<p>I also coughed up the extra dollars for direct flights for both D’s this year. Seattle –> Detroit on red-eye arrived 1/2 hr early this morning!! D1 is flying out of Providence tonight and I am sitting here watching CNN point to developing snow and ice there. Ick. She leaves @4:30, so hopefully she’ll be ok. But that’s the beauty of direct flights… eventually the plane will leave and we at least won’t have the added concern of D being stranded in Newark, D.C. or my personal fave, O’Hare.<br>
We lived in Chicago for about 4 yrs in the 90’s. Several times we rescued stranded friends & relatives from a night in the airport.</p>
<p>unfortunately O’Hare is my kids’ final destination, so I can’t really avoid it. However, I did tell D2, who is on her way to the airport right now, that if they start suggesting her flight might be delayed or canceled to ask them to get her on a flight to Milwaukee or Midway (although United doesn’t go to Midway anymore). I tried throwing out the Rule 240, but it didn’t work yesterday.</p>
<p>My D swears by Midway and swears at O’hare…</p>
<p>Woke up to sun this morning. Keeping my fingers crossed that the fog doesn’t roll in later.
Text messages last night
Dad- You should print out your boarding pass
Son- I already did it
Dad- AMAZING
Sometimes he surprises us</p>
<p>dudedad - I’m with your D on that :)</p>
<p>DD comes in tonight from OHare. She is sharing a taxi with a friend and will get to airport many hours early. Hoping that United will put her on an earlier flight since that has happpened in the past. Love the check in machine that automatically offers earlier flights. United runs almost hourly between ORD and ALB so there is good chance. </p>
<p>Back in the day, I would travel to Seattle thru OHare with my DDs. Didn’t seem to matter what month it was. Thunderstorms, high winds, snow, ice, fog. We probably spent at least one night in Chicago hotel per trip.</p>
<p>DS comes into O’Hare tonight from Pittsburgh. So far all flights back and forth are flying - late, but flying. I’ve noted the earlier flight before his - larger plane - if it’s delayed enough he can try standby on it. It seems there are still seats.</p>
<p>I’m always grateful that O’Hare is our “final destination” rather than a transfer - and I used to love flying.</p>
<p>Radio reports saying that they expect airport delays due to storms (not really bad ones) and some storm in the midwest tomorrow. Good luck if flying.</p>
<p>For airport status across the country, check this webpage:</p>
<p>[Flight</a> Delay Information - Air Traffic Control System Command Center](<a href=“http://www.fly.faa.gov/flyfaa/usmap.jsp]Flight”>National Airspace System)</p>
<p>Right now, every single airport on the map shows as orange (“Traffic destined to this airport is being delayed at its departure point. Check your departure airport to see if your flight may be affected.”). Basically, expect a long slow trip.</p>
<p>My d is coming into O’Hare tonight. Cross fingers that she comes in anywhere near the correct time.</p>
<p>Her sister has a solo in a concert tonight. I hope that I can pick up one d and then head to the concert–of course I will have to use 294 which is under massive construction–and just as big a headache at O’Hare.</p>
<p>One tip of advice to those who are picking up someone at O’Hare over the holidays–the back up line to pick someone up can be BRUTAL. It will be bumper to bumper thru all of the terminals and she is coming into terminal 3.</p>
<p>I usually park walk in to find her and pay for parking. Or I have her take the airport shuttle to a near by hotel.</p>
<p>We are keeping our fingers crossed for our family reunion/thanksgiving. DD is flying Orlando>SEATAC, non-stop. We (me, hubby, D2, DS) are flying non-stop Miami> Seattle/tac. Supposed to land within 15 min of DD, meet up, rent car and drive for 2 hours to FIL’s home (a nine hour travel day). Praying, praying all goes as planned.</p>
<p>I hate, hate, hate O’Hare.</p>
<p>ORD is my regular airport. I live close enough in which we don’t have to take the tollway. We can just drive through downtown Des Plaines. MDW is too far away. Any potential savings is eaten up by traveling costs.
A new runway will open up in the spring at ORD.</p>
<p>mom60,
Yep Burbank was a fog-bucket… I’m hoping the Santa Ana winds will blow it out for tomorrow morning… but not too much Santa Ana… It will be good to get him home!</p>
<p>Delayed…</p>
<p>Fog in Chicago–I think it is going to be a long night.</p>
<p>Supposed to be picking up D right now from O’Hare but Friday she called and asked if she could come home early. I was able to change the ticket at no charge to Saturday and it was such a breeze picking her up. I was worried about her missing a few classes but about now it seems like a pretty good decision.</p>
<p>IAH was a zoo too. Passenger pickup lines were out of control. I did as meredes recommended, just parked and went to baggage claim. Other than having to travel with a plane full of Dookies (JUST kidding…;)), ldgirl had a great flight, on-time, no worries.</p>
<p>Good luck to those of you trying to get through O’Hare this holiday.</p>
<p>momof2ca I saw in the morning paper Burbank was fogged in as well. We expect winter weather flying from the east but a quick flight up and down the state of Ca we take for granted. Fog in June but not November.
Wasn’t foggy this morning so keeping my fingers crossed for you tomorrow. I am hoping son’s flight comes in tonight. The fog has started to roll back in. So far it is not listed as cancelled.
Have never used Burbank. We try to fly out of the local even if we have to connect at LAX just to avoid the traffic and long security lines. Our local airport is asking passengers to arrive 1 1/2 to 2 hours preflight. Normally if we aren’t checking bags we can arrive 20- 30 minutes preflight, I know some who cut it even tighter. Have gotten spoiled.
Hope all the kids make it home in time for turkey.</p>
<p>I have successfully retrieved two daughters from O’Hare in the last 24 hours, so I am thankful, even though each one was either not on the original flight, or was an hour and a half late.</p>
<p>An interesting observation… last night, the hourly parking rate for under an hour was $3. Today it was $2. Same entrance, same parking garage, etc. I wonder if it’ll be $1 tomorrow and free on Thanksgiving?</p>
<p>DD just called from ORD. United flight cancelled. Low ceiling. She can get to LaGuardia and stay with sister or wait until tomorrow night at 7pm. She’s with 2 others who are going to New Haven. Long night for adventurous world travelers.<br>
I’ll cancel the last minute/squeeze her in doctor appt for tomorrow am…</p>