Great trip, except for that travel part...Outgoing to CO fun.

I had a wonderful trip this weekend. Once I got there...

See, US Airways was bought by America West. I hadn't ever had a problem with either airline before, but apparently the mix of the two is hell on wings. I flew out of San Diego, and things were nice and calm. I had a lovely glass of wine at the airport bar and scooted over to my flight as they were boarding. The flight was delayed a bit due to weather in Phoenix, so I was beginning to sweat my connection along with the rest of the plane. Getting stuck in Phoenix is not on my list of fun and excitement for the weekend.

We landed, sat on the tarmac, and my blood pressure is rising. We finally unload and I run across the airport, lugging my school bag. I get to the gate just after the doors are closed. The service rep at the counter looks at me with a bored expression and says that the flight is gone and she can't help me. I have to go to Customer Service, which is starting to look like an amusement park ride line. Oy! So I call customer service while waiting in line at the CS counter. Nope, they can't help me either. But there's another flight in the next hour, not too painful, right? Well, I get to the counter and the little 20 year old boy working the counter types crap in furiously with a confused expression, hands me my ticket back and says "I can't help you." And there goes the redhead... I just about lost it. I'm sweating, smelly, and hate Phoenix. I'm holding a ticket to get on an aircraft and he's saying he can't help me???!!! I'm about over the counter when the guy next to him with a clue picks up where the little boy left off. He's trying to hold 3 phones to his ear while attempting to find someone who can pull up my ticket on the computer. Finally he finds someone and books me on a United flight (apparently even though my ticket says US Air, my flight is on United??? Huh? Hence why they can't help me...)

So I finally get a ticket handed to me. Then he says that I have to go out through security, get a bus to another terminal, go through security at the new terminal, and oh, it's down the hall to the left. Well, I walk down the hall, past the A, B, and C concourses. No way out... I trot back over towards where I was - nothing. I finally ask a vendor and they point me towards the security exit finally. I pop into the ticketing area and I'm confromted with chaos. I'm terrified I'm about to miss my flight, and there's a marching band and two sports teams all over the place. At this point I'm running back and forth, trying to find where this bus to the other terminal is. I'm on the phone, crying, running, and frustrated. Oy...

So I finally collar an elderly airline guy, after the "information" booth woman was clueless, and the janitor was only able to give me part of the story. I dash pash the basketball team again, muttering I hate Arizona, and finally find the door I need to take the shuttle. I jump on the shuttle and basically travel to another universe named United. I arrive at the counter saying "Help! US Airways ruined my life!" The other terminal is peaceful and serene in comparison, and the ticket guy is funny and helpful. A vast contract to the crappy attitude I got at the other terminal. I get my ticket, get an actual seat, and head to the gate. Not even being extra scrutinized by security fazes me, as there's no one in line. I cruise through, get a glass of wine and a salad, and finish my trip in relative peace.

I still hate Phoenix and US Airways though... More on the other end of the weekend, after I recount my happy time in CO.