The Butt Ugly Weblog

Someone shoot the security people

OK. So my flight was two hours late leaving Las Vegas. Since I had a two-hour stopover at Chicago O'Hare, I figured that I'm going to miss my connection to Copenhagen. However, at the arrivals desk they told us to hurry to the gate, since the plane was waiting for us. We ran, and ran, and ran some more (maybe about 30 people in total, all returning from the CES), only to be stopped by a TSA security idiot, who took a look at our tickets, and flatly told us that he can't let us through, because the departure time had already passed. He did not have a phone, and was not allowed to leave his post either. No amount of reasoning would deter his resolve, so we had to go back and find someone to help us out. Except that all the positions were closed (aside the transfer desks beyond the security checkpoints), and the SAS desk would not open until 13:00 the next day. Meanwhile, the SAS flight got bored of waiting for us, and left.

Finally we found someone at the baggage handling area, and she gave us a number. After a few phone calls, I got through to the SAS 24 hour number, which was of course not answering until 9 am. Disgusted, I called my travel agent, managed to get onto a waiting list for another flight today, and booked a hotel. By 1 am, I finally got to rest a bit.

At the moment I am in an airport hotel, waiting for a shuttle to get back to the airport, where I would expect more delays, trouble and general mayhem. A storm front is moving in, and if I don't get to an airplane soon, my departure will probably be delayed again, as Chicago is going to get lots of snow.

Note to self: Add O'Hare to my list of airports to never, ever, travel via again.