Saturday, August 28, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
"Don't move - get out of the car!"
In this week's episode of TrueBlood (6/20/10), Sam Merlotte awakes in his car to find a shotgun pointed at his head. The gunman yells at/to Sam "Don't move - get out of the car!" to which Sam replies - "Well, which is it? Don't move, or get out of the car?"
I was reminded of this dialog when I stumbled across the following photo this morning. There are some more funny/ironic photos here.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Popeye's at Detroit Airport Sucks
Yes - I'm having another bad travel day. It's like clockwork now.
I was taking one of my famous 3-segment flights from Boise through Salt Lake City through Detroit and finally home to Rochester. It started off well. We left Boise on time, I got upgraded to first class, and we landed early in Salt Lake City.
While waiting to board the next leg to Detroit, the inevitable announcement came that there were some maintenance issues involving the engine. All things considered, I'd prefer to wait at the gate rather than for the pilot to discover engine problems in the air. The 30-minute delay turned into a 2-hour delay, and (of course) I missed my connection to Rochester in Detroit.
The last time I missed a connection in Detroit, I had to run around the airport trying to find a a gate agent to find me a seat on another flight. This time, I remembered that there are kiosks in the middle of Concourse A - the same kiosks that are used to check-in. I scanned the bar code on my boarding pass, to find an apology, a $7 food voucher and a seat assignment on the next flight out (9:50pm) - 4 1/2 hours from the original flight time, but scheduled to get me home the same day.
While making my way to the kiosks, I spotted a sign for Popeye's chicken toward one end of Concourse A. Popeye's called out to me and lured me back. I waited on a short line for a long time, before ordering a large order of red beans and rice, 2 famous biscuits and a bottle of water. This came to $9.30. I gave the voucher and $2.30 cash to the impossibly slow cashier who couldn't figure out how to give me a receipt for the cash. I gave up, took my bag of greasy food, and began my long trek to Concourse B (where my flight would be leaving later in the evening).
If you've never been to the Detroit Airport (or even if you have), the A and B concourses are very long, and are connected by a long tunnel that has Jetson's-like people-movers. I always avoid the people-movers when I'm not in a hurry, and walk at a fast pace, as I can always use the exercise. On this occasion, I built up quite a sweat, and by the time I found an electrical outlet on the far end of Concourse B, I was dripping. I plugged in my laptop, took a sip of water, and grinned, knowing that my red beans and rice was (were?) only moments away. However, I opened the container to find mashed potatoes. No red beans. No rice.
There was NO WAY I was going to walk all the way back to wait on line again to get my food. So, I logged onto Popeyes.com to find the phone number. I intended to have someone at Popeye's bring me the correct order. Except there was no phone number listed. So, I called Popeye's "Customer Service" (quotes intentional). I explained that I was at the Detroit Airport, and that the cashier had provided me the wrong order, and that I was trying to get in contact with them.
I was taking one of my famous 3-segment flights from Boise through Salt Lake City through Detroit and finally home to Rochester. It started off well. We left Boise on time, I got upgraded to first class, and we landed early in Salt Lake City.
While waiting to board the next leg to Detroit, the inevitable announcement came that there were some maintenance issues involving the engine. All things considered, I'd prefer to wait at the gate rather than for the pilot to discover engine problems in the air. The 30-minute delay turned into a 2-hour delay, and (of course) I missed my connection to Rochester in Detroit.
The last time I missed a connection in Detroit, I had to run around the airport trying to find a a gate agent to find me a seat on another flight. This time, I remembered that there are kiosks in the middle of Concourse A - the same kiosks that are used to check-in. I scanned the bar code on my boarding pass, to find an apology, a $7 food voucher and a seat assignment on the next flight out (9:50pm) - 4 1/2 hours from the original flight time, but scheduled to get me home the same day.
While making my way to the kiosks, I spotted a sign for Popeye's chicken toward one end of Concourse A. Popeye's called out to me and lured me back. I waited on a short line for a long time, before ordering a large order of red beans and rice, 2 famous biscuits and a bottle of water. This came to $9.30. I gave the voucher and $2.30 cash to the impossibly slow cashier who couldn't figure out how to give me a receipt for the cash. I gave up, took my bag of greasy food, and began my long trek to Concourse B (where my flight would be leaving later in the evening).
If you've never been to the Detroit Airport (or even if you have), the A and B concourses are very long, and are connected by a long tunnel that has Jetson's-like people-movers. I always avoid the people-movers when I'm not in a hurry, and walk at a fast pace, as I can always use the exercise. On this occasion, I built up quite a sweat, and by the time I found an electrical outlet on the far end of Concourse B, I was dripping. I plugged in my laptop, took a sip of water, and grinned, knowing that my red beans and rice was (were?) only moments away. However, I opened the container to find mashed potatoes. No red beans. No rice.
There was NO WAY I was going to walk all the way back to wait on line again to get my food. So, I logged onto Popeyes.com to find the phone number. I intended to have someone at Popeye's bring me the correct order. Except there was no phone number listed. So, I called Popeye's "Customer Service" (quotes intentional). I explained that I was at the Detroit Airport, and that the cashier had provided me the wrong order, and that I was trying to get in contact with them.
"City and State please", the helpful phone representative demanded.
"Uh - I'm at the Detroit Airport. In Michigan. I don't know what the zip code is".
"Well I can't look up the location unless I have the zip code"
"Well I don't have the zip code."
"I'm sorry sir - there's nothing I can do."
"Can I speak to your supervisor?"
"One moment..."
"Hello, sir, I am a supervisor. How can I help you"
"I'd like to contact the Popeye's at the Detroit Airport, because they gave me the wrong order"
"What is the zip code?"
"I don't know the zip code, but you can probably Google it"
"I have 7 locations listed near the airport"
"I'm AT the airport. It is located in Terminal A"
"There's nothing I can do"
"So I'm screwed unless I walk all the way back?"
"Sorry, sir. Is there anything else I can help you with?"
"Yes. Can you take my contact information and let your management know that I did not receive any customer service during this call?..."And then I walked all the way back. And waited on another very short (length), very long (time) line. The (different) cashier called for the manager, who asked to see my receipt. Of course, I didn't have a receipt. I explained that I used a voucher (with my name on it), that the voucher was attached to the receipt the cashier didn't give me, and that the receipt would indicate that I paid for red beans and rice, and not mashed potatoes. She eventually un-stapled the voucher, and gave it back to me. Now I'm sitting in a restaurant eating a gyro and hummus, wondering if I'll have to fight when I try to use my previously used voucher.
The Popeye's at the Detroit Airport sucks.
Travel Delays
I'm stuck in Salt Lake City for an additional hour due to "maintenance" issues. I don't really know what that means, but better safe than sorry...However, that will make my connection in Detroit very tight. At least I'll get to sprint through the Detroit airport...
Great news! - Delta just announced that we get FREE food vouchers. $7 worth. Oh my...
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Grand Prize
I was supposed to be home Friday at 5:30.
Instead, I'm sitting in the lobby of the Hilton Garden Inn at JFK airport, waiting for the shuttle back to the airport. Not for a flight - but for a rental car (Delta first rescheduled me for a MONDAY flight, then changed it to an 8:30pm flight Saturday, allegedly arriving at 10:23pm Rochester time. I say allegedly, because the entire east coast air traffic grid is out of control due to weather. Also, since when does it take almost 2 hours to fly from NYC to Rochester? That should be a 45 minute flight) Since it *should* be only about 5 - 6 hours of driving, I'm going to rent a car to drive home.
At least I am the winner of a Grand Prize - a $5 coupon towards ANYTHING from the Pavilion Pantry at the Hilton Garden Inn. I got 2 bottles of water. What a winner!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
I hate traveling
I get to travel for work, so I guess that means I get paid to travel. Except not really.
Sometimes, it's ok. Every once in a while, I get to go to someplace nice. In early December, I got to go to Bermuda. That sounds wonderful doesn't it? Except that I went by myself. And it gets dark by 4:30 in Bermuda in December, and guess what time I get out of work?
Is it glamorous and exciting to travel to Seattle (Or actually Bothell, WA, where I am now)? Well right before the car service picked me up (ooh - I must be important!), I received a text from Delta informing me that my Rochester to Atlanta flight would be delayed enough that I would miss my connection from Atlanta to Seattle. (BTW - why was I going to Seattle by way of Atlanta anyway? - corporate travel department...). So, Delta rebooked me on a flight through Detroit that was running an hour late. Would I make it to Detroit in time? What about my bag? Even if both my bag and I reunited at the Seattle Airport, what time would we actually arrive in Bothell? Well things worked out ok for me this time. As I boarded the plane with my middle seat assignment, I was told that I had been upgraded to first class. This meant I really didn't need to wolf down the Taco Bell gorditas and tacos, because Delta would provide me with a nice chicken with cous-cous dinner, with a slice of cheesecake. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure the Boeing 757 was built in the Nixon administration, so there was no entertainment (audio or video) to be found.
I made it to the hotel around 11pm Pacific (2am in my head), and couldn't fall asleep for an hour or so. So I sent out a few emails, and got ready for my 7am meeting. Oh yeah, I have to commute 30 minutes to get there, so I'll be getting up bright and early.
I hate traveling.
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