I left Tuesday night for the Bilbao and stayed at the hotel near the airport. I was pretty crabby about the upcoming travel day, and really ready to get to Puerto Rico. I was also pretty sure something was going to go wrong. I was not anticipating what happened when I arrived at the airport the next morning. I walked up to the check in counter and handed my passport to the agent.
Agent: You don't have a ticket.
Me: What?
Agent: Your ticket has been canceled.
Me: My FLIGHT has been canceled?
Agent: No, your ticket. Go over to the ticket counter and see if you can buy a new ticket.
Yeah, because buying a new round trip ticket to San Juan Puerto Rico is exactly what I want to be doing 2 hours before my flight leaves. So, I ran to the counter and almost immediately started crying to the agent:
Me: That lady told me I don't have a ticket. But I do. Here's the ticket number and the confirmation number and my frequent flyer number and my passport number ... and whatever else you need.
Agent: Yeah, your ticket was canceled.
Me: That is impossible.
Other Agent (typing a billion things into her computer, and silently points at something on the screen)
Agent: Oh, maybe this is your ticket.
5 minutes later while I stand sniffling at the counter.
Agent: Good news! We found your ticket!
I walked back to the first agent at the check-in counter:
Agent: You bought a new ticket?
Me: No, I had a ticket, here's the information.
Agent: You didn't have a ticket, you must have bought a new one.
(I refrain from punching her in the head or yelling at her)
This portion of the saga continued while she couldn't figure out how to check my bag. Finally, I got through security, on my gate, on my way to Madrid. I made it from Madrid to Miami, where I got off the plane and was greeted by a woman in huge heels, who announces to me (in Spanish) "I'm here for Express Connections. We'll speak Spanish, okay? Let's go." I had a really tight connection in Miami - 2 hours, in which I had to go through immigration, retrieve my bags, go through customs, re-check my bags, go through security, change terminals and get to my gate. Add into this a last minute gate change and I was a little frazzled. Fortunately, my flight was delayed 20 minutes, so by the time I got to the correct gate, I even had time to grab Starbucks, which, honestly tasted delicious after almost two months of no coffee due to the lack of decaf in these parts. I got on the plane for San Juan. I think that 3 hour flight felt longer than the 9.5 hours from Madrid to Miami. I got off the plane, hoping to meet Pete at baggage claim. Unfortunately, they weren't letting people into the airport so he was waiting on the other side of the glass, while I (impatiently) waited for my bags. I finally got them, and sprinted to the exit, where I had to show the guy my boarding pass and my bag claim information (buried in my purse). I finally got outside to Pete - and I honestly haven't been happier in months.
More to come about the actual trip in Puerto Rico ...
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