justplainbil

Just Plain Bill

When you can’t do what you want to do

I’ve been so used to having plans I’ve made turn out, that when something comes up I can’t control, it’s a real test of my ability to consider alternatives – or just my ability to have to accept what can’t be changed.

This situation was experienced this week when Southwest Airlines, my favorite air carrier and the one I’ve used without a major problem for over 30 years, had a computer meltdown and prohibited me – and thousands of others – from completing a planned trip.

We had driven to the airport in plenty of time to check in, but I was greeted with the word “CANCELLLED” when checking on the gate for our departure. I was also greeted by over 200 people standing in line at the Southwest counter, with most of them in an acute stage of irritation.

For those waiting to talk with a Southwest agent, there would be no resolution of their concerns. None of Southwest’s computers were working. And, the one agent roving throughout the line was telling us all that the extremely rough estimate of when things might return to normal was early in the morning of the next day. (I didn’t know this problem had been building for at least 24 hours.)

The drive from our home to the airport is 60 miles. Our alternatives were to return home or look for a hotel room near the airport (most already sold out), attempt to contact Southwest early in the next morning, and hope to get the earliest flight out that next day.

We chose the airport option and upon checking Southwest news online, learned it was estimated that it would be at least 24 to 36 hours to resolve the technical problem and spend the necessary time getting planes and crews to where they could resume scheduled service.

(We did contact other airlines and found that flights to my destination were all sold out – except for two seats in first class for $1,500 each. Ouch!)

After a restless night with many unsuccessful attempts to contact Southwest by phone (including holding for 75 minutes), we went on their website at 5 AM, and found one flight scheduled to depart late the following evening – 48 hours after our expected departure.

This experience was a good learning opportunity to practice patience, and to make the best of a bad situation: nobody died, nothing was broken except for two additional days of missed work, and here we are, hopefully waiting on our new flight to depart – recognizing that I may have an opportunity to once again, look for alternatives if things don’t go my way.

Patience… and resisting the need to always be in control!

P.S. The experience ended at 1:15 AM with a successful flight home after a four-hour delay, and the newfound patience come in handy.