Ailantha
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

Me, The V.I.P.

3/26/2016

0 Comments

 
     The day before yesterday during the Los Angeles lay-over of my flight from Columbus, Ohio to Portland, Oregon (see yesterday's post), 
Picture
...I spent several hours lounging in  the American Airlines Boardroom,
...which is where we V.I.P.'s wait for our flights in comfort and style, far (but not too far, actually) from the madding crowds in the public area of the terminal,
...which also pretty nice, as airport terminals go.
Picture
  But the American Airlines Board Room is quite nice, 
Picture

    ...with a lovely ladies' room,

...a children's play room,
Picture
...... a quiet work area, some healthy food and drink options, gratis,
Picture
Picture
 ...from among which I partook of an absolutely exquisite salad and a glass of  herb tea,
Picture
Picture
...even though I'd already had a delish fish taco (but a small one)
     ...from one of the terminal food stands,
Picture
...unaware that I was on the cusp of becoming a V.I.P. For A Day.
     Also amongst my perks as a temporary Board Member  was my entitlement to three complementary drinks from the bar,
Picture
 ...which, being a teetotaler, I forewent, though I thought it was a classy  touch.
     My journey from Economy passenger to V.I.P began after my lay-over in Los Angeles had officially ended and I'd boarded my flight to Portland and  settled into my window seat.  
    While I and my fellow passengers were waiting for the plane to take off an announcement came over the intercom asking if there were any passengers who would be willing to give up their seat so that a family with young children could make this flight.
    I sprung up from my seat and was halfway down the aisle towards the front of the plane before the announcement was even finished. 
     "I'll do it!"  I cried to the flight attendant at the front of the plane.
     "She'll do it!"  cried the flight attendant to the airline agent standing outside the plane door.
    "Come with me, quickly,"  said the agent to me, and we scurried back through the jetway tunnel to the boarding gate. 
      At the gate an exhausted-looking young mother and her three small children were sitting on the floor leaning against the wall. 
     "Okay, c'mon, we've got you a seat,"  said the airline agent to the mother, who quickly gathered her children and their belongings then disappeared with the agent into the jetway tunnel.
     "Oh, thank you,"  sighed one of the busy gate agents. 
     "Oh, no problem,"  I replied.  I was happy to help a family in need, nor was I discouraged by the $300 flight credit offered in compensation.
      I was asked to wait at the end of the counter until someone was free to take care of me.
     Again, no problem.  I was glad to stand leaning against the counter, basking in the glow of having done a good deed and my $300 reward.

     As all the gate agents were tied up with the immediate needs of a host of other travelers,
Picture
 ...I had to wait for good long time perched at the end of the counter; in fact after a while I began to wonder if perhaps the gate agents, in their preoccupation with their other customers, had forgotten about me.
    But no, one of the agents finally called me over.
    "Phew,"  she huffed, "sorry for the wait." 
    "Oh,  you're fine," said I, smiling at the thought of that $300 about to roll my way.
    The agent smile back at me then called over to a colleague, "Could we give Ms. Liszkay a $400 credit?
     It was decided by general consensus that under the circumstances they could indeed give me an extra hundred dollars, as well as a $24 food voucher to be used that day at any of the airport restaurants, as well as a day pass to the American Airlines Board Room.  I smiled and smiled.
     Sadly, haven already consumed my fish taco as well as having access to the free food in the Board Room, I simply had not the hunger to use my food voucher within the 2 1/2 hours left before my assigned flight to Portland.

Picture
     But tomorrow I'm returning to Los Angeles for a week-long visit with my grand babies,
...and at the end of that week I'll be in the LA airport once more with some time to spare while waiting for my return flight to Columbus.  
     I'm wondering if at that time American Airlines might be willing to change the date on my food voucher so that I can trade it for some refreshment while waiting for my flight home.
     They probably won't.
     But a girl can dream, right?

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    "Tropical Depression" 
    by Patti Liszkay
    ​Buy it on Amazon:

    https://www.amzn.com/1685131832

    Picture
    "Hail Mary"
    by Patti Liszkay
    Buy it on Amazon:

    https://www.amzn.com/1684334888

    Picture
    "Equal And Opposite Reactions"
     by Patti Liszkay
    Buy it on Amazon:

    http://amzn.to/2xvcgRa
    or from
    The Book Loft
    of German Village,
    Columbus, Ohio
    Picture
    Or check it out at the Columbus Metropolitan Library
    Picture

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013

    RSS Feed

    I am a traveler just visiting this planet and reporting various and sundry observations,
    hopefully of interest to my fellow travelers.

    Categories

    All


























































































Proudly powered by Weebly