Each year I travel to attend an educational conference in my field. This year the conference is in San Diego. After weeks and weeks of arctic temperatures here in the upper Midwest, I was looking forward to the warm weather awaiting me.

The taxi arrived at Noon today. My flight to Chicago was scheduled to leave at 1:25 for a 5:20 connecting flight to San Diego. We boarded on time and settled in, only to have the captain announce there was a mechanical problem and he needed to power down and then power the plane back up. We waited. An hour later we deplaned while they continued to fix the mechanical problem.  Several passengers missed their connections, but there was still a chance I’d make mine. We reboarded. However, due to de-icing, being forced into a holding pattern above Chicago, then waiting for 45 minutes on the tarmac waiting for a gate to open, I did miss my connection. 

An agent told me that the 9:25 flight was completely booked but found another option. There was a flight to Dallas and a connecting flight to San Diego. I agreed to that. I found a kiosk and printed my new boarding passes and was delighted to find I was now booked in first class. 

I grabbed some Chinese food from the food court and headed for the gate.  I boarded and settled into my roomy seat in the first class cabin and waited. And waited. There wasn’t enough catering on board.  We waited. Catering arrived. We waited to be de-iced. The more we waited I realized that if I stayed on this airplane I would never make my new connection in Dallas. I thought I’d much rather be stuck in Chicago which is closer to home, so I got off the plane.  The agent booked me as a stand by for the 9:25 flight. So, here I am.  Waiting.