How not to miss your Flight

[T_R_Oglodyte]

On a perfect day it should only take 60 minutes to drive from our Home to PDX. After several near misses we have learned to give ourselves 2.0 to 2.5 hours. This means killing time at the Airport most of the time. We have a meal, read, walk, window shop, etc. But we do not miss the flight.

As we approach Wilsonville Patti checks Google Maps to see if we should take I205 or stay on I5 to I84. We also have the Radio on for Traffic Reports every 10 minutes.

That's a big reason why I finally got a lounge membership. I now try to give myself an hour of contingency, and I spend that time in the lounge. I'm always on the clock when I"m traveling for business, and all I need do is log a couple of extra hours of billable time over the course of a year to justify the lounge membership.

Also makes it much easier traveling with DW, because she likes to plan to arrive at the gate a minimum of one hour before boarding, just so there is contingency in case of traffic delay, security line, etc. And I remember a time we arrived at SFO for a flight to Hawaii on her schedule, only to find when we arrived that American had moved the flight up 45 minutes and hadn't advised us of the flight change.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Dave comments reminded me of two different occurrences.

1. Back in 1997 my oldest son and I were flying from Eugene Oregon to LAX on a Sunday for a USC College visit. We lived in Roseburg, Oregon. The previous Friday I had picked up my Jimmy from the Auto Shop that had worked on the engine. As we were approaching the top of Rice Hill I started to lose power. Luckily I was able to crest Rice Hill and coast down off the freeway and into a gas station. I called my wife and told her she had to jump in the Van and drive like h*** to get us to the Eugene Airport. She threw the the younger 2 Kids (while in their PJ's) in their cars seats. She dropped us off at the front entrance and we sprinted to the Gate. Luckily we only had carryons and Eugene has never been a large airport. It turned out that the rebuilt oil pump (NAPA) that they put in was bad. NAPA provided all the parts for free and the Shop provided the Labor to rebuild the Engine.

2. We were returning from Cancun and our transfer Airport was Phoenix. Within 15 before and after our flight numerous flights from Mexico and the Caribbean landed at Phoenix. The were only 3 US Custom Agents on Duty and only 2 Security Gates open. Our friends got through all the rigamore first and ran for the Gate. They were engaging the airplane staff in conversation to keep the Airplane Door open. We ran up, got on, and they shut the door even before we were belted.

DW and I have agreed to disagree. She says you are late for a flight if you are not at the boarding area one-half hour before boarding starts. I say that you are not late unless you arrive at the gate and they don't let you on.

We've been married for forty-five years. When we travel together without bringing up the topic I plan to be at the gate no less than 30 minutes before boarding. When conflict occurs, it's because she wants to add contingency to that half hour, whereas I generally believe that half-hour includes contingency.

 

[klpca]

I am an anxious flyer (I always have a xanax 30 minutes before scheduled departure) and I can't add rushing to the airport to a trip. I would be a mess. So we always plan to arrive 2 hours before departure. For 90% of the flights this is wasted time, for the other 10% when sh*t happens (you know when you leave your passport at home, or the water main breaks on the only road to the airport) you have time for the unexpected delay. Last month in France, I misread our electronic boarding passes. I thought that our flight left at 12:30 and was shocked to see 11:20 on the pass. So on the morning of our departure, we got up on hour earlier than planned, took the metro to the airport and (of course) breezed through checking our bags and security, only to discover that our boarding time was 11:20 and the flight actually departed at 12:35. (reading is fundamental). So now we had even more time. But I knew that I had my Priority Pass and lo and behold, there was a lounge in our terminal. So we walked over to see if I could get the two of us in (my husband didn't have his PP card). The answer was yes. We spent a lovely couple of hours in the lounge, had breakfast, charged our phones and other electronics. It was quite relaxing and a great way to spend the time. No regrets there.

Another time we were traveling to Indiana with my mom. I told her that we would pick her up at 10am for a 1pm flight. It's only a 30 minute drive but my mom has never, ever been ready to leave when we pick her up for anything. (I'll knock on her door and she will meet me in her PJ's "Oh, I overslept", or she will say "I still need to walk my dogs". Every.Single.Time.) So we just add an extra half hour when we go anywhere with her. This time she really pushed back because she is the kind of person who wants to walk up just as the plane boards. So she refused to go with us and said that she'd take an uber. Fine with me.

We got to the airport at 11:00, went through security, then headed to a restaurant for breakfast/lunch since we were flying Southwest (no food). My husband and I had a lovely meal and some drinks, and the whole time I was looking for my mom. She arrived, totally frazzled at 12:25. She was thoroughly angry at TSA, plus ravenously hungry. She had the uber pick her up at 11:30. She got to the airport at noon and without checking her ticket went to the weird Southwest gate in SD that has two gates and it's own TSA line. (In 20 years we have used that gate twice - the rest of the time is the main gate area). She didn't tell TSA that she had a knee replacement so she set off the alarm and had to have a pat down. Then she got through and discovered it was the wrong gate. Then she got to go through TSA again at the other area, lol. She was livid when she found us - it was all someone else's fault! - and had to quickly buy a salad and eat it on the plane. Her demeanor continued into Indianapolis when the only place open at the airport was McDonalds - "I don't eat McDonalds" - lol. You are eating that today, mom. But it hasn't changed her behavior. She will be a "last minute Lucy" until the day she dies. And of course, I will probably continue to be an early-bird. I wonder if there's a connection?

 

[DaveNV]

Another time we were traveling to Indiana with my mom. ... So she refused to go with us and said that she'd take an uber. Fine with me. ... She was livid when she found us - it was all someone else's fault! ... She will be a "last minute Lucy" until the day she dies. And of course, I will probably continue to be an early-bird. I wonder if there's a connection?

^^^ My Mother, without the anger. She was notoriously late for EVERYthing in her life, usually at least a half hour, at minimum. It didn't matter what, she was just ALWAYS late, to the point that we always said she was on "Gloria Standard Time." Thanksgiving dinner planned for 3:00? Show up at 4:00. Dinner reservations for 8:00? Tell her they're at 7:00. Worked every time.

Think I'm kidding? Nope: When she passed away, the cemetery people had to glue the lid on the urn that held her cremains before it could be interred in a crypt. It took longer than expected for it to dry, and all of us were waiting in the rain. It took about a half hour longer than planned.

So she was, quite literally, late for her own funeral. We still laugh about that.

Dave

 

[klpca]

Think I'm kidding? Nope: When she passed away, the cemetery people had to glue the lid on the urn that held her cremains before it could be interred in a crypt. It took longer than expected for it to dry, and all of us were waiting in the rain. It took about a half hour longer than planned.

So she was, quite literally, late for her own funeral. We still laugh about that.

Dave

Love the story about your mom's funeral. That's an awesome story.

Our nuclear family ("Five Family") has a Christmas morning tradition. After we go to church, we have a special breakfast with dishes that I only prepare on Christmas morning. One dish is called Creme Brulee French Toast https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/creme-brulee-french-toast-15213
One year I finally relented and invited my mother (I get easily stressed-out by her). She was, of course, 45 minutes late. When she tasted the french toast, which had sat in the oven for 30 minutes, her exact words were "well I don't know what all of the fuss is about. This isn't very good". I wanted to kill her. Now I just tell her to come an hour before we are going to eat. She has liked it every time that it's been fresh out of the oven.

 

[Luanne]

Love the story about your mom's funeral. That's an awesome story.

Our nuclear family ("Five Family") has a Christmas morning tradition. After we go to church, we have a special breakfast with dishes that I only prepare on Christmas morning. One dish is called Creme Brulee French Toast https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/creme-brulee-french-toast-15213
One year I finally relented and invited my mother (I get easily stressed-out by her). She was, of course, 45 minutes late. When she tasted the french toast, which had sat in the oven for 30 minutes, her exact words were "well I don't know what all of the fuss is about. This isn't very good". I wanted to kill her. Now I just tell her to come an hour before we are going to eat. She has liked it every time that it's been fresh out of the oven.

I had a friend like this. Late for everything. Somehow though she was never late when it came to traveling. But, she'd tell me to give her a time an hour earlier than we wanted her there. That didn't work. She got used to having that extra time, and was still late. The final straw for me came one year when we'd invited her for dinner, she didn't show on time (we were going to go ahead and eat without here) and one of my dd's said she wanted to wait until "Auntie Ann" came and went outside to sit on the curb. Done. I'd let her do it to me too many times, but I wasn't going to let her continue to disappoint my kids.

 

[rapmarks]

My daughters in laws are notoriously late. They were hours late for her wedding.
They arrive sometimes as late as 11pm.
It is called a Tiedeman Time.

 

[geist1223]

When we are having people over for a Meal there is no such thing as fashionably late. We do not hold it up because someone is late. There is a good chance your place setting will be removed. Be on time or come only for dessert. When it is a party but not a meal do not be early. Normally in that last 45 minutes we are jumping in the shower. We had one friend that would come early "to help" though not asked to do so. She finally got the message when I decided to heck with it and walked to the Front Door dripping wet with a towel around my waist. Patti was not happy. Now if the friend finds herself arriving early she drives around the block a couple time.

 

[Luanne]

When we are having people over for a Meal there is no such thing as fashionably late. We do not hold it up because someone is late. There is a good chance your place setting will be removed. Be on time or come only for dessert. When it is a party but not a meal do not be early. Normally in that last 45 minutes we are jumping in the shower. We had one friend that would come early "to help" though not asked to do so. She finally got the message when I decided to heck with it and walked to the Front Door dripping wet with a towel around my waist. Patti was not happy. Now if the friend finds herself arriving early she drives around the block a couple time.

When we have a party we are always ready well ahead of time. I can't imagine coming to the door dripping wet just because someone decided to come a bit early. We had one friend who was always the first to arrive She liked to visit with us before everyone else arrived. She passed away last year just before Thanksgiving. I'd love to see her arriving early again.

And yes, this has gotten way off topic.

 

[zentraveler]

My daughters in laws are notoriously late. They were hours late for her wedding.
They arrive sometimes as late as 11pm.
It is called a Tiedeman Time.

Seriously?? And how exactly has this worked for anyone not named "Teideman"?

 

[rapmarks]

Seriously?? And how exactly has this worked for anyone not named "Teideman"?

Not too well.
I got a three bedroom in Orlando. I warned him we had to be out by ten, big fines. I returned the keys, checked out but propped the door open. He came out at 10:45 claiming I had said eleven.

 

[geist1223]

When we have a party we are always ready well ahead of time. I can't imagine coming to the door dripping wet just because someone decided to come a bit early. We had one friend who was always the first to arrive She liked to visit with us before everyone else arrived. She passed away last year just before Thanksgiving. I'd love to see her arriving early again.

And yes, this has gotten way off topic.

45 to 60 minutes is not a bit early. 10 to 15 minutes is a bit early but still frowned upon.

 

[Beachclubmum]

Sometimes, you should be happy you missed your flight.

I just recalled a flight I did miss once, on a childhood family trip to South America in the 1970's. Due to some late night family drama with relatives we ended up not taking our scheduled flight the next morning. Just as well, as the plane crashed into a mountain.

 

[zentraveler]

Not too well.
I got a three bedroom in Orlando. I warned him we had to be out by ten, big fines. I returned the keys, checked out but propped the door open. He came out at 10:45 claiming I had said eleven.

.

People in my world do that once; tops 1.5 times. People do what they are reinforced/rewarded/allowed (with out consequence to do); it is as simple as that. (and excuses do not matter; they figure out that is their get out of jail free card if anyone allows it!)