July 6, Sunday

Narita Airport Ticketing Counters

I had to go home to my daughter. Half exciting but half sad for my Mom. After the heart surgery two years ago, Mom is doing very fine, there's nothing to worry about, but anything could happen to an old age woman, I couldn'g help thinking that this could be the last time I see her.....
Then my different nightmare began already at Narita Airport.
My Delta flight supposed to leave at 3:30 pm, I was there early enough, then it went more than enough because there was a delay on my flight. Extra one and a half hours. Oh, I could spent more time at home with Mom!!!

Then 12 hours flight started without my earphone connection working, I had to watch a few movies without sound and voice, of course no music......lucky I had a book to read and sudoku to solve.

I change flights at Atlanta, the flight from Atlanta to Ft. Lauderdale leaves at 5:40pm, but when I arrived there it was almost 5:00. And there....long long line at immigration, my baggage didn't come out very quickly, another long long line to go through the custom.........
At last I re-check in my laggage and it was 5:40........my flight had taken off. Why doesn't it wait for passengers from the delayed flights connections????

I had to re-book my flight, but it wasn't only me, our flight from Tokyo wasn't the only flight it delayed, oh my God, I'd never seen this crazy long line at any place and any occasion........we just stay in that line, no Delta personel came to check on us. I left my cell phone to my daughter, so I had to call home not to come to pick me up at Ft. Lauderdale Airport yet, but I couldn't leave the line, but I asked the people around me to keep my spot for the phone call, and run for the payphone. I didn't find them easily, and finally spotted them but only 2 out of 6 were working and of course occupied. And it was Georgia, I need a phone card to make a call to Florida.......my payphone expedition was failed.

All of us waited patiently while only A FEW Delta agent were handling this mess, (why not sending more agents to deal with the problems!?!?!?) like 5 hours, for me, without any drink and food, then finally my turn!! While I was waiting, two flights to FLL took off, and there was only one last flight which leaves at 11:30pm, he gave me a stand-by chance to get that last flight. Then another waiting by the gate......I was the 19th person on the stand by list. I was so desperate...I can't go home today? Do I have to spend the night here and deal with another line and take the flight tomorrow??...........but I got it! That flight delayed, of course, left Atlanta around 12 o'clock midnight, with some more empty seats, that was so ridiculous!!!

I still couldn't call my brother, this time to ask him to come pick me up in the midnight. The person sitting next to me had cell phone, so I asked if his phone was based in Florida, because I didn't want to ask people to let me use their phone to make a long distant call. He said Yes, but his phone was out of power, he was using the last of it's losing buttery, he said. So I called at FLL airport soon after I left the aircraft, and while we were looking for our laggage, since they arrived much earlier than us, my brother came on time without waiting more again. It was after 2 o'clock in the morning when I was finally home, (It supposed to be at 8:00pm...) actually my brother's home, my daughter and my cat were sleeping there.

So my trip to Japan didn't end in my own home that night, but what should I say, All is well anyway that didn't ends well......Thanks to Delta Airlines! I won't take you anymore!

I should take a photo or two of that LONG CRAZY LINE at Atlanta Airport!!!!!