afterwards) and slow security (with extra slow baby checks, presumably in case Ed was packed with explosives), we managed to get rescheduled for the next available flight to get us to Houston, takeoff in five hours time. In fact our wonderful sister-in-law Maureen did the rescheduling, the United Clerk being hampered by an antiquated computer system. United score 0/3.
So, do we head home (15 minutes drive) for a more comfortable wait? Oops, someone packed the van keys in his checked luggage, which did make the flight to Houston via Denver. So we settled in for a 5 hour wait at the airport. Edward entertained himself until he was too tired to keep going, and fell asleep just before we boarded our new flight to San Francisco.
Too early for a beer, Dad? Yes son, it's 6:30am
Note the change of clothing. Ed was packing explosives, just not the sort security were looking for.
The rescheduled flight went via San Francisco. A careful study of the departures board (3rd and 4th lines) will show that Eugene Airport were not on top of their game today. The latter flight was supposed to be going to Denver, and probably not from the same gate.
The two people to our left, travelling separately, missed the same flight we did. When three different groups miss the flight it starts to look like more than a coincidence.
Edward would not fit into the overhead luggage compartment
Asleep on the plane before takeoff. This is a top-down view of Eddie in our Ergo baby carrier (worn by Beth)
Checking out the in-flight entertainment. He hadn't seen this one before.
I think this was taken on the second leg, from San Francisco to Houston. Outfit still holding up.
Finally, safely installed in our room at Chris and Maureen's house. Changed, fed, zonked.
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