In which we have a great adventure...

[jesshartley]

So, my goal when I got on the airplane in Tucson was to sleep all the way to Dallas, change plans and do the same all the way to Hartford, in preparation for the long weekend at Connecticon.

Unfortunately a little bit into the flight (which should have been 3-4 hours long) they announced that we would be making an emergency landing in El Paso, TX. The lead-up to the landing was... scary. We banked several times /very/ hard, to the point where my paranoid little mind was thinking "I don't want to die on my anniversary!"

We made it to El Paso, only to find ourselves greeted on the runway/terminal by 2 airport firetrucks and several security vehicles. Three firemen in full 'tinfoil" suits came out to check on something under the wing right next to where I was sitting... while we were still sitting in the plane.

Eventually, they cleared the plane, but since El Paso is such a small airport, there was only one other scheduled flight to Dallas, and it was leaving in about 15 minutes. They boarded those who they could on it (but it was already pretty full) and the rest of us are waiting here for a special flight they're bringing in to get us to Dallas. Unfortunately, it won't get us here until 11pm, and there's no flights out of Dallas that late. So, I'll be staying at a hotel in Dallas tonight, then flying out at 9:35am for Hartford. The opening ceremonies that I was supposed to be at for Connecticon? Start at 9:45am. Somehow I don't think I'm going to make it.

I'm scheduled to arrive in hartford at 1:35, and my first panel is at 2.

It's going to be a long, long weekend.

Comments

[shetala.livejournal.com]

Sounds like they had an engine overheat. But what do I know?

[sixswordsamurai.livejournal.com]

*hugs you*

I'm sorry this happened hun! *lights a candle for your safe arrival*

[eseme]

Oh no.

I've never liked flying into El Paso, something I used to do on a semi-anual basis. The turbulance is rather awful - and it would be, since they built the city around a mountain.

Safe travels.

[innocent-man.livejournal.com]

Wow. Suck.

[metallian.livejournal.com]

Woah. I take it they didn't say what the problem was? Having a crew in protective gear come look at your plane is never reassuring...

[ckd]

Over the years I've had two go-arounds, two rejected takeoffs, one emergency ("roll the trucks out") landing, and one diversion (not on the same flight as the emergency landing). That last was a weather-related "we can't keep circling since we're down to our required diversion fuel" situation; we refueled, and when the weather at our destination cleared, continued on.

(The emergency landing? Flaps wouldn't come down on a SEA-BOS flight, so we had to land faster than usual. We got the longest runway, and the trucks were precautionary.)

If it'd been really dangerous once you were on the ground, they wouldn't have waited to go for a full evacuation.

I hope your weekend gets better from here on out!

[bearsir.livejournal.com]

Did you explain your situation and ask to be rerouted? If not, show up at the airport as early as possible, explain that you're teaching at 2pm, and demand to be rebooked onto something that gets you in on time (which will work if you're flying a major airline, but not for Southwest or AirTran, in which case you're probably stuck with what you've got).

[tonysalieri.livejournal.com]

OOOOF!

Sorry to hear you are having such a rough time of it. I hope we get a chance to see you on Saturday!

[corbaegirl.livejournal.com]

Happy Anniversary, sweetie.....I've got very good memories of your wedding.

[tradarcher.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear about this and on your anniversary.
((((((((((HUGS))))))))

Candle is light for a safe flight.

[hatchingphoenix.livejournal.com]

Oh my Gosh! Good luck!

[gryphonrose.livejournal.com]

Ouch! Well, good luck with getting there finally, and with the panel. I'm sure they'll understand about the opening ceremonies.