My favorite brother has a LIVE, IN PERSON speech this week in Texas. He’s currently in the car driving to LA to catch a flight because the Vegas airport is filled with stranded travelers. Commercial flights are being cancelled and delayed like crazy.
For example, Southwest cancelled 2000 flights over the weekend, 355 more today, and another 581 flights delayed as of this morning. The initial blame was placed on weather and air traffic control. Others are suggesting other factors are to blame — opposition to the COVID-19 mandate, labor shortages, and problems finding hotel rooms, transportation and meals upon reaching their destinations because of the delta variant.
But it’s not just Southwest. Last week, my sister-in-law had delays that caused a night’s stay on her return trip to Vegas from Indiana on American Airlines, and my brother experienced a cancelled Delta flight with the alternate flight delayed three times before he made it home a day later.
If you’ve never been stranded in an airport, take my word for it — it’s MISERABLE — not to mention luggage challenges. Everyone you encounter is in the same situation as you are and are intent on getting ahead of you at any potential opportunity. And you’ll be lucky to meet one solitary person that isn’t grumpy.
Of course, my favorite brother must go to ANY LENGTHS to travel — even if it means driving to an alternate airport — because of his commitment to clients…
But is it worth it to fly for pleasure right now? Some say no way — evidenced by reports of a decline in bookings and rise in cancellations.
To what lengths would you go for air travel to get to your destination? Would you risk significant delays and inconveniences, or would you simply plan a road trip instead? (We’re planning to drive 1000 miles in January if significant improvements aren’t made before then.)
TIL (Today I Learned): Alpacas are being used as bodyguards in some turkey farms, since they instinctively accept the birds into their herd and scare off foxes.