Have you ever run thru airport, only to miss a flight?

[vash]

Haha. Lady is about to have a cow. She came sprinting up to a locked door.

I saw her racing from afar; full sprint.

Me? Almost. Wife and I were newlyweds and off at airport terminal coffee shop making googly eyes at each other. We barely heard our names over the com. Full OJ airport sprint and into a airplane full off passengers giving us the stink eye.

Now? Oh hell no. I’m an early bird.

[red-beard]

Back in the old days in Chicago, some gates you had to exit security to get to other gates.

My flight from Albany was late and the flight to San Diego was on-time. Did I mention my carry on was a cat carrier? Yes, I ran through the airport to make my flight. And security had to inspect under the pee mat (what had pee) in the cat cage.

I did make the flight, they were literally closing the door.

Oh, and the cat's meds wore off on the second flight and he almost escaped on the plane...

[red-beard]

My business partners missed a flight to Dallas. They lost track of time at a restaurant.

They arrive at the gate and the agent asks why they were late, before rebooking. Vance pointed at his cane.

[David]

I did the full OJ sprint thru Newark way back before cell phones due to a late and slow cab driver. People actually steeped aside at security to let this tall lanky guy thru. I got to the gate and it was closed. Luckily there was a weather delay so they opened the door to let some passengers make phone calls and they let me on.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I had a plane wait for me once.

[BK911]

I stood in a boarding line over half hour just to find out I was in the wrong line.
And my plane had taken off while I was in the wrong line!
Had to wait standby, which took several flights until they had an opening.

[John Rogers]

No, never missed a flight, but in 1970 I had flown back to San Francisco from Vietnam and was in a two day old set of whites with all those stripes and ribbons and the flight to Phoenix was actually HELD at the gate for a few minutes so I could get on and I ended up sitting in a flight attendant's jump seat so I could get home! That was a PSA flight I think and I was treated great!

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

I had a plane wait for me once.

If you are a true baller they’ll send a car to pick you up so you don’t miss your connection. Delta uses Cayennes and Panameras, American uses Escalades, and United uses Mercedes. Never happened to me but I’ve sat next to million milers who were picked up when they deplane.

[GH85Carrera]

Yep, just last year I flew American into Dulles. Our flight took off from OKC late, landed later. I got off my flight and hustled as much as possible through the crowd, to the train and rode that, more hustling through the crowd and to my gate and the flight was gone. My luggage made it, but a healthy adult man could not make the journey. American Airlines all the way. They gave me 10 bucks to spend 5 hours on my butt in DFW waiting. I got to my hotel at midnight. AA sucks.

[jwasbury]

Almost...

Connecting flights at Logan airport Boston. Had to switch terminals, which turned out to be a cluster_f. Inbound flight delayed and had to rush. Airport signage was far from helpful. Girlfriend (ex) was a pill popper, afraid of flying and had dosed herself with tranquilizers, AND was wearing high heels. I dragged her drugged ass to the gate with only seconds to spare.

[Craig T]

I mentioned in last weeks airplane middle seat thread how I ran to the gate only to miss my flight in a first class seat. Stuffed *****ing and screaming into a center coach seat on the last flight out I met my wife in the isle seat

In 95, 96, and 97 when I hit 100,000 miles in each single year, my status went to "Presidents Club". I thinks it's "Premier" now. It was amazing how differently they treated you. On my way to John Wayne for a morning flight to Phoenix I got caught in traffic. Five minutes before the departure the gal from the gate called my cell to ask where I was. I told her I was just pulling into the parking structure. They held the plane almost almost 15 minute for me...And, never released my 1st class seat to a standby passenger. Those days are long gone. I'm just some grey haired old schmuck stuffed into a middle coach seat again.

[Por_sha911]

Just a side thought: did anyone else have a sudden memory of OJ running through an airport or am I the only old geezer?

[astrochex]

I almost missed a connection in Atlanta last year. My flight was coming in late and they changed gates on my outbound. I remember taxiing by the gate of my connection, wondering if I was going to make it. Thankfully, both flights were in the same terminal but I had to hoof it. I was about the last person to board.

[BeyGon]

Got to Tampa pretty close one time, checked my bags to New Orleans then Los Angeles, ran up the stairs to the flight and they were closing the door, the plane was about to move. I ended up finding a flight to LA and my luggage had three days in New Orleans. I hope it had fun.

[stomachmonkey]

Came within 30 seconds once.

Heading for a vacation in Aruba.

Our driver had a minor fender bender and was running late. Had we waited for him we would have missed the flight so we hopped in our own car and hauled ass to JFK.

I drop my wife and the bags at curbside and go find a place to leave the car.

Figured long term parking would be cheapest but having never used it at JFK I did not realize you had to leave the airport and park 3 exits away.

I find literally the next to last spot in the lot which is as far from the exit as one could possibly get.

As I get out of the car I see the line of shuttle buses leaving the lot and it'll be at least 30 minutes before more arrive.

I grab my backpack and run as fast as I can (did I mention it's August in NY, hot and 100% humidity) and manage to catch the very last shuttle.

He lets me on but he's not going to my terminal, say's he will get me as close as he can.

Turns out as close as he can is on the other side of JFK's main entrance. A 6 lane highway. Shuttle driver had apparently made a call en route and had an airport service car and driver waiting to take me the rest of the way.

I get to the gate just as they are closing the doors.

Get on the plane and that's when things really go down hill.

[MBAtarga]

On my flight to Dallas on Monday two weeks ago - they closed the gate door behind me. I ran up the escalator and to the gate at Hartsfield as I knew it was cutting close. I was at the airport about 3 hours early for my flight - but had a 2.5 hr wait in security lines. The long lines made national news that day.

[speeder]

In the old days, before 9/11 and TSA, all the time. You could arrive at the airport 5 or 10 minutes before the plane was going to take-off, check bags and the front counter would call the gate and say, "we've got a runner!"

Then they tell you to run and I'd burn rubber to the gate and jump on the plane as they close the door behind me. Sometimes, I'd see them open the door to let someone in and then lock it again.

Those days are loooong gone. I think there are laws or TSA regs that say how many minutes before take-off you need to be checked in and at the gate, etc... Flying is just no fun anymore and a lot of it is the amount of time you have to allot for getting to the airport on time, etc. It eats up a whole day in each direction.

[wilnj]

Came close. Was taking a Continental Express flight from Newark to Dulles. Anyone familiar with EWR knows the shuttle flights are at the end of a long concourse.

Got the gate and was told the flight was closed. Called the guy I was traveling with to let him know I would catch up with him later that morning. He called me back to tell me that the flight attendant got hurt when she tripped going up the stairs and they were waiting on a replacement.

I went back to the gate and asked if I could still get on the flight. They tried to tell me that the plane had left. I pointed out the window and asked if the plane with the ambulance next to it was my plane. They let me get on.


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[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

If you are a true baller they’ll send a car to pick you up so you don’t miss your connection. Delta uses Cayennes and Panameras, American uses Escalades, and United uses Mercedes. Never happened to me but I’ve sat next to million milers who were picked up when they deplane.

Have always been a baller in spirit if nothing else.

Sister was going through bad divorce, needed to come back to live with our mom, I was to fly down to NC and drive her back. ******* brother was supposed to drop me off at airport. No show. And no show. And calls and no show. Get in the 84 VW diesel pickup and "race" to the airport, call airline, tell them circumstances, they say they can't hold plane, park in front of the departure gate same time plane is supposed to be leaving, leave the truck there with keys in it (pre 9/11), race to counter, they say the plane is waiting, race to terminal, get on plane. Fly down, drive sister back.

State police impounded truck, $125 to get it back.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Craig T

In 95, 96, and 97 when I hit 100,000 miles in each single year, my status went to "Presidents Club". I thinks it's "Premier" now. It was amazing how differently they treated you. On my way to John Wayne for a morning flight to Phoenix I got caught in traffic. Five minutes before the departure the gal from the gate called my cell to ask where I was. I told her I was just pulling into the parking structure. They held the plane almost almost 15 minute for me.

So true.

I was stationed in Millington, Tennessee at the Bureau of Naval personnel for 16 long months

My wife was working on the Joint Strike Fighter at the time in Crystal City, Va. and she would drop me off at National to catch the 0700 flight to Memphis every Monday. Due to the time change I'd be at my desk right on time.

I'd fly back to National on Friday afternoon and we would commute home together.

Four months in to this routine, always flying with Northwest Airlines, I had enough segments and miles to qualify for Beryllium Level. I never saw coach again.

By month 9 they painted my name on the side of the jet.

They only had to hold a flight for me once, and they did - I was 5 minutes out when they called.

Now? I consolidated and transferred every possible airline mile to my daughter, who travels a lot.