<p>Just mentioning there’s a potential for thunderstorms in the NYC metroploitan area. We all know what havoc they can create with flight schedules.</p>
<p>Gee binx, I’ve been following this saga with fingers crossed for you and S. Now that he’s going to be sitting at JFK, if he gets cold feet you can PM me and I’ll go fetch him and give him a good meal and ship him back to you! I am serious, but I hope it works out smoothly and he has great stories to tell when he gets home.</p>
<p>Violadad, you’re prophetic!</p>
<p>Update: I dropped S off at the Atlanta airport at 1:00 for his 3:11 flight to Washington-Dulles, where he was to catch the 6:25 flight to JFK. He should have arrived in NYC at 8 p.m. – plenty of time for his 12:30 a.m. flight to Korea.</p>
<p>He called us several times - first his flight was delayed 45 minutes, then another 25. At this moment, 6:07, he is sitting at the end of the runway, where he has been for nearly an hour now, waiting for thunderstorms to cease here in Atlanta. (I am very glad they aren’t trying to fly – it’s wild outside! Feels like a hurricane.)</p>
<p>Obviously, he will miss the connection at Dulles. My H checked online, and saw that flight had been cancelled, so maybe they are lining a new flight up. We can hope! Meanwhile, his luggage has to make it to JFK when he does.</p>
<p>The flight to Korea is on Asiana, and is supposed to leave at 12:30. It would be lovely if that flight was delayed, too! We paid for the Atlanta-NYC flight. It is completely separate from the Korea donated flight. Teh other 4 kids are more local - NY or NJ. (S booked the flight a couple weeks ago, when they finally settled the trip dates. It was too late to get a direct flight to NYC.) </p>
<p>What happens if he gets to JFK and his luggage doesn’t? I don’t mind him going to Korea without clothes - he can buy some there. But he is flying from there to California - not coming back this way. Will Delta ship his suitcase to Korea? To California? Back home? Will we have to go get it in NYC? </p>
<p>I guess I don’t need answers to those questions until I find out if he even gets to NYC.</p>
<p>I’m sure he’s frantic.</p>
<p>binx- have you seen this headkine re: computer glitch causing cascading flight dalays and cancellations? maybe you had better concact mom of 3 sons? <a href=“http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070608/ap_on_bi_ge/flight_delays[/url]”>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070608/ap_on_bi_ge/flight_delays</a></p>
<p>It’s not just weather: it’s a larger air-traffic control failure along the east coast.
<a href=“http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/06/08/financial/f131109D72.DTL[/url]”>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/06/08/financial/f131109D72.DTL</a></p>
<p>binx, I hate to say this, but, once your son gets to DC (or is eventually sent back to the terminal in Atlanta), you might want to counsel him to return home and skip the trip. Just a thought… It’s not as if this is off to an auspicious start (but it <em>will</em> make a great story someday… probably 
).</p>
<p>I would advise tha same as above ^.</p>
<p>I think the “travel gods” are saying this trip should be cancelled.</p>
<p>OMG - I had no idea about the computer problem. That explains why his flight was initially delayed. And probably why the one at Dulles was cancelled. According to the Delta flight tracker, he is in flight to Dulles right now. I just got off the phone with S1 (who lives in DC) to alert him that he might be getting a panicked call from S2. </p>
<p>S1 and I outlined some options.<br>
Namely - can he get to NYC in time? (If flights are delayed leaving JFK, maybe there’s hope.)</p>
<p>If he can’t get to JFK in time, will Asiana put him on another flight? The next one from JFK leaves Monday. </p>
<p>If they can’t, then we will tell him to just come home. And then we will need to figure out how to get him to California next week!</p>
<p>S2 tried to call the “leader” while he was sitting on the tarmac, but she didn’t answer - he left a message. S1 (my hero) just volunteered to try calling their home. I don’t have the cell #. </p>
<p>My H pointed out that S2 has no paperwork at all! No contract or anything else. Has the e-ticket for the flight he may not make (that he only got at my insistence yesterday). H says this might teach them why it’s a good idea for group members to have access to their own paperwork, and that it isn’t unreasonable to want details! Or - a back up plan!</p>
<p>Whoa! What a mess for your family!</p>
<p>It would indeed be justice if a technical glitch, poor communication and not having the necessary paperwork caused your son to have to abort. You would think that an “organizer” would be smart enough to at least have all her ducks in a row.</p>
<p>binx,
is he taking a delta shuttle flight to NYC?</p>
<p>Well…it seems to me that if the whole air traffic control system computer issue causes a significant delay…this would be an “act of God” and not a breach of contract (ok…lawyers out there…am I right??). If he can’t get there, he can’t get there…and if he is making a reasonable attempt to do so, and the airline is the issue…well…</p>
<p>Keep us posted. This is QUITE a story. Maybe he should write an article.</p>
<p>It was supposed to be Delta Air Lines Operated by: COMAIR INC – Is that a shuttle? </p>
<p>He just called. He is at Dulles. There are no flights to NYC. The ticket agent said he can see if there are any seats on Jet Blue ($100.) He will try. (Guess when it’s such a massive problem, airlines are exempt from paying?)</p>
<p>Thumper, we are thinking Act of God, too. He was delayed by both weather and technical mishaps out of his control. We can show his original e-tickets that would have had him there in plenty of time.</p>
<p>Yikes!! What a mess.</p>
<p>Yikes is right. Just read this thread; I’d say your son really lucked out by having all these delayed flight problems–completely out of his control. I’d encourage him to come home now, or spend time in DC with his brother. He made a good faith effort to get there, but not his problem now. What a relief, and what a story.</p>
<p>Oh Dear. I realy thought the worst was over yesterday!!! Hugs; and my prayers are with you and your son. It is pretty much out of his hands. Whatever will be will be. I would suggest leaving “frantic” messages for the Korean girl and her mom, so that they “get it” that he is doing everything he can to get to NYC, and if he can’t, it isn’t his fault.</p>
<p>Wow, binx - I can see why you have no hair left to pull out! Good luck and hang in there. Any luck with Jet Blue? At this point, you are probably not sure what you’re wishing for!</p>
<p>Just heard from him. Only flight to NYC tonight, on Jet blue, would get him there at 12:30 - which is the time of departure for the Korean flight. </p>
<p>Delta gave him a ticket to NYC for tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., but he can change it if he needs to. Which he may need to do, depending on the next step.</p>
<p>He reached the group members. They had gotten his voice message and his brother’s call. They seem understanding of the fact that this is not his fault. “Leader girl” said she was really glad he printed his own e-ticket! (Imagine that!) Leader mom gave S2 the phone number for the guy who has been arranging the flights. S2 and leader mom will both work on getting him on the next flight over, which we think is 2 days later (12:30 a.m. Monday morning - or Sunday night). He will miss one church concert, but the other group members have been busy splitting up his part.</p>
<p>He was about to call his brother, and ask to be picked up. He seems pretty happy about spending some time with S1. And sounded pretty confident that things will work out. He had a good laugh about at least knowing what hotel he would be staying at HIS first night! </p>
<p>He seems pretty determined to get to Korea.</p>
<p>Did I mention that this is the kid who always has strange things happen to him on trips?</p>
<p>Meanwhile, I have a stomach ache, and I’m turning bald. Thanks for hanging with me. I really appreciate the advice, commiseration, prayers, good wishes, and letting me vent.</p>
<p>At least you can go to bed now knowing he’s not stranded in an airport.</p>
<p>Found it! From my post #10:
</p>
<p>Yes. Maybe I will get some sleep tonight. We have company coming tomorrow from out of town. The house is a mess. I’ve spent all day on the road, or at the computer!</p>