DP Daily Prompt: Terminal time
You’re at the airport, your flight is delayed for six more hours, and none of your electronic devices is working. How do you pass the time?
A few years ago I went to the airport ten hours before the flight, When I checked the time before leaving I thought the flight was at 10 am, When I went to the counter to check in, the good man looked at me and my boarding pass, he wasn’t sure himself whether it was 10 am or 10 pm, when he looked at it the second time, he took a deep breath and rather gently gave me the bad news, “Good Heavens He expressed , Your Flight Is At 10 pm!”
I was embarrassed my brother and sister-in law had come to see me off, suggested I should go back with them, I refused to give them any more trouble and opted to stay at the airport.
You can never get bored at ‘Heathrow Airport’, there is so much to see and do, hours pass by sooner than you think.
I went to the lounge, looked around for a place to sit I sat down when I found one that I liked. I spent the first hour watching people, there were so many interesting people coming in and going out.There were people flocking to the duty free shop to buy cigarettes, candy and bottles of whisky.
I have no idea how much cheaper the duty free things are, I know the word free attached to duty certainly catches the attention of the travelers, so they buy as if this deal will subsidize the money they paid for their tickets.
Having spent considerable time watching the passengers,I felt it was time for me to eat something, I noticed a restaurant with a large sign, “EAT” I immediately got up and headed to that restaurant, they had sandwiches and other foods, for the sake of safety I chose a simple sandwich, I didn’t want to get sick while traveling.
There were five hours to go before I could board my flight, I came back to my favorite place and sat down, I looked around to see if I wanted to buy something, there were all kinds of chocolate, I bought some, back to my seat I came.
Another four hours my watch said, have you noticed when you want the hours to go faster they slow down or so it seems?
I saw the sign “Boots” made up my mind to check it out, there was nothing there I wanted,it helped me to stretch my legs for sitting so long. I think I spotted an interesting magazine, I picked it up and turned the pages, wasn’t one I’d think of buying I put it back in the shelf.
I must have spent a lot of time in that store, when I came out I looked at the video, OH My God I said my flight is boarding.
I rushed to the gate after checking in I went to sit in the passengers’ lounge. I was at ease I’d soon board the flight.
Everything after boarding the flight went well, I reached my destination safely. I cautioned myself, make sure you read the time properly,when in doubt ask someone.
nk: https://sabethville.wordpress.com/2014/06/10/dp-daily-prompt-4/
Dear Ranu,
Thank you for this post about spending time in an airport. I love airports, as I very much like watching people and their behaviors.
All good wishes,
robert
Yes Robert I do too.Thank you.
Better ridiculously early than any amount of late.
Yes I was ridiculously early, thank you Noah.
Wow so funny how you almost became late at the end after arriving so early. Nice story.
thank you Sonya,or imagine missing the flight after being there so early.
Heathrow really is a delightful place. You take the reader about the airport with you Ranu – nicely done.
Thank you Leslie I love your comments.
At least you went to the right airport. Have you heard the stories about people who buy tickets and go to the wrong country? A few years ago, a couple on their honeymoon wanted to fly to Sydney, Australia, and ended up in Sydney, Nova Scotia.
Thank you,it would be terrible, our luggage however ends up in a country other than our own sometimes.