Bumps in the road to Nationals

[passata_sotto]

Maybe I am the first to have "issues" on the way to Miami.
We left on Sunday night, (two days earlier than originally planned because we were flying space available standby), arrived at Ft Lauderdale airport before our luggage and later found out that the airline for which my husband flies lost two of our four fencing bags.

They have now been recovered but I am further convinced that it is a good thing that my boys carry their uniforms and masques with them in carry-on. If we had left on Thursday we would have been up a creek with out a foil on Friday....

[pokey]

Apropos to nothing in particular, it is comforting in a way to know that even the families of airline employees aren't immune to misplaced baggage issues.

Good luck at nationals.

[KD5MDK]

My bump is trying to find all the stuff I need to pack for my Thursday flight.
I put off sorting the clean laundry far too long.


Looks like y'all must have made an extra bit of vacation out of this.

[passata_sotto]

My bump is trying to find all the stuff I need to pack for my Thursday flight.
I put off sorting the clean laundry far too long.


Looks like y'all must have made an extra bit of vacation out of this.

Yes, tomorrow is our third day of fun in the sun - my husband, who arrived today, is taking the boys to the Everglades National Park tomorrow so we just need to be careful of sunburn and alligators until Friday. Those would be much worse problems than lost luggage - esp the alligators.

[TipKid]

The first or second summer nationals my Fencing bag was lost and it had to be picked up the day i was fencing. Lucky for me though someone had mentioned to keed everything but my weapons in a carry-on bag just in case my bag went lost. From then on i've do the same thing everytime im getting on an airplane going to a comp. So thats just a bit of advise for people to keep in mind when they are packing.

[black tulip]

we just need to be careful of sunburn and alligators until Friday. Those would be much worse problems than lost luggage - esp the alligators.

Somehow I envision the scene of a referee calling a fencer to strip and then turning and see a gator using a weapon as a toothpick.

Sorry, I've been watching too many nature/ wild animal programs.

BT

[fencerwallet]

Yes, tomorrow is our third day of fun in the sun - my husband, who arrived today, is taking the boys to the Everglades National Park tomorrow so we just need to be careful of sunburn and alligators until Friday. Those would be much worse problems than lost luggage - esp the alligators.

We have a few days between events and thought about the Everglades side trip. Let us know how it was/details.

[alewive]

Trying not to thread drift too much...has anyone had problems taking body cords as a carry-on item, what with all the new regulations? I'd hate to have those confiscated, but we'd rather not check them.

[Inquartata]

The short answer is "no".


I always take mask, lamé, manchette, glove, shoes, jacket, knickers and at least two body cords on in a carry-on bag. Sometimes the TSA people will want to examine it all after it goes through the X-ray machine, sometimes not. But I have never had anyone express concern once they see what it is.

[passata_sotto]

The short answer is "no".


I always take mask, lamé, manchette, glove, shoes, jacket, knickers and at least two body cords on in a carry-on bag. Sometimes the TSA people will want to examine it all after it goes through the X-ray machine, sometimes not. But I have never had anyone express concern once they see what it is.

Same with us - in fact carrying fencing gear has started some interesting conversations with TSA but no problems.

[fencerwallet]

I have had 4-5 body cords and mask cords all jumbled together, in what is normally a cordura "pencil case" and this mass of wires never got any extra scrutiny.

[Jay Young]

I'd think as long as you didn't take any weapons or pistol grips, everything would be fine.

[fencerwallet]

Trying not to thread drift too much...has anyone had problems taking body cords as a carry-on item, what with all the new regulations? I'd hate to have those confiscated, but we'd rather not check them.

Hey, I gotta plan my trip!

[HDG]

We have a few days between events and thought about the Everglades side trip. Let us know how it was/details.

Do one of the airboat tours; it's a standard for me with guests from out of town.

[passata_sotto]

Do one of the airboat tours; it's a standard for me with guests from out of town.

more info please?

[veeco]

Yes, tomorrow is our third day of fun in the sun - my husband, who arrived today, is taking the boys to the Everglades National Park tomorrow so we just need to be careful of sunburn and alligators until Friday. Those would be much worse problems than lost luggage - esp the alligators.

Bah, you can make luggage out of alligators, I was told...

[Capt. Slo-mo]

at least it wasn't a sunburned alligator...

http://sports.aol.com/golf/story/_a/...90001?cid=1690

[HDG]

more info please?

Drive west out of Miami on US 41 (aka 8th St, aka Calle Ocho). You hit Everglades pretty quickly, and then you are bombarded with signs for airboat tours. One of them is with the actual park service, but I don't remember which.

[GypsyScot]

I know at a NAC this year on his way home, I believe it was Larry Pinkus after the 60+ sabre event ran to catch his plane after he received his medal, just barely making it with no time to check his weapon bag and had to take it carry on. I don't know if you've read the TSA/FAA guidelines but bringing a 35 inch weapon on board is a huge no-no. So at the security check his disassembled his four weapons and called me on his cellphone to order more blades before he even made it to the gate.
"Wow Larry that really sucks."
"Don't worry, any day I beat Rudy Volkmann is a good day."

[DJ Apostrophe]

So here I sit... inside terminal B at Logan International Airport in Boston...

Got here and checked in, which was slow and painful, but not too bad... then I walk through security, easy... and then I notice... oh, my flight is delayed an hour... not too bad, I'll just chill at the bar and watch the sox game...

Get to the only bar on this side of the terminal... it is insanely packed... because there are about 10 flights delayed... so no beer & sox game for me... no problem, I'll just go chill at the gate...

There is no chilling to be had at the gate... the air conditioning by my gate is apparently busted... leaving the gate area totally uncomfortable... so I move to the other end of ther terminal, where the air conditioning actually works... and I hear the following series of announcements:

"Now boarding American Airlines flight 2003 to Chicago O'Hare"

I look online and find out this flight was supposed to leave at 3:20PM... so that has been delayed by two hours... not a good omen I think...

then it gets better.

A little bit later

"This announcement will serve as the final boarding call for American flight 2003 to O'Hare. If you're holding a boarding pass, you need to be on the plane now."

A little bit later

"To all passengers who were on the now cancelled flight 2003 to Chicago O'Hare, please claim your bags at carousel B, and call this 800 number to re-book your flight. Don't waste your time standing in line to talk to us at the counter, we have no flights for you on our airline or any other airline tonight."

Repeat last announcement about 20 times over the next 3 minutes...

I just looked online, there are 3 other flights going to Chicago tonight on American alone, and at least 2 United flights and 2 US Air flights (though those may be code-shares)... nothing screams 'we hate our customers' like 'take your crap and go home, don't talk to us, we can't do anything for you'

Here's to hoping I get out of here at 8:02PM like they say we're going to...

I'm not holding out much hope...

I doubt I'll ever fly American again.

Edit: They just did the SAME thing to a flight going to DFW that they did to the O'Hare flight a little while ago... My confidence in American Airlines has been completely eroded.

-w