I am at the airport UPDATE! I gave up!

[CarolA]

Well, I decided to go ahead and give it a shot! The airport is like a ghost town! I do have boarding passes, but they did not seem 100% sure we would actaully take off. My plane is not scheduled to leave until 2 (1.5 hours from now) so we will see. There are two flights scheduled to go to Cinn. before now and then so we will see what happens.

Delta allowed me to bring my rollerboard suitcase on as a carryon as long as it had no knife like objects. My luggage was NOT opened, but the security people looked at it a while on the monitor.

Due to the rumors over carryons I did not bring my laptop so my infomration on how it is going will be limited to when I can find PCs. However, if I don't post later today then you may assume that at least my first flight to Atlanta took off.

UPDATE: Planes were leaving, just not mine! They could not find the crew. The next flight would not have gotten me to my destination until midnight if everything was on shedule which did not seem promising so I gave up and went back to the office! I think in just a few days the airlines will have everything worked out!

 

[robinb]

Good luck getting out!

 

[Beverly Lynn]

Thanks Carol! its pretty much the same way here in pittsburgh.

 

[CarolA]

The airiport is less like a ghost town now. One of the news stations interviewed me (I hope I get edited out!) They asked me how it felt getting on the flight when lots of people are stranded here. However, I can't find the stranded people. I had lunch in the resturant (THE ONLY PLACE OPEN!) and all of the travelers were on flights for today.

The strange part is that the monitors are still blank. I don't know what that means. However, I think a Contineutanl Air Lines jet took off. IT was at the gate earlier and the gate is empty now.

 

[RhondaS]

Please, I am not trying to alarm you right now, just to inform.

There has been a bomb threat at Orlando International Airport this afternoon, so, even if your flight were to take off on time, with Orlando's airport being evacuated, it may be delayed landing on that end.

Hoping that the bomb threat was just some awful hoax and that you are able to get to WDW and enjoy your vacation soon.

 

[CarolA]

Well, Unfortuntatly I am not going to Disney so the Orlando airport is not the issue. I am heading to West Palm beach for business.

 

[RhondaS]

I do hope you're on your way soon and the trip is most uneventful.

I think I'd hop in a rental car and escape to WDW.

Take care and don't work too hard.

 

[CarolA]

The exicitement continues. The airport was evacuated becasue a small private plane landed here without a flight plan.

We cannot take off because they don't have a crew. Now the gate agent tells me the crew is in town! Where are they? Hasn't three days trapped here been enough?

 

[CarolA]

I think my attempt to fly is getting ready to come to an end. They have lost thew crew to my flight. (No one at Delta looks very happy with the crew) Wonder what the did? Drive home?

Anyway, I am going to give it about 20 more minutes to see if the plane that makes the next flight takes off from Atlanta. If so I may seee what happens., but right now it does NOT look good.

However, I am encouraged. At least 3 other Delta flights took off and I have seen a plane or two land. I think the air system is making steps towards recovery.

 

[idontknow]

Thanks for keeping us informed! If you can, keep up the good work.

 

[Beverly Lynn]

it was not a bomb threat at MCO it was 2 bags left unattended......they did it for safety reasons in case it was a bomb. the memo just came in.

 

[robinb]

it was not a bomb threat at MCO it was 2 bags left unattended......they did it for safety reasons in case it was a bomb.

I'm actually glad to hear this. I've been nervous in the past when I've seen bags left unattended in US airports. The French at CDG take these things much more seriously. I was waiting in line to check into my flight home a couple years ago when we were suddenly hustled off to the side and police swarmed the place with uzis. Someone had left a bag unattended and they were getting ready to blow it up. The owner of the bag sheepishly retrieved it and we all pushed and shoved (it was Paris, after all) back into line.