We got up early Thursday to get packed and ready to fly to Paris. Used the Garmin this time to get us to the airport. Boy oh boy...tip for you Garmin users: check to make sure you don't have it set on "avoid toll roads" or else you will be seeing every single round-about between Tuscany and Florence, and believe me it is very easy to go round and round and round on the round abouts. What should have taken us 20 minutes ended up being an hour.
Lucky for us we got there in plenty of time to hurry up and wait, and wait, and wait. Brenda kept warning us that she was jinxed when it came to airline travel. (For a day-and-a-half trip to Texas for a wedding, it took three days, nine flights and seven airports!) Should have known then. The airline started out delaying our AirFrance 1:15pm by 15 minute increments. After about the 3rd time of changing the departure, the natives and everyone else started getting restless. At that point the harried counter person told us that the flight was cancelled and we should get on the bus outside the door and go to baggage claim to get our bags and rebook. After standing on the bus for about 15 more minutes it drove about 200 feet and dumped us all off! We then waited another hour for our luggage which never came. Finally we left baggage claim went back through security and back to our gate. Much to our chagrin (or relief) we were told that the plane was actually working and our luggage had never been off-loaded. *sigh*
Some of our party had tried to rebook while waiting for luggage so lost seats on the plane and had to be reassigned. Needless to say the five of us were spread out about the plane. While the plane was boarding the captain came on and told us to take our seats immediately as we needed to get going. Of course nobody was listening and continued to mill about. After everyone was seated they came back on the speaker and said that there was an air traffic controller strike in Paris and we had missed our 5 minute window to take off. We would have to wait for the next opening which would most likely mean another 2 hour wait! By this time, people are really cranky, and demanding to get off the plane. One hour goes by, then a second. People who want off are told to push the attendant button and someone will come talk to them about disembarking. Some people get off, the rest of us soldier on in the sweltering heat (more on sweating later). The captain explained that those who got off the plane would be stranded until Saturday as the Italians were planning to strike on Friday. Meanwhile, a crabby French Dad with two daughters kept insisting they give his daughters food. This is another story entirely so if you care, ask me and I'll fill you in.
After the second hour of sitting on the tarmac, they start giving water to the children. Brenda asks for water twice and is told children get it first. Little did they know she was suffering from heat stroke and had dangerously low blood pressure. Finally, the flight attendant asked if she was ok and Brenda said no. They instantly called an ambulance and took her out on the stairs. While the aid car was trying to get her to go with them, Brenda was refusing thinking she didn't want to get left behind. Finally they took her up in first class, found a Dr. onboard, did an EKG and laid her on the floor with her feet up. After giving her massive liquids, she got reoriented and the captain decided to have the crew do the food service on the tarmak.
Finally we all got juice/water and tuna or salmon sandwiches. We left at 7:00pm. Note to everyone: don't ever fly in Europe, take the freakin' train!
Lucky for us we got there in plenty of time to hurry up and wait, and wait, and wait. Brenda kept warning us that she was jinxed when it came to airline travel. (For a day-and-a-half trip to Texas for a wedding, it took three days, nine flights and seven airports!) Should have known then. The airline started out delaying our AirFrance 1:15pm by 15 minute increments. After about the 3rd time of changing the departure, the natives and everyone else started getting restless. At that point the harried counter person told us that the flight was cancelled and we should get on the bus outside the door and go to baggage claim to get our bags and rebook. After standing on the bus for about 15 more minutes it drove about 200 feet and dumped us all off! We then waited another hour for our luggage which never came. Finally we left baggage claim went back through security and back to our gate. Much to our chagrin (or relief) we were told that the plane was actually working and our luggage had never been off-loaded. *sigh*
Some of our party had tried to rebook while waiting for luggage so lost seats on the plane and had to be reassigned. Needless to say the five of us were spread out about the plane. While the plane was boarding the captain came on and told us to take our seats immediately as we needed to get going. Of course nobody was listening and continued to mill about. After everyone was seated they came back on the speaker and said that there was an air traffic controller strike in Paris and we had missed our 5 minute window to take off. We would have to wait for the next opening which would most likely mean another 2 hour wait! By this time, people are really cranky, and demanding to get off the plane. One hour goes by, then a second. People who want off are told to push the attendant button and someone will come talk to them about disembarking. Some people get off, the rest of us soldier on in the sweltering heat (more on sweating later). The captain explained that those who got off the plane would be stranded until Saturday as the Italians were planning to strike on Friday. Meanwhile, a crabby French Dad with two daughters kept insisting they give his daughters food. This is another story entirely so if you care, ask me and I'll fill you in.
After the second hour of sitting on the tarmac, they start giving water to the children. Brenda asks for water twice and is told children get it first. Little did they know she was suffering from heat stroke and had dangerously low blood pressure. Finally, the flight attendant asked if she was ok and Brenda said no. They instantly called an ambulance and took her out on the stairs. While the aid car was trying to get her to go with them, Brenda was refusing thinking she didn't want to get left behind. Finally they took her up in first class, found a Dr. onboard, did an EKG and laid her on the floor with her feet up. After giving her massive liquids, she got reoriented and the captain decided to have the crew do the food service on the tarmak.
Finally we all got juice/water and tuna or salmon sandwiches. We left at 7:00pm. Note to everyone: don't ever fly in Europe, take the freakin' train!
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