The archived ramblings of my time as a world traveler up to my current life in Washington, D.C.I've read stories documenting the recovery of the airline industry, and two weekends ago I found myself in the midst of the renewed hordes of travelers.
From 2001 to 2005 I flew more domestic flights than the average American, as my job paid for me to more or less be a professional traveler. I rarely saw flights full enough to warrant a call for volunteers to give up their seats from the gate attendants.
Apparently, this year flights have started to fill up, and there's more call for the volunteers (generally in return for a free flight voucher). On our return from St. Louis to D.C. the plane was full, and both Kirsten and I volunteered in return for a free flight and the promise we'd get into D.C. a few hours late.
This did mean we'd be sitting in the St. Louis airport for six extra hours nursing hangovers (well, I was nursing a hangover) after attending a wedding the night before.
When it finally came time to board the second plane, a call for volunteers went up once again. Kirsten had to work the next day, but I was more than willing to stay in St. Louis for an extra night, on the airline, and pick up another free flight.
Alas, at the last minute I was told my service wasn't needed. So instead I was forced to fly home in the first-class seats we'd been upgraded to after being voluntarily bumped the first time. My vision of simply staying at the St. Louis airport indefinitely and professionally giving up my seat flight after flight in return for future free travel was to remain unfulfilled.
1 comment:
I've always wanted to do this, but since I primarily fly Southwest--an airline that actually has a successful business model that doesn't require them to oversell flights in order to recoup costs--I don't have that many opportunities. And when that rare opportunity does come my way, it always seems like other circumstances prevent me from taking it. I admire your goal--may you one day achieve it.
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