Take the Long Way Home

Okay, so my trip out west was magical (did I mention that when I got in, they also upgraded our room?). Flawless. On the way back home, the travel gods were most definitely making up for it.

I get to the airport on time (10:30). I am typically compulsive about checking flights before I leave for said airport, but completely missed it this time. When I check in for my flight, it's delayed several hours, not to leave until 3:30. Ouch.

They were able to get me on an earlier flight which was on time, to leave at 2. Hooray! Oh, except it didn't leave until almost 3:30. Not only was the incoming flight late, but they were having problems with the jet bridge, so we physically couldn't board. We left shortly before my other flight was supposed to leave (who knows what happened to them- we stole their gate).

While waiting in the airport, at least a few things were in my favor- I had time to have lunch and won cab fare in the airport casino (which, for NYC, including tip, is $60, so nothing to sneeze at). Thank goodness for a laptop, free wireless, and a Kindle when that got old, so that I didn't pour it all back in. I'm generally good about walking away, though.

I had lunch around 11am because I'd only had an orange (much earlier) for breakfast. Since I'm used to American, which has food for purchase, at least, it didn't really occur to me that I needed food before I boarded the plane (even though I usually do anyway, because it's not always food I can eat). Bad planning on my part- I just wasn't hungry, so forgot about food entirely. Jet Blue serves snacks, but not really any I can eat, though made due with some tortilla chips (could be far worse). I'd have killed for some guac, or at least a tiny tub of salsa.

Another "perk" of Jet Blue- video on the plane. My eyes were too tired to read much, and since I don't really watch TV, sometimes when a captive audience, it can be fun. When it works. It would cut in and out for hours at a time, the majority of the flight. I was able to sneak in about 45 minutes of Law & Order, but cut out in time for the reveal. Nice. I got in a quick nap at some point, so was able to read afterward (No blankets or pillows on the flight? Another 2 points for American).

I have to say, as much as I enjoyed Jet Blue when they first started flying to the west coast, I'm not really as much of a fan now. The seats are smaller (I was larger at the time, so it's not just me), the leg room is about the same as on American, no meals as even an option, small drink selection, my seat only reclined about 1/2" (which I suspect is where their "huge" amount of legroom comes from), and their highly-advertised video wasn't working. I think I'll stick with my preferred and higher-mile-granting airline from now on. Oh, and it seems this was the only airline with as many delays. Hmmm.

By the time we got to JFK, I was ready to gnaw my own arm off, since lunch had been a salad. Thank goodness when we got to the luggage carousel (nearing midnight) there was a bare bones place open where I could get something quick on which I could gnaw to hold me over until I reached civilization (around 2am).

Well, we finally made it. My gloves were too thin, though my jacket was okay. It was in the teens I'm guessing and the cab line was over an hour long- unheated (in their "nice" new terminal??). I could have sworn that the taxi line used to be heated, but that may have been another terminal or La Guardia. In any case, it should darn well be heated, especially when so long.

So, it all balanced out. /rant