I had to do some unavoidable air travel during the week that Froze The South. My flights, naturally, had to go through Texas (which I have waxed affectionately about in the past), Arkansas (holy crap, it’s like every southern stereotype, good and bad, writ large), and North Carolina.
I made it as far as Arkansas before my flights got cancelled like a conservative speaker at a Berkley college. And…my flight was rescheduled for the same gate, same tytpe of plane, same departure time…but the next day. But, wait, there’s more….not only were the vast majority of hotels booked, but the one that was not booked solid was not sending an airport shuttle due to the road conditions. So…Refugee Status: Unlocked!
My only options at this point were to sleep on the floor of the airport until the next day. Not a new experience, I’ve done it before….but I haven’t had to do it in quite a while. And, being a southern airport, it wasn’t really built with the idea of keeping heat in. (By the way, it was Bill And Hillary Clinton Airport, which meant there was a wall mural of America’s greatest political sycophant…and her husband.) So not only was it going to be an uncomfortable night of sleeping on a bench like a homeless person, it was going to be a cold one. (So, really, it was an aptly named airport…it was unremarkable, relied on name recognition rather than actual merit, was frigid, and made me want to go find a 22-year-old to amuse myself with.)
I travel with one bag. One. So everything I need has to fit in that one bag ’cause Zero ain’t paying for a checked bag. But Zero also realizes that stuff happens. And I’d thought there might be a good chance of having to spend the night in the airport. (And, no, the days of the airline putting you up in a hotel for a flight cancellation are long gone, baby.) So…I packed with an eye towards spending the night in the airport. First thing, and the one that really paid off, was the Kifaru Woobie. Warm enough for interior of the airport, and compact enough that I could scrunch it down to the size of a Nerf footbal and get it in my bag. That one paid off. Other items were a small ‘travel sized’ packet of Clorox disinfecting wipes carried in my toiletries kit along with a ‘travel size’ roll of TP. The TP is self-explanatory and if you’ve ever had the misfortune of having to use a public restroom then you know the disinfecting wipes are pretty self-explanatory as well. Also brought a small Platypus water bottle so I didn’t have to roam around looking for a water fountain. Already had a small EDC flashlight with me.
And, of course, a wad of cash and a deck of bank cards.
Wandering the airport it was interesting to see how other people managed the situation. It was fairly evenly divided into two camps (almost literally) – the folks who piled all their belongings in a corner, draped their coat over themselves, and tried to sleep….and the group who sat at the tables determined to just power through by staying awake. Crom help them.
Having wifi available was a big plus. A laptop and phone go a long way towards keeping a person entertained. So, finally, around 2am, I found a quiet corner, wrapped my backpack strap around my ankle, curled up under my woobie, used my coat for a pillow, and managed to steal a few hours of sleep. Not enough to keep me from being sleepy the next day, but enough for me to be functional and relatively sociable. (Because when asking the ticket agent to please help me GTFO of this place it would be good to be as pleasant and obsequious as possible.)
Moral of the story? It’s not impossible that you’re going to get stranded at the airport when you travel. When it happens you can usually money your way out of it with a hotel for the night. But nothing in life is certain, so, if you can, be prepared to have to camp out by the baggage carousel for a night.
Space in my bag was at a premium, but what I did have worked well. What I would have done differently is to have brought earplugs (a couple foam ones would have been fine), and possibly a small freeze dried entree…because even though the food services are closed, there is always someplace that has hot water for coffee.
So, there you go…a little learn-from-experience.
Being prepared – even partially – is it’s own reward! Well done!
And bonus points for the PMI…makes people SO much easier to work with in stressful times.
For earplugs, look at the ISO-tunes earbuds. 29 DB reduction,and bluetooth connection to your phone or laptop
Nothing drives the point home like trial by fire.
My lifetime experience with all forms of travel have shown that it’s best avoided, unless you own the plane/ship/train in question.
Since I’ve been living in the ass-end-of-nowhere (it’s great!) since 2014, I’ve gotten used to sleeping in airports. I have to fly a few times a year and flying for me generally means a 30 minute drive to where the airport shuttle picks me up and then a 120 mile shuttle ride to the airport*. Given the nature of the trip, I always get to the airport way early and on the return flight home there’s generally a wait for the shuttle at the other end. And if my flight is late I occasionally miss the last shuttle home and have a long wait for the first morning shuttle. So, I’ve learned how to sleep in airports.
I fly carry on only and usually pack pretty light, so I have room for a backpacking sleeping mat with me. It’s great. Find a quiet spot, set your alarm, blow up mat, crash out. If I’ve got the room for it I’ll also pack a super lightweight travel sleeping bag that packs down to about the size of a quart water bottle. Long pea coats also make great impromptu blankets. Staying awake is for suckers.
* If you’re wondering why I don’t just drive all the way to the airport, there’re a few reasons, starting with I really don’t want to leave my car in Minneapolis for a week and the fact that I completely suck at city driving. Also, my trips tend to leave me really wiped out and I come home in the evening, so it wouldn’t be safe for me to make the drive home. I’d have to book a hotel room and come home the next day. It’s just easier and safer to hop on the shuttle.
Commander,you may want to check FAA regs on cancelled flights-recompenses may be owed. No matter the weather some brave(and greedy)soul is usually still delivering pizza(or other). In the north a weeks tips can happen in a few hours if the weather is bad enough(jeep weather). A group order would make even more determined delivery get through. With space at a premium eas anything vacccum packed? After many years of travel,I know a duffel bag can easily hold a weeks clothes,conforms to space available and is easily carried(shoulder strap leaves both hands free), did you use a pack or have you tried a duffel bag?
FYI today is the anniversary of the flag raising on Mt. Suribachi/Iwo Jima-Semper Fi to all Marines
Semper Fi brother. I only fly with carry on – I just don’t trust anyone else with my gear. The one thing that really used to bug me is that I can no longer take my Leatherman tool with me, although I recently found away around it. It’s not a perfect plan but I try my very best to not using connecting flights whenever I can avoid it. I have started sending a small box of things I might want by FedEx or UPS to the hotel where I have my reservation at my destination. I have even included an express mail box to return ship it home. I call in advance to let them know it’s coming, and it’s always waiting for me when I arrive – sometimes waiting for me in my room. It’d be nicer to have it in a situation like having to spend the night at the airport, but it’s better than nothing.
Semper Fi back at you, leathermans are flimsy at best,try a Gerber and you’ll never go back.
While I don’t have a Kifaru Woobie, I do travel with a snugpak jungle blanket that packs down almost as small. I also have a field pillow from CPGear* The field pillow is a simple bag with one side being fleece and a zipper opening on one end that you put some clothes into then you use it as a pillow.
These go in my carry-on bag whenever I fly. I’ve found the pillow and blanket very useful on planes especially since they started to nickel and dime for every little thing.
* http://www.cpgear.com/create_products/Field-Pillow?c=2493643&dp=2&n=30259816&pn=1
The li-on battery backups are great for keeping a device juiced but I throw one of the 3-way plugs in case airport outlets are at a premium. You still have to guard your stuff but it’s diffused some incidents with d-bags and even gotten a few free drinks or snacks. Ahh the friendly skies.
Well done. Good to hear the preps paid off. From reading this blog I put a Mt. House beef stew in my go bag so I always have food with me.
When faced with spending the night in an airport I once used the company credit card to rent a van and slept in it in the parking garage. Had heat, music and didn’t have to listen to the masses bitch and moan. Turned it in the next day with zero miles on it and the check in lady was very suspicious!
The worst flight ever was from Philadelphia to Vegas. Toilet in the rear of the plane backed up and we got to spend the last hour of the flight with raw sewage sloshing around. I was in the next to last row. From then on I insisted our secretary ALWAYS had me change planes at some half way point like St. Louis or Dallas so I wouldn’t be trapped on a flight from hell for six hours.
Once walked from one terminal to another in San Francisco carrying four full golf bags and my luggage.. People stopped and stared. You do what you have to do but since I don’t have to travel much anymore, I don’t miss it at all.
I always carry two space blankets in my shaving kit. They are small and inexpensive. If you cannot refold them adequately and are rushed, just toss them. Two gives you a clean reflective surface to plant the body on and a wrap to keep you warm. It works for me. TTFN
I used to travel a lot for business, out and back every week for 7 years. Now I just travel for vacation with family.
When I fly I check a bag. I’ve only had a couple of issues in 20 years and 3/4 million miles. That’s pretty good odds, and now that the travel is personal, I can usually pack a locked box and contents that need a declaration card for use at my destination.
For emergency food, I have several of the Epic meat bars in my carry on bag and a couple of power bars. A hooded windbreaker is very warm indoors and goes under the shock cord on the bag to take no space at all. I carry a rolled up microfiber towel, about 2x3ft as a mini blanket/pillow/sun shade. Grab a bottle of water as soon as I get thru security.
I also have a change of underwear, t-shirt, and collared short sleeve shirt (super thin, quick dry, mine is by Quicksilver, but some PFG type would work too).
There are other preps in there too, and the normal small electronics. Since the Ft Lauderdale shooting, I carry my gun shot/ blowout kit and haven’t ever had an issue at security. I’ve got a tiny first aid ‘boo boo’ kit too. The trauma shears aren’t a great replacement for a knife, but they are better than nothing.
Cash money and a little flexibility go a long way when traveling, and an airline club or lounge membership is definitely recommended for anyone who flies more than a few times a year, especially with family. The membership may even come with other benefits, like free checked bags, that will almost pay for the cost of the club in only a few flights.
There will undoubtedly be lasting changes as a result of the wuflu response, and I’ve avoided air travel in the last year entirely.
Glad you made it home safely,
n
added- and you’ve got readers all over the place, if you had a real issue, there are people who would lend a hand.
n
My briefcase (4-hazard with Molle on the outside) has a permanent ‘Road Warrior’ kit in case I have to fly commercial somewhere – all I have to remove are the knives/multi-tools… But I have a multi-outlet wall charger, cables, flashlights (plural), small screwdriver, a small platypus also, and a folded flat emergency blanket.
The charger is good, in case someone is already using an outlet…”Hey, mind if I plug in? I have an extra couple of ports you can use”.
Along with cash and cards, of course. The cash and cards go into my pants, not a bag or coat….nobody is stealing them.
But, I truly despise commercial air travel and rarely do it if I can fly my own airplane.
Much appreciated thanks for the personal traveler tips given above. I don’t have nearly the same experience, but learned hot water is valuable.
One of those immersion plug-in coil heaters for a cup is kept in a corner of my bag, along with a canteen cup. The odd package of ramen can keep the stomach knawing too hard on the spine, and instant coffee / tea is also viable. All of this can be contained inside the cup so not much room is taken up.