The OFFICIAL business travel whining thread

Post by **Sabo** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 1:47 pm

I was supposed to fly to Chicago yesterday morning to attend an Adobe seminar. I was going to fly into Chicago Midway, go straight to the seminar, go back to the airport and fly out in the late afternoon.

When I got to the Cleveland airport for my 8:10 a.m. flight, I noticed all the Chicago flights except mine were either cancelled or delayed. Turns out there was a line of strong thunderstorms over Chicago, and they weren't moving very quickly.

So, my flight suddenly goes from an 8:10 departure to 8:30, then 9:10, and finally 9:30. I do some quick calculation and find if it leaves at 9:30, I can attend most of the seminar but probably would miss the first half hour or so. So, I decide to wait it out instead of saying to hell with it and going home.

Around 9:15 a.m., we get notice that we're departing for Chicago. Cool, I can get to my seminar and not miss too much. We board and take off.

Problem is, the thunderstorms are still in the area, so they have to fly around the storms. Of course, they don't tell us this until we're halfway through the flight, so what's normally a 75 minute flight to Chicago suddenly stretched to two hours. And at the two-hour mark, the pilot comes on and says there's heavy air traffic around Midway because of the storms, so we've been put into a holding pattern.

Good bye, seminar.

After circling Chicago for about 20 minutes, the pilot comes back and says they don't have enough fuel to continue with the holding pattern, so we're being diverted to Milwaukee. Groans throughout the plane. We make the short trip north and land, and we pull up to a gate. But they don't let us off. Instead, we're told they have to do some paperwork first and then they can refuel and get us going to Chicago.

Forty-five minutes later, we push back and head to Chicago. We finally land in Chicago around 12:45 CDT.

I got off the plane and checked the Southwest schedule to see if there's an earlier flight back to Cleveland. I'm scheduled to leave at 5 p.m., but there's a flight at 2:15 p.m. I checked the Southwest web site and find the 2:15 p.m. flight is full, so I'm stuck with my original flight. And that means I get to wait in Chicago Midway for four hours.

I did some work in the afternoon, but I had forgotten to bring my iPhone charging cable, so my phone was just about useless. It made for a long day sitting around the airport. I eventually landed in Cleveland around 7 p.m., making it 12 hours of sitting around at the airport, flying on a jet or wasting time on a tarmac.

I love air travel.

HDO45331 · Post by **HDO45331** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 2:08 pm

That is a bitch. At least, with all the NASCAR flying around Chicago, and the trip to Milwaukee, you can argue for increased frequent flyer miles.

ZaZ · Post by **ZaZ** » Mon Jul 01, 2013 7:30 am

Hit the quarter-Mill odometer reading in June driving 2,400 miles around Minnesota in one fortnight staying everywhere from the Wrath Motel to the Crowne Plaza. The combined drives were the equivalent of here to a wee bit south of Mexico City. Had a nice ending though. Third base photo pit and a roam of the press box and bowels at Target Field at the state baseball tournament. That was cool and the completed my tour of pro stadiums in Minneapolis I've now explored for free food in media rooms.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Sun Jul 20, 2014 7:12 pm

Pretty sure I have Coxsackie (Hand, Foot & Mouth). Supposed to be a blast for adults.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Sun Jul 20, 2014 9:10 pm

Pretty sure I searched "whining" and didn't see it was business travel. Whatever. You can all go to hell.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Sun Jul 20, 2014 10:34 pm

mister d wrote:Pretty sure I have Coxsackie (Hand, Foot & Mouth). Supposed to be a blast for adults.

I went to Google to learn about your disease. All I can say is, watch your spelling when you do a search!

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Mon Jul 21, 2014 9:58 am

mister d wrote:Pretty sure I have Coxsackie (Hand, Foot & Mouth). Supposed to be a blast for adults.

Spend time on a farm? Didn't you grow up near Coxsackie, NY?

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Mon Jul 21, 2014 10:22 am

Toddler in daycare. Pre-contraction, I was told by a mom that this (not childbirth) is the worst pain she's ever had and that a father is on steroids because of the throat inflammation. I'm also missing my mom's hip replacement surgery, on her doctor's orders, so I don't infect her and the entire hospital.

rass · Post by **rass** » Mon Jul 21, 2014 10:27 am

I was talking to someone recently whose 2 year old grand daughter came down with coxsackie and ended up in the hospital because she refused to eat or drink because it was too painful. We managed to miss out on it during the day care years. Good luck?

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Mon Jul 21, 2014 10:40 am

mister d wrote:Toddler in daycare. Pre-contraction, I was told by a mom that this (not childbirth) is the worst pain she's ever had and that a father is on steroids because of the throat inflammation. I'm also missing my mom's hip replacement surgery, on her doctor's orders, so I don't infect her and the entire hospital.

Didn't know you were a surgeon.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Mon Jul 21, 2014 1:01 pm

mister d wrote:I'm also missing my mom's hip replacement surgery, on her doctor's orders, so I don't infect her and the entire hospital.

Meh, I'm sure she'll need the other one done soon. Maybe I'm a horrible son, but I never even considered visiting my parents when my dad had his knee replaced.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Mon Jul 21, 2014 2:04 pm

I think its four-fold. I (1) live less than 100 miles away, (2) have a ton of PTO left, (3) can go to Peekskill Brewery on the way there and back and (4) am not a total piece of shit son. (3) being the most important by far.

cerrano · Post by **cerrano** » Mon Jul 21, 2014 3:00 pm

The Sybian wrote:Meh, I'm sure she'll need the other one done soon. Maybe I'm a horrible son, but I never even considered visiting my parents when my dad had his knee replaced.

mister d wrote:I think its four-fold. I (1) live less than 100 miles away, (2) have a ton of PTO left, (3) can go to Peekskill Brewery on the way there and back and (4) am not a total piece of shit son. (3) being the most important by far.

confirmation from mr. d.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Mon Jul 21, 2014 3:06 pm

cerrano wrote:
The Sybian wrote:Meh, I'm sure she'll need the other one done soon. Maybe I'm a horrible son, but I never even considered visiting my parents when my dad had his knee replaced.

mister d wrote:I think its four-fold. I (1) live less than 100 miles away, (2) have a ton of PTO left, (3) can go to Peekskill Brewery on the way there and back and (4) am not a total piece of shit son. (3) being the most important by far.
confirmation from mr. d.

In my defense, my parents wouldn't want me there anyways. Ha!

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Sat Nov 08, 2014 11:45 pm

I gotta figure out how to handle the sleep issues of traveling from the Eastern time zone to the Pacific time zone.

Post by **brian** » Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:26 am

DSafetyGuy wrote:I gotta figure out how to handle the sleep issues of traveling from the Eastern time zone to the Pacific time zone.

I think it's worse going the other direction personally. I never minded traveling to Pacific time when I worked in Detroit. After I moved to Las Vegas and traveled from Pacific time to Eastern time, the first day waking up at 7 a.m. (body clock 4 a.m.) was brutal.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:45 am

brian wrote:
DSafetyGuy wrote:I gotta figure out how to handle the sleep issues of traveling from the Eastern time zone to the Pacific time zone.
I think it's worse going the other direction personally. I never minded traveling to Pacific time when I worked in Detroit. After I moved to Las Vegas and traveled from Pacific time to Eastern time, the first day waking up at 7 a.m. (body clock 4 a.m.) was brutal.

I agree. Westbound isn't much of an issue for me. Eastbound is tougher because you have to go to sleep, even though your body thinks it's still party time. Melatonin works for me.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:47 am

I can sleep any time, any where. Its my one great skill.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Tue Nov 11, 2014 7:00 pm

sancarlos wrote:
brian wrote:
DSafetyGuy wrote:I gotta figure out how to handle the sleep issues of traveling from the Eastern time zone to the Pacific time zone.
I think it's worse going the other direction personally. I never minded traveling to Pacific time when I worked in Detroit. After I moved to Las Vegas and traveled from Pacific time to Eastern time, the first day waking up at 7 a.m. (body clock 4 a.m.) was brutal.
I agree. Westbound isn't much of an issue for me. Eastbound is tougher because you have to go to sleep, even though your body thinks it's still party time. Melatonin works for me.

After many years, I got used to going west to east to the point where going to bed at a reasonable hour on the East Coast the first night was not a problem (although I'm certain waking up super early for the first flight out and not taking a nap on the plane certainly played a role).

The problem for me now is that I routinely wake up at 5am (or earlier - once on this strip was 3:15am) on the west coast because my body is used to waking up early at home. I'm certain part of it is sleeping poorly in unfamiliar surroundings (hotels, my parents' homes, etc.), even when I don't change time zones.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Wed Nov 12, 2014 9:43 am

mister d wrote:I can sleep any time, any where. Its my one great skill.

In a horrific twist, I fell asleep on the train last night and missed my stop by two stops.

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 1:11 am

mister d wrote:
mister d wrote:I can sleep any time, any where. Its my one great skill.
In a horrific twist, I fell asleep on the train last night and missed my stop by two stops.

I've got the same skill. And the same story.

Commuting out of Manhattan I fell asleep on the train. I woke up and suddenly realized it was after my stop. Grabbed my gear and stumbled out into the night.

Where I found myself wearing a suit, carrying one of those early Compaq "portable" (i.e., 25 pound) computers, and in A Very Bad Place. A nice target. No cabs, no working phones, and pre-cellphone era. I suspect that I was in luck as perhaps none of the local youth who were checking me out as I searched for a payphone may have recognized that I was carrying something worth thousands of dollars.

elflaco · Post by **elflaco** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 11:35 am

Aliso Viejo.

at least i have a car and the Renaissance Sport Club and Hotel has some very nice talent.

was a bit overdressed when i arrived.

California.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 8:20 pm

I will be cooling my jets here at the Minneapolis airport Delta Sky Club while I wait out a delay that causes my layover to be four fucking hours on my trip from Boston to San Francisco. So if all goes well from here, door to door, today's travel will likely have taken about 13 hours.

The Sky Club does have free liquor, but I don't want to get pulled over for dui when I'm driving home from the airport after midnight, so I can't go overboard.

Post by **Sabo** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 8:29 pm

sancarlos wrote:I will be cooling my jets here at the Minneapolis airport Delta Sky Club while I wait out a delay that causes my layover to be four fucking hours on my trip from Boston to San Francisco. So if all goes well from here, door to door, today's travel will likely have taken about 13 hours.

The Sky Club does have free liquor, but I don't want to get pulled over for dui when I'm driving home from the airport after midnight, so I can't go overboard.

Fuck that. Get bombed and pass out on the flight. A few hours of sleep will take care of your BAC.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:20 pm

Sabo wrote:
sancarlos wrote:I will be cooling my jets here at the Minneapolis airport Delta Sky Club while I wait out a delay that causes my layover to be four fucking hours on my trip from Boston to San Francisco. So if all goes well from here, door to door, today's travel will likely have taken about 13 hours.

The Sky Club does have free liquor, but I don't want to get pulled over for dui when I'm driving home from the airport after midnight, so I can't go overboard.
Fuck that. Get bombed and pass out on the flight. A few hours of sleep will take care of your BAC.

I'd be right on that, but I don't want a replay of this.

Post by **brian** » Fri Nov 14, 2014 1:57 am

sancarlos wrote:I will be cooling my jets here at the Minneapolis airport Delta Sky Club while I wait out a delay that causes my layover to be four fucking hours on my trip from Boston to San Francisco. So if all goes well from here, door to door, today's travel will likely have taken about 13 hours.

The Sky Club does have free liquor, but I don't want to get pulled over for dui when I'm driving home from the airport after midnight, so I can't go overboard.

That Sky Club just off the mall by the TGIFridays is money. Used to have a couple pretty hot bartenders there too.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Fri Nov 14, 2014 3:56 pm

To really put a bow on my evening of travel, I had this. The plane finally touches down at SFO at 12:30 am (three hours late). Of course the flight attendants woke everybody up before landing so we could put the seats upright, etc. But after we landed, the plane drove over to the holding pen on the tarmac instead of a gate. And we waited 30 fucking minutes before they got us into a gate. This is so late that no other planes are leaving or arriving, but they said it was due to "airport congestion". We've been in the air for four hours. Did they not know this plane was coming? How can they not know where to put us at that time of night, and why should it take a fucking half hour to figure it out? Pisses me off. Still.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Fri Dec 19, 2014 7:55 pm

You may have been noticing that that nice sancarlos guy sure has been posting a lot the past half hour. That's partially because... AGAIN... he is laboring through a three hour flight delay, as he waits and trys to kill time in the DTW Delta Sky Club, trying to resist the urge to drink up all their free Jack Daniels...

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Mon Dec 22, 2014 1:04 pm

Not whining, but look or a recommendation from those who travel often. I have a choice between flights on United or Virgin. Very close departure times, and identical price, not that it matters since I ain't paying. I know people generally hate United, but I've never had an issue with them. Is Virgin a better option?

Post by **Sabo** » Mon Dec 22, 2014 1:35 pm

The Sybian wrote:Not whining, but look or a recommendation from those who travel often. I have a choice between flights on United or Virgin. Very close departure times, and identical price, not that it matters since I ain't paying. I know people generally hate United, but I've never had an issue with them. Is Virgin a better option?

I've never flown Virgin, but I would choose that unknown over the known shitfest that is United Airlines.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Mon Dec 22, 2014 2:22 pm

Sabo wrote:
The Sybian wrote:Not whining, but look or a recommendation from those who travel often. I have a choice between flights on United or Virgin. Very close departure times, and identical price, not that it matters since I ain't paying. I know people generally hate United, but I've never had an issue with them. Is Virgin a better option?
I've never flown Virgin, but I would choose that unknown over the known shitfest that is United Airlines.

I'd second this because I've heard many positive comments about Virgin.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Mon Dec 22, 2014 2:24 pm

Remember though, you're only allowed to fly Virgin once.

Post by **brian** » Mon Dec 22, 2014 2:29 pm

I've flown Virgin before. They're better than the majors, but It's nothing spectacular. But I'd definitely choose them given a choice vs. United et al.

elflaco · Post by **elflaco** » Mon Dec 22, 2014 3:13 pm

like virgins, but over the past 9 months have flown exclusively on United.. and will be doing so again for three of the next five weeks...

the international flights are much better than the flights within the US(fortunately most of my travel is international except for Cali and flor-ida next month) .. US flights.. you pay for all food, and Direct TV sucks, even when it works.
it helps to be at least Silver -- otherwise it sucks balls... if not business, get them to pay for economy plus.

only airline i'll recommend is Emirates. even in coach.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Thu Jan 29, 2015 3:31 am

Having a hard time getting used to corporate travel rules. Between working for the government and small businesses, the leeway in expenses is really hard for me to believe. We are allowed $100/day for food, but since the hotel has free breakfast and we had a catered lunch, we didn't spend a dime. I made a joke to my traveling companion in front if our boss saying that we need to make sure we spend the full $100 on dinner. My boss just said, that if we go over , expense the $100, and list the overage for breakfast and lunch the day before . We don't need receipts under $25. Diner and one drink cut it close, and the wine flight at a really cool wine bar/store in the Ferry Building Marketplace rounded out the evening. I still feel uncomfortable with a $92 meal tab for 1, but it was one hell of a meal, cocktail and wine. I need to travel more.

elflaco · Post by **elflaco** » Thu Jan 29, 2015 9:07 am

..there are perks..

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Thu Mar 05, 2015 5:56 pm

Hey guys, howzit going? Things are peachy here this Thursday evening at the luxurious Super 8-JFK motel, in scenic Jamaica Queens! How did I get here?

So, today, I finish my business in Manhattan and I'm on the way to JFK for my cross-country flight to San Francisco. Unfortunately, it's winter hereabouts, with all the attendant messiness. I get a message from Delta while I'm en route, telling me my flight has been canceled, but they've re-booked me on a 9:00 flight tomorrow morning. So, in my infinite wisdom, I phone the company travel agent to see if she can find an alternate way to get me home today. She says there is a flight soon to LAX and connect to SFO, that can work for me (but no seat assignment available that late before the flight). So, she books me on that one and cancels the 9:00 flight for tomorrow. When I get to JFK, I can't check in at the kiosk and must go to the counter to check in and get a seat assignment. So, I wait in line, and I get to the counter 40 minutes before the flight time. The counter agent nicely tells me that because I didn't get to her at least an hour before the flight, it is closed and I can't get on the flight. She even calls the gate to check and they say no dice - flight will be leaving on time, without me. Of course, I've lost my re-booked flight for tomorrow at this time. And the nice counter lady tells me she can't confirm me a seat on ANY flight tomorrow, so I have to stand by and hope for some luck - but she can confirm me on a Saturday flight if I want? Shit. I whine to her for a bit, and she feels pity for me. This is a good thing. Because, lo and behold, she then finds me a seat she CAN confirm for me tomorrow afternoon, at 3:15. So, that at least is an improvement, so we confirm that. I plan on getting up at 3:o'darkthirty am, tomorrow morning and will try to stand by for an early morning flight, but at least I know I have a confirmed seat in the afternoon.

So, now I need an airport hotel to stay at tonight. This is difficult, given all the cancelled flights today. After starting at the nicest hotels and working my way down, after many failed attempts, I finally get a room - at Chez Super 8. Then, I ride the super-crowded airtrain for awhile to the hotel shuttle pickup area. Then while I'm waiting for awhile for the shuttle, I get another message from Delta - that flight that I was closed out of today, because I only checked in 40 minutes before scheduled takeoff? - It was delayed by an hour! But, still leaving without me. Jeebus.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Thu Mar 05, 2015 6:32 pm

My google says you're 2.3 miles from some place called "Forest Hills Station House" which has some (Astoria) Queens brewed SingleCut beers on tap. SingleCut is awesome and would make your night better.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Thu Mar 05, 2015 6:39 pm

That's a good idea, but I just ordered some Indian food to be delivered, and I'm getting up super early, so I'll just have to pass this time. But, next time I'm staying at this motel, I'll go there, for sure.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Thu Mar 05, 2015 7:08 pm

Oooo I hate sarcasm.