The flight was originally supposed to leave around 6:00 in the evening, but some time in the afternoon we checked the status and found it had been delayed about one hour. More fun time in Vegas, yay!
When we did get to the airport, rumors of cancelled flights started flying around while we were waiting in the bag check line. This was at the same time there was some crazy winter storm in the Northeast, so there were a lot of cancelled and delayed flights. I figured we were probably safe because we were Southwest going Midwest, nowhere near the Northeast. Surely our flight wouldn't be cancelled.
We made it through security and to the gate only to find our flight had been delayed a few more hours. Not a good sign, but we sat patiently awaiting the plane's arrival. Several hours passed and a flight attendant made an announcement that our flight was missing a pilot and we might not take off until midnight. For a minute I honestly thought they were joking. How could a flight be 'missing a pilot??' But they looked pretty distressed and never came back to say, 'Just kidding!'
Well, midnight rolls around and we're all very antsy from sitting around for six hours. The flight attendant moves to make an announcement, and moment of truth: our flight was cancelled. Panic ensued.
After waiting in line forever to talk to the attendants at the gate, we found two flights for the next day and the remaining three for the day after that. Our group would have to split up AND we had to go stay in a hotel we couldn't afford for two more nights.
Another girl and I were supposed to have work the next day so we got the first flights out. We went to the airport the next morning and split up to our respective gates. My flight had a connection and, a few minutes before boarding, I double checked the status. GOOD THING I did, because the connection I needed had been canceled. I waited forever (again) to talk to the gate attendant and she tells me flights are booked until three days from now. I'm in tears now because I'm certain I'm going to be stuck in Vegas forever.
The attendant suggests I get on a wait-list for a flight, so I went all the way across the airport to another gate. The lady working at this one was very nice and she wait-listed me for a flight to Kansas City (where I was trying to get to) and booked me on an evening flight to St. Louis (in the same state, so close enough). I started to feel more optimistic as things were beginning to go my way, and I sat down to wait. And wait and wait and wait.
Finally, the flight arrived and started boarding. Could the stressful journey be coming to an end?! I was on the edge of my seat with all my fingers and toes crossed, hoping that I'd be able to get on the flight and go home. The universe was finally on my side and I got a seat on the flight.
When it took off, there were still about 10 open seats on the flight. Three of my friends were still stuck in Vegas trying to find a flight, and we could have all gotten on this one. What we should have done was just spend the night in the airport the day before and started trying to book a new flight or get on wait-lists first thing in the morning. I bet tons of flights took off with empty seats to where we wanted to go.
It ended up okay in the end, though, as the rest of the group ended up getting a late flight back and we all made it to the correct airport only one day later than expected.
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