Fifteen More Minutes

December 3, 2011

in Odds & Ends Stories

This took place when I was ten years old, on a charter to Aruba. We flew some horribly unprofessional airline, Xtra Airways. We always used to take a limo to Boston/Logan wickedly early in the morning, like 4:00 for a 6:00 departure time. The limo (car) showed up around 3:50, and so did the phone call from Xtra: “Your flight to Aruba is currently delayed an hour.”

OK, only an hour. We still left immediately, but stopped at a Dunkin Donuts. We arrived at Terminal E and waited in the longest security line possible at 5:00 in the morning, mostly everyone who was on our flight. We had express check-in, but this was unhelpful today.

As of 7:00 no announcement had been made. I was sent over to the gate agent who promptly said, “Fifteen more minutes.”

About an hour later I was assisted greatly by the same response, “Only 15 more minutes.”

We finally boarded at about 8:30, then sat at our gate for 15 minutes (ha ha ha) for no apparent reason.

The FAs on this airline were some of the worst I have had the pleasure to deal with. They were all over 50 and spoke too loudly. Everyone heard “Would you like to spit that up, honey?” as one of them inquired about a man’s odd gagging noises.

Breakfast was served in a paper bag with a frown, and was a stale muffin, old orange juice, and other horribly disgusting “food” which I don’t care to remember. Lunch was nonexistent, and was substituted by a shot of soda and stale pretzels. A number of kids on the plane (including myself) were blowing up the paper bags, and the FA was, well to be polite, a complete asshole about it.

The rest of the flight was fine, but we sat in Aruba for 15 minutes w/o AC to wait for stairs.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard Xtra Airlines, it’ll be 15 more minutes.”

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

anon F/A December 4, 2011 at 12:01 am

You were 10 and you remember all these details, #1 xtra airways wouldnt have called you that would have been your vacation company. The gate agents, well not supplied by the airline, the only thing the airline does is fly the flight, but seeing hows this was at LEAST 7 years ago I am so amazed you can remember these details so vividly. and you post a problem from at least 7 years ago now? wow, just wow.

Reply

westside December 4, 2011 at 12:14 am

a lil respect would be nice F/A’s are human just as you are they were proably angry for the ’15 minute’ delay just like u were.. they are on there feet all day and barley get any sleep .. why ? so they can please you !
& wow u have such good memory !

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Substantial December 17, 2011 at 4:45 pm

I can understand your horror – it must have been so traumatic to be served by flight attendants over 50 years of age. Little wonder you still haven't recovered from the ordeal.

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Sophie January 18, 2012 at 8:43 pm

I find it interesting that because the poster mentioned that they were only ten at the time of the incident, all of the replyers had some nasty, snotty comment. What difference does it make how old the person was or how far back the incident took place? An hour and half flight delay compounded by disgruntled F/A's is still a pain in the ass. We can put a man on the moon but we can't get our airplanes to take off at the right times. I'm sorry this happened to you.

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@RhovanionGirl February 6, 2014 at 2:38 pm

Why feel the need to tell us you take a limo to the airport everytime you fly? It just seems like an unnecessary "we have lots of money btw". Also, sitting in the plane for 15 minutes, heaven forbid!

Reply

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