When I go on a trip I like to use the apps on my smartphone to keep track of flight status, unfortunately Southwest is not all there like some of the other airlines.  Yes, they have an app, yes it has flight status, but it doesn’t have push notifications and what I learned is that Southwest has some learning in the automation and notification side of things.  So here’s my story:

When I went on the trip I setup my Rapid Rewards account to send text messages when something about the flight changed, this is helpful in knowing which terminal and gate number and so on.  Weston, my work-mate, and I get done with our meeting early by some unlikely chance, head to the office to pick up a computer (the one I’m using), and head to the airport early with the intention to use the United Club at Newark Airport.  As we’re on the airmail train between terminals I get a text from Southwest that the departing flight is delayed leaving NJ and will now depart at 7:30 when it was originally scheduled for 6:10. What it failed to tell me (but looking at the connecting ticket in my hand uncovered) was that Weston and I were going to miss our connection in Washington D.C. by over an hour. I call Southwest, I quickly reach someone (before even making it to the next stop on the airtrain at the airport) and they tell me that since the connecting flight to Houston was the last flight out of DC we’d be stuck there. The representative from Southwest then tells me that because the only other flight that goes to Houston that has available seats leaves the airport in 25 minutes that she can’t make changes within an hour of departure from there and I need to try to make it to the ticket counter.

Weston and I quickly jump off the train that was headed for the free drinks at the United Club and hop on the train back to the Southwest terminal to seek out a ticket counter.  We finally get to the correct counter but of course there is a line, to speed things along a bit (since there is now 10 minutes before the door to the plane is scheduled to close, we’re in one of the busiest airports in the country, and we still have yet to go through security) I unlatch one of the security ropes and hop to the end of the line rather than go through all of the zigging and zagging of the lines.  A random lady walks up behind us in line (after doing the zigging and zagging herself) and rather rudely exclaims, “you should put it back up.”  Weston responded, “thanks for letting us know.”  Then the rope was replaced.

We do finally make it to the ticket counter and explain the situation and the representative realizing the rather stringent time constraints suggested we go directly to the gate and have them do it.  We bolt for security and I have all of the normal stuff, shoes, belt, carry on bag, laptop bag, but security is also asking for everyone to take out iPads as well and if you remember I had picked up a computer earlier so it too needed it’s own bin.  So for me alone I had 6 bins of stuff and Weston had another 3 or 4.  I go through the millimeter wave detection machine with nonmetallic items in my pockets such as my boarding pass and wallet.  Oops, that was a mistake, they now have to put a 7th bin through for me and instead of scanning me again in the millimeter wave machine I was subjected to a non-optional pat down (I tried to go back into the machine).  After the uncomfortable debacle I put back on my belt, shoes, reloaded my laptop, the new laptop, and stowed the iPad and headed for the gate…  OOPS!  Which gate?  All I know at this point is that I’m now looking for a flight departing at an unknown time heading for Chicago that should be boarding now.  I don’t know the flight number, the gate number, or the departure time.

I come to the first ticket desk that has two Southwest employees standing at it and ask the obvious question, “what gate is departing a flight to Chicago?”  I am greeted with the response that the gate is closed and both of the employees standing there are actually flight attendants and not gate attendants and that I should head to another location to determine this important information.

I proceed to the other location, of course a line again, the man in front of me finishes his dissertation (or at least I think), and I notice that the sign states there is a 3:50 direct flight to Houston that has been delayed to 5:00.  I look at my watch and it’s 4:50, as I look up from my watch the gate attendant asks without my prompting across to a door that is still open with an attendant standing at it, “Do you have time for more?”  She yells back, “How many?”  I raise 2 fingers and she nods, 2 minutes later we’re on a direct flight to Houston and the door is closed behind us.

The best part is we had one drink coupon for each segment of the previous flights, and when we were moved to this flight we got one more.  Three drink coupons on a three hour flight and getting home 3 hours earlier is about the right ratios of everything and a good end to a ridiculous day.

I am wrapping up a quick three day, two night, trip to New Jersey to meet with one of our customers and I am looking very forward to seeing my wife, son, and this weekend my daughter.  I can’t say that I’m not also strongly looking forward to enjoying my own bed, great food we got at the grocery store before I headed out which are new meals I’m going to try to prepare.

What a great weekend!

The perfect woman used to be only in dreams it seemed,
but when I first saw you, it changed everything.
I knew right off that you were the one,
I secretly hoped we would be together, I knew we’d have fun!
Whenever we hug, I get chills up my spine,
I think about you nonstop; all of the time,

Nothing can change what you mean to me,
you’re all that I want, all that I need,
when I look into your big beautiful eyes,
it reminds me that I found the true love of my life.
I’d give the world away just to be with you,
now that I’ve found you, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do.

I truly love you.

You’re the proof that my love is alive,
Something is going on, it’s mixing up my insides.
While it’s often I seem to have no time,
somehow for the past few weeks I’ve worked on this rhyme,
I’m trying to show our love will defy time.
There’s millions of reasons I feel our love will never end,
but simply, you’re not only my beautiful wife, you’re my very best friend!
And this is why I truly love you.

Here’s some pictures from Christmas this year:

I took some professional photos for my Cousin Wendy and they are here for your viewing pleasure

Here’s some of my favorite pictures from Winter Park 2011