We had a great flight from Brussels to Washington-Dulles. The food was far inferior to that of Oceania but we expect a lot of that over the next few days as we go through "withdrawal."
Our seats were across from a couple about our age, on their first retirement trip with a daughter, son-in-law, and grandchild. They'd planned to see Russia but she fell and broke her leg. Since then, they fought to use their "medivac" insurance to be flown to Belgium, where a doctor who had previously performed hip surgery on her would have the expertise they desired.
They spent a lot of money out of their own pockets and will now fight the insurance company to be reimbursed for $20,000 or so. It puts things in perspective.
Our arrival at IAD was smooth, other than an too-common delay as the pilot first waited for staff to wave them in, and then wait for staff to open the door.
Our Global Entry whisked through an already short immigration line within two minutes. Then, of course, there was the TSA line.
We didn't have a long wait and then we opted out of the X-Rays. The woman had to give "the speech" to Kathy as our possessions disappeared through the luggage X-Ray. Brian walked through the metal detector and remarked sardonically, "Gee, I didn't set it off."
We both endured our searches, Kathy seething while Brian made cheap jokes. We're now sitting in a United Club wondering when our flight for LGA leaves. We've received a text message and an e-mail saying the flight is delayed for three hours, a second text message that conflicts with the first, and a United Club concierge saying her computer states there could be some delay. What a confusing mess this merger seems to be at times.
The one small bright spot is that, after Kathy couldn't check in online for tomorrow's LGA-ORD leg, the same agent checked in and her upgrade into F cleared. We're seated separately but it's not that long a flight.
We're thinking we've had just about enough of airports for awhile.
Our seats were across from a couple about our age, on their first retirement trip with a daughter, son-in-law, and grandchild. They'd planned to see Russia but she fell and broke her leg. Since then, they fought to use their "medivac" insurance to be flown to Belgium, where a doctor who had previously performed hip surgery on her would have the expertise they desired.
They spent a lot of money out of their own pockets and will now fight the insurance company to be reimbursed for $20,000 or so. It puts things in perspective.
Our arrival at IAD was smooth, other than an too-common delay as the pilot first waited for staff to wave them in, and then wait for staff to open the door.
Our Global Entry whisked through an already short immigration line within two minutes. Then, of course, there was the TSA line.
We didn't have a long wait and then we opted out of the X-Rays. The woman had to give "the speech" to Kathy as our possessions disappeared through the luggage X-Ray. Brian walked through the metal detector and remarked sardonically, "Gee, I didn't set it off."
We both endured our searches, Kathy seething while Brian made cheap jokes. We're now sitting in a United Club wondering when our flight for LGA leaves. We've received a text message and an e-mail saying the flight is delayed for three hours, a second text message that conflicts with the first, and a United Club concierge saying her computer states there could be some delay. What a confusing mess this merger seems to be at times.
The one small bright spot is that, after Kathy couldn't check in online for tomorrow's LGA-ORD leg, the same agent checked in and her upgrade into F cleared. We're seated separately but it's not that long a flight.
We're thinking we've had just about enough of airports for awhile.
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