blog

First World Problems

04.23.2013 | HMMH |

Tuesday, April 23, 2013, 1:30 PM

“Bring a book.”  That was the sage advice given to me by Chris Oswald at ACI-NA last Friday when I told him I was flying from BOS to DCA (via LGA!) on Monday, and back again on Tuesday – just as sequester furloughs are beginning to impact FAA Air Traffic Control (ironically, the trip was to attend a meeting at RTCA on accelerating implementation of NextGen performance based navigation procedures at airports).

So here I sit, at the end of Taxiway A, waiting for clearance from FAA, for what the pilot warned me (last passenger on the plane) would be a three hour delay.

Taxiway A, DCA, April 23, 3013, 1:32PM

So far, the rest of my trip has looked like this:

  • Monday, April 22, DL 5873 (BOS-LGA), scheduled departure: 8:00 am; actual departure: 9:30 am.
  • Monday, April 22, DL 5911 (LGA-DCA), scheduled departure 10:59 am.  CANCELED.  Rebooked on DL 5907, which was originally scheduled for 9 am, ended up leaving at 12:30 pm.
  • Tuesday, April 23, DL 5916, scheduled departure 2 pm; CANCELED.  Rebooked on DL 5914 (1pm departure), which was assigned a 3-hour delay.  Flight re-numbered to DL 5912 (previously scheduled for 11:59 am and CANCELED).  Scheduled wheels up 2:40 pm.

I know this is only the first and most obvious impact of the sequester on the average voter.  It makes me wonder what less visible – but certainly not less important – government services are being curtailed.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013, 3:32 PM

I thought I’d be able to wrap it up after that, but fate had other plans.  Since I last checked in, DL 5914/5912 was CANCELED, I was rebooked on DL 5918 (3 pm LGA Shuttle); by the time I arrived at the gate, it had been delayed until 5 pm.  Now rebooked on DL 2045 (through DTW), scheduled for 5 pm, but delayed to 5:40 pm (so far).  Meanwhile, DL 5918 (the delayed 3 pm is back on at 4:30 pm – we’ll see!).

Hopefully, routing around NYC will be the end of this, even if it means getting home at midnight.  I keep reminding myself that I should not be frustrated, but instead thankful for many things:  I’m not rushing back for anything urgent, I’m not traveling with kids, did not check my bags, and have several credit cards in my wallet.