We are back from the Indy meet. Yes, I dropped in on Saturday to surprise everyone. Someone didn't want us to be there though, as it was quite the challenge getting there.
We got our airfare back in June. The price was $3 more to go from the airport closest to our house and have a connection than to drive 1 1/2 hours and have a direct flight. Since it would all be carryons no problem, right?
We left about 8 minutes late for the airport, but got there before I thought we would. No problems. I had checked in online so we had our boarding passes. Since this was our first flight with Bill post-pacemaker, we went right up to security without checking our gate number (only one security check point). It took a little longer and was an experience for Bill
After we got through security, we checked for our gate. Gate 3. But now it says Delayed until 1:14!! Not good. Our connection in Milwaukee is at 1:20. So we went to the gate and of course no one is there. I leave Bill and the carryons at gate 3 and go back to ticketing. The line wasn't that long but the agents were so slow. I was 5th back in line and waited more than 30 minutes for an agent to wait on me. He started by saying the next flight out would only have one spot on it but the one after that would get us in to Indy after midnight. No thanks! So he said that American had a flight at 12:25, but Bill would have to come back to the ticketing to be rechecked. I said no. The finally figured out that they could just issue the tickets and told me to get to gate 12 (the other end of the airport). I had to go through security again, though this time there was a long line. They couldn't let me cut in so I had to ask everyone if I could. I got to the first person in line and she was on the same flight I was going to so she said no.
The TSA agent told me I'd have to wait at one end of the machine or the other and I said my husband was at gate 3 and we needed to be at gate 12 for a flight that had it's final boarding call already so she put my stuff ahead

I got out with my shoes off and started to run. Got Bill and our luggage and we headed to gate 12. We got there out of breath and they yelled for the ground crew to leave the door open there were two more getting on, but then after checking found only one ticket for me and none for Bill. Our options were to split up or go back to ticketing and miss the flight. We headed back to ticketing, nearly in tears.
We got half way back to security when there was a page for us to return to gate 12. They got the other ticket!!! We ran back to gate and got on the plane, heading all the way to the back (but at least we got seats right?). I called to let friends know we would be late and was asked what my new flight number was. I looked at the boarding passes, found the flight number, and found that we were going to KANSAS CITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Luckily, we noticed it and when we got to Chicago, they changed the flights and the new flight was much earlier and at the gate right next to the one we came in on. By this time I really needed to go to the restroom but we were just about to board the plane so I said I'd wait and go on the flight. Luckily, they announced that the lavatory on the plane was out of order.
Once onboard, we got situated and then found out that the ground crew in Chicago changed shifts at 2:00 and it was now 2:00 so we had to sit for 30 minutes in the plane. We finally did get to Indy though.
It was great seeing everyone there. We had a blast. Tonya, I finally got your message around 10 am on Sunday. The messaging system in the hotel wasn't working so I just watched the blinking message light all night instead