Good Afternoon!
I'm home! Well, almost. I'm at my parents' house in Fairfax right now, and I'll be heading down to Richmond after rush hour.
Getting out of Houston turned out to be a not so pleasant experience for a bunch of in the show. Almost all of us were dropped off at the same time, and all of us were on the same airline (one of the sponsors of the theatre). Well...
-What's the point of those self-serve check-in desks when you still have to wait for a live person to check your ID and tag your luggage?
-Said airline also didn't have a bunch of us "in the system" since the tickets were booked through the theatre. They had to dig up my booking via my name, social security number and my frequent flyer number. The joys of e-tickets!
-A lot of us were also hit with fees for having luggage over the current weight limit. Mind you, none of us were hit with the fees coming into Houston - and I know I actually had less in my checked bags going back! So, when I told the lady who was checking me in that I was not charged when I flew into Houston, she promptly came back with, "Well, you know, I could actually go ahead and charge you NOW for both ways!" -And the exclamation point (!) was in her voice. It was only $25.00, but still... some people got hit with two $25.00 fees, one for each piece of checked luggage.
-And continuing about the weight limit issue... One of the ladies in the cast noticed that depending where she placed her bag on the scale, the weight difference was quite noticable. From 61 lbs. to 43 lbs.! In other words, from $25.00 to $0.00. The guy checking her in then kept insisting that he had to go by the first weight that came up on the scale. WHAT?!?!?!?! I tried to stay until a supervisor came by, but since my flight was starting to board... I can't wait for the update.
-Going through security was also a chore! "I'm sorry, you're only allowed two carry-ons. Period!" So, they were making people - everyone, not just those in my group - stuff their lunch bags(!) into their other bags. They were even counting bags of food just bought as a "third piece" WHAT?!?!?!? Then, apparently, there have been some updates to the TSA screening rules since we flew in five weeks ago. All shoes had to be taken off. No exceptions. And if you refused or questioned, then you were pulled aside for the extra security check. I almost got very upset with the TSA official... I always wear sneakers with no metal in them, and I've NEVER had to take them off. Ever! But now?!?!? And then one of the ladies who had her dog with her, was asked to take all collars and leashes off her dog and put them through the x-ray machine, and then walk through the metal detector carrying her dog. Now, that's sort of understandable, but, again, she did not have to go through that going in. And then the TSA agent who was in charge of putting the items onto the moving belt into the x-ray machine did not want to touch the plastic bin with the collar and leash in it! "I don't do dogs!" WHAT?!?!?!? Well, since I was next in line, I put them on the moving belt. -Of course, technically, I could have been pulled over right then and there for doing that since I was now "interfering" with the security screening, but if the TSA agent is not going to do her job, and hold up the line...
*After getting through the security screening, we all wondered if their was some sort of bump up in security measures post-election. -Or maybe it was just because we were flying out of Bush.
Thankfully, after all that check-in and screening trauma and drama, the rest of my trip back home went rather smoothly. My plane was boarding as soon as I got to the gate. I ended up with a row all to myself. I got a nice nap on the plane. My bags were among the first ones to come around the carousel at baggage claim. And best of all, when my sister-in-law came to pick me up at the airport, my niece and nephew were in tow. And my nephew has been singing me the new songs he's been learning in kindergarten ever since we left the airport! -He's actually next to me now drawing pictures of airplanes, airports and sharks(!?!?)... oh, and still singing! It's good to be home!
-Of course, my two-year old niece is still afraid of me, but, hopefully, she'll start to grow out that. Soon.
