Well, I am back in Germany

and let me tell you .... flying with USAir over Philadelphia continues to be an adventure .....

In Knoxville, TN I had the pleasure of an extra screening. Our plane left 20 minutes late to Charlotte, NC due to high air traffic over Charlotte. In Charlotte I barely had time to make it to my plane to Philly. We left ON TIME !!!!!! but then the fun started for real. We were flying circles over Philly due to high air traffic and then we went to Baltimore to get a fuel refill because our plane didn't have enough to circle any longer over Philly. So instead of flying out at 4.15pm I left Philly at 7pm. Which was an hour later than supposed as well due to a thunderstrom that went right over the airport .... and instaed of flying with USAir I had to fly with Lufthansa which doesn't have inseat screens but still the big screen with one movie for all .... And my luggage didn't make it with me to Frankfurt. Which I kinda expected with all the delays ....

I tell you what. I normally don't cry easy. Except at mushy scenes in movies. But when I had to recheck-in at the Lufthansa counter in Philly I was close - very close - to crying.

And now I am sitting at my PC at work. It is now 11am German time, for my body it is 5am. At one point I am going to need a BIG cup of strong coffee.

Welcome home! :hug: :hug:

:hi: :hug:

The weather made it easy for me to depart. But other than that I wished I still would be in TN. :cry:

Good Morning :)

:hi:

On one hand I am glad too that I made it home safely, on the other hand I am sad because my vacation is over already. WHY????????

Did you meet any DUers while you were here?

visiting AirmensMom. No other DUers were involved or hurt :D

:hug: I hope your trip here, (other than the airline snafu), was enjoyable.

I had a wonderful time. The three weeks I was with AirmensMom went by way too fast. Wish I could have stayed longer.

:hug:

in spite of the hassle.

Khash.

by now my luggage has arrived in Frankfurt as well. I will get it today. Hey, at least I don't have to drag it home myself :)

What an ordeal, but glad you made it safely home. Sounds like you have a wonderful time with AirmensMom. She must be a wonderful host.

I leave for my vacation on Wednesday morning. I'm a little concerned about my connection in Detroit. Only have 50 minutes between flights.

Typically when I travel, I only take a carry-on. That way I don't have to worry about lost luggage or wait for my luggage.

Glad to have you back here!

:hi: :hug: :loveya:

If your plane is on time that is plenty of time. Now if you arrive 15 minutes after your connecting flight leaves .... that is another story :rofl:

Carry on would never be enough luggage for me to take with me. I am someone who ALWAYS packs too much. Just ask AM.

Yes, she is a wonderful host. We had fun. We relaxed and we went doing stuff. Looking at caverns, horseback riding, going in the mountains, watching movies, play with the kitties, have a picknick ... you get the idea. You should try it out someday :D


I wish you a wonderful vacation yourself :hug: :loveya: :hi:

I'm sorry. :hug:

But I am glad you made it safely. I thought of you all day yesterday. The house is strangely quiet. :(

and sit in my 500 sqf apt without kitties and you .... You have at least all your animals and harleydad to hassle. Who do I have? Oh right, I have my co-workers :rofl:

:hug:

if you are missing Americans too much!

Just kidding...

Looking forward to freezing there! It is 45cent. every day here now.

when you will be in Frankfurt. I really would love to meet you and greet a fellow DUer :)

Glad to hear that you are home. Have you got your luggage? :hug:

when I walked up from the underground towards my house I saw the guy standing in front of the door. Phew. That was timing. I am glad I left work when I left work :)

Btw, did you get a big letter?

not yet. Will check the mailbox on the way to work... :D :bounce:

I sent it off Wednesday. Shouldn't it have arrived already? Strange. But I gave AM's adress as sender in case something went wrong.

box since Thursday (or, was it Friday?) It will probably be there today. No worries. :hug:

please let me know if you got it.

I will let you know the minute I get it :loveya:

Just got your email. Yeah, PHL sux. I fly into EWR next time, and to tell you the truth, the extra hour of drive time is worth it, because I can fly direct from MUC. The people in PHL customs are idiots and have a 'tude that I could do without. You'd think EWR would be more of a hassle being near NYC and all, but I've had good experiences there.

I swear flying is just not enjoyable anymore, thank GOD I am over the homesick 'I want/need to fly home ever 2 months deal' -- with current flying conditions, I think I would commit hari-kari!

Don't feel bad, I DID jinx myself with my post on here and got pulled over in D'land for zoll inspection. :wow:

I hope you have many fond memories, and enjoyed seeing Simon.

:grouphug: :hi:

I got a special security check in Knoxville :rofl:

That is the good thing about luggage arriving later than me. No hassle with the custom and not having to drag the suitcase and sport bag home :D

take off your tags when you land and they won't bother you. :D

Thanks. I didn't know that.

the ones that show what airport you've just arrived from. I always wondered why my man did that upon landing, now I know. :wow:

with the dollar so low and everybody buying a lot over there. But this morning no one was sitting at the custom place :shrug:

too bad you had to fly "US Air-worst" though! lol

:hi:

and prefer it over Lufthansa (you wouldn't believe how small their cups were!!!!). I think it is more Philly than US Air. Didn't had any problems when flying international to and from Charlotte, NC.

Next time: NO Lufthansa, NO Philadelphia airport :rofl:

and your luggage caught up to you. I've had that happen before.

:hi: :hug:

I was honestly amazed that my luggage came today already. And nothing got broken.

:hi: :hug:

I can't imagine flying internationally, how maddening that must be.

The last few times I have flown within the US, they have lost my luggage and I have missed at least one flight due to delays. Mostly weather-related. Once I sat at the airport in Corpus Christi, TX, where I live, waiting for a flight to Houston, where I was going to change planes. I sat in Corpus for at least 5 hours. Now, it takes less than 5 hours to drive to Houston from here. But as a result of all these delays, I made it to my destination over 24 hours late. That was my worst experience.

I want to go to Europe but I hate flying so much.

just long. Esp. if you can't sleep and they only have one big screen for everyone at the same time. With inseat screens it is easier to pass the time.

A big 'ol hug to you, and I hope you get some good coffee, soon! :hug:

and took an hour nap after I got home, inspected my luggage and took a hot shower. I am still tired so I think I will be able to sleep tonight.

Plus I switched from Lufthansa years ago to Air France and/or LTU (I'm near
Düsseldorf, so LTU makes sense). ALL Lufthansa employees are, I'm pretty sure,
trained to say "ich bin dafür nicht zuständig" in their sleep before they can
work there. It's like they're doing YOU a favor for letting you fly with them.

My daughter just got here from NYC via Paris yesterday, and since her plane from
Paris to Düsseldorf was late taking off, they sent her an email apology the same day
and gave her account 2000 free miles to boot. Lufthansa would have just said "tough
luck, and thank you for flying Lufthansa."

LTU is predictably less fancy, and their fares reflect it, but the fly nonstop from
Düsseldorf to LA and NY (regrettably neither Dallas nor Washington), and that sometimes
comes in handy.

in Philly I asked him if there is another flight to Frankfurt that he can put me on that isn't operated by Lufthansa. Nope, that was the only flight he could get me on. As said, I felt close to crying.

But the lady at the lost luggage counter was really nice. German and nice. Doesn't happen often.

My wife is German and nice, as are all of her women friends.
It is the Lufthansa organization that usually sucks, although
individuals are often pleasant (and unable to help).