There are so many things...

to write about, and sometimes I don't know where to start. Sometimes I have racing thoughts, although medication does help slow that down, most of the time. I will say to myself, "Self, today I will write about this subject, or that subject," and by the time I get around to it, I forgot what I wanted to write about, and have a head full of topics trying to rule by committee. And there is no clear cut majority. So, I have to make a decision, and then I'll say, "shit, that really wasn't what I wanted to write about, but I'll do it tomorrow." Then tomorrow becomes today, and then yesterday, and my mind is spinning like a ballerina on a case of Red Bull. Oops! Reality is weirder then fiction sometimes.

I changed the title of my blog, as I got tired of reminding myself that I had a brain tumor. Hey, I already knew that. People tend to identify themselves with something, like I'm a teacher, a dentist, an anthropologist, an insurance salesman, or whatever, but it tends to be their job. Ask anyone what or how they are doing, and they'll tell you about their job, school, the weather or something superficial, rather then speaking the truth, like they're a little depressed/happy/excited/lethargic/etc. today because of this, or that. Unless of course they are hypochondriacs, in which case they'll have every fucking symptom in the book, and have WebMD on speed dial, or the only thing they have bookmarked on their PC. My last housemate is like that, as is his sister, and I believe it is a mental health issue for them. Well, my job is being a "brain tumor patient". My life revolves around doctor appointment, labs, MRIs, traveling to Denver to see my neurosurgeons, more medical tests, and on and on. My part time job is my other physical ailments, like degenerative disc disease in my C-Spine, titanium in my neck, with more to follow, and problems with L-5 and S-1. But I know that I am more then that, and I don't have to sound morbid and be the victim all the time. So, that is why I changed the title. Sure, these things are not going away in the near future, but I don't have to use that to identify me. Oh no, I'm not going to go there anymore. I promise, but that doesn't mean I will never discuss it here, instead I will discuss it as I see fit. The funny thing is, that in my real life, not my internet/blogger life, I very rarely talk about this sibject, except with a fellow apartment complex neighbor who also has a brain tumor, and is a veteran. Her tumor has been resectioned, and the VA docs made a few minor errors, like the screws coming out of the plate in her head, but other then that, we can identify on a lot of levels. She is a nice lady, and we talk about our shelf lives, and even have a good laugh about screwing up their mortality statistics. I know, it sounds a little crazy and sick, but it helps keep us sane.

One last thing I forgot to point out during my critique of NWA was my return flight back to Wyoming. One positive about the trip was that it was on time. That was amazing. But on the second leg there were some issues on Flight-NW 3269, that was from Minneapolis/St.Paul-Int'l, MN. to Casper, WY. The departure date/time was December 29, 9:35 pm, and the arrival date/time was December 29, 11:00 pm. So, there are the flights specifics, but that wasn't the issue. Again, and I repeat again, it was customer service. I have a carry-on bag that I bring with me that contains specifically all my medications, (12 different bottles/types divided equally in 2 gallon size ziplock bags. The bottles are all laid on their sides, and side by side, and there is no double stacking.) my camera, which is small, and maybe a few granola bars. It is a small gym bag, and when pressed flat it is about 4 1/2" - 5" in height. I have occasionally thrown my Gonzaga University Pullover in there, which can be rolled up to the size of a softball if necessary. On my flight to NY, I flew the same type of aircraft, a CRJ, which is a 50 seat, twin jet aircraft, with 4 seat rows, 2 on each side, and overhead bins, although they are not quite as big as the bigger aircraft, and I have flown this specific aircraft many times, and my carry-on always fit up there with no problems.

NWA regulations about carry-ons are as follows:

Northwest allows you to carry one piece of baggage on board the aircraft plus a purse or briefcase or laptop computer or small backpack. The carry-on baggage must be of a size and shape to allow for storage in overhead compartments or underneath the seat in front of you.

Dimensions:

• Cannot exceed 45 linear inches (9 inches by 14 inches by 22 inches)
• My bag is 30 linear inches ( 13 inches by 9 inches by 8 inches, and the reality was that the height was only 5 inches maximum. It was smaller then a small backpack.)

Northwest Airlink flights operated by Pinnacle and Mesaba on CRJ aircraft allow each passenger to bring two personal items onboard. As always, items must fit in the overhead compartment or under the seat in front of you.
Personal Items are defined as:
In addition to your carry-on bag, customers may carry on a purse or briefcase or laptop computer or small backpack. Dimensions of the additional item must not exceed 15"x11"x6". At least one carry-on item should go beneath the seat in front of you.

The above is from NWA's website under carry-ons. Ummm, I see some interesting stuff here.

But Flight 3269 had Nurse Ratchet as its' lone flight attendant. She was in her late 50's, early 60's and had obviously seen a lot of airmiles. After going through the gate, the NWA employee said nothing about my carry-on, as he was also gate checking some of the carry-ons because they were too big for the overhead bins. Not mine though, as he said it was fine. I was about the 10th person to get into the aircraft door, and as I was about to board, Nurse Ratchet said, "You can't bring that duffel bag on board, you have to gate check it," and I said, "First of all, it isn't a duffel bag, it's a small gym bag, and secondly (Here is where I pull out my veteran who is disabled card.) I have all my medications in here as I am a disabled veteran with an inoperable brain tumor, and I may need my medications." and she says, "I don't care, it's a duffel bag to me, now go gate check or you can't board this aircraft." Well, the Gestapo had spoken, snapping her gum the whole time. I went back to the gate, and asked the gatekeeper for a gate check ticket, as Attila said I must gate check it. I really didn't refer to her as Attila, I was just thinking it. So, I got the gate check ticket, and the gatekeeper said, that lady, referring to Nurse Ratchet, is a witch. I would have used a "b" instead of a "w", but he was just being politically correct. I walked back to the aircraft's door, which now had a long line and I waited my turn to board. As I boarded the aircraft, Nurse Ratchet was there with a shit-eating grin on her face, and I said I did as you told me, but if I have some medical issue that requires me to use a medication immediately and can't get to my medications, well, me or my heirs will see you in court. She didn't say a word. As I got to my seat, which is always a window seat, I had to ask the person next to me to move so I could get in. I was in seat 5a, and I watched as the rest of the folks board the aircraft, and it was funny because some people were boarding with carry-ons that were 2 to 3 or even 4x's bigger then mine, but Attila said nothing. She just stood there and continued to chew on her gum, like a cow chewing it's cud. And this lasted the entire flight. Quite unprofessional I would say. She did avoid eye contact with me the entire flight, as I think she realized that I was pissed. But she probably didn't give a shit.

There are a few reasons why I didn't want to give up my bag, with them being, I had my meds in the carry-on, including narcotics, and I don't trust NWA with the security of my property because they are fuckups, my pullover was in the bag, and who knows what the temperture would be when we got to Casper, my apartment and car keys, along with my checkbook were in the bag, and finally, I don't trust NWA at all with anything of mine, including my life. I will never, I repeat never ever fly with them again, because they suck as a company that is suppose to deal in good customer service, and the reality is, they don't give a fuck about the customer.

NorthWest Airlines Sucks! Period! NWA Customer Service Sucks! Some NWA Flight Attendants Suck. Now that I have gotten that off my chest, I can move on at light speed....

In a land far, far away, I sat gazing off into the eastern sky and...

It's Laundry Day at Sheridan Square!

Yippee! Living in a facility reserved for the elderly and/or disabled, we have laundry facilities on the first floor, which are scheduled for certain floors on specific days. Today, the 4th floor has the laundry facilities all to ourselves, well at least until 3pm, when it is open to everyone. There are 13 apartments per floor, except for the 1st floor which has 10, I think. Anyhow, after a couple of cups of coffee, a shower, and other bathroom activities, it will be off to the laundry room. Yeah!

Thought I might change the title this time, because things were starting to get a little whiny, but I am just venting, and rambling, and not staying focused, so what else is new. The fact is Northwest Airlines has exhibited extremely poor customer services, across the board. I do realize that in our world today there are many bad things happening, and I am not so naive as to realize that. As an activist for many causes over the years I have worked hard to right these wrongs where ever possible. I personally think that I have not been very successful, and rest assure that I don't expect anything positive from the letter I am sending to the CEO of NWA, Ed Bastian. It isn't as rambling as my posts here, and I tried to do better with my use of the English language, so as to not sound like Sarah Palin. I know that is an area that needs improvement, but so be it. I am what I am.

Just another manic Monday, December 22, 2008, and guess what, no luggage! Did they get lost, did they deliver it to the wrong address, did they bring it to the landfill, or did someone take it from their secure luggage storage area at LaGuardia? There were many unanswered questions, and NWA was it's usual wet brain self! I figured it out, there is a black hole, and worm hole down by the San Juan Trench, at the southeast corner of the Bermuda Triangle, and that is where the luggage ended up. Now I can be at peace with myself, Amen!

Not really, I was just kidding about the Bermuda Triangle thing. Monday started out the same as Sunday ended. The luggage was not delivered as promised. So, again I went online to check out the status, and discovered it didn't even show it was received. Then the phone calls started, with similar outcomes, but I did find out 2 things, the first being that it, my luggage that is, doesn't show up online, or onphone as "received" until the yahoos who are suppose to deliver it actually take the luggage to deliver it. Now, to any normal and sane individual that makes about as much sense as having air-conditioning in a home in Barrows, Alaska. The second thing was that my luggage was checked in at LaGuardia on Monday Morning. That is important, because the fools I spoke to justified why it was not delivered because it was just checked in that morning. Screeech... let's put the brakes on here, they told me Sunday that it was checked in on Sunday. I was in the company of idiots. When I pointed out this minor discrepancy, they were like, "Oh yeah, it was also checked in on Sunday." Da, who does this company hire? When I asked why it was not delivered on Sunday like I was promised, they really couldn't give me a straight answer. They justified it by saying it will be delivered today, but they couldn't tell me when. They also stated that they were busy, being the holiday and all, and they were busy delivering other customers luggage. Hello, what am I, dirt? When I asked to speak to a supervisor, they said 2 things, one, that there were no supervisors, and two, that they are customer service for reservations, so they only get their info from there computer, where ever they were located. I said I called the Luggage Status Information Line, and this is where it sent me. So what gives. The Luggage Status Line is only a computer generated line that gives me the same info found on the website. They have no real humans that work there, and when you do get to the live humans, they can use, "We are reservations customer service, so tough shit on you asshole for flying NWA!" None of them would give their employee ID number, or the phone number to the Luggage Services Office at LaGuardia, although I knew they had a phone.

This went on all day, with me never giving up hope that I would get my luggage that day, believing that they, NWA, would not lie to me a gazillion times in 2 days. Boy, was I wrong. My family was asking me If I wanted to go out and get some clothes at the local Smithhaven Mall, or somewhere like that. I kept saying no, it will be here any minute now.

Earlier in the day I sent an e-mail to NWA regarding the luggage situation, and received an auto-reply message from them. Here is entire e-mail, as I received it, including my message to them.
____________________________________
Auto-Reply from Northwest/KLM Customer Care (KMM19405770V82983L0KM)
Dear William Harasym,

This is an automatically generated message to acknowledge the receipt of your email. Please do not reply to this message.

We appreciate your continued patience while we review your concerns. We will be in contact with you within four business days. If you require immediate assistance, please contact Reservations directly at 1-800-225-2525. (It's funny they should mention this, because immediate assistance was not what I was getting. I was getting immediate jerking around.)

Northwest/KLM Airlines
Customer Care

_______________________
Tracking ID: KMM19405770V82983L0KM
Case Number: 6767085
Received: Dec 22, 2008 at: 03:56:22 PM
Subject: LS-Delayed Baggage

NW/KL Luggage Services Form:
Title: Mr
First Name: William
Last Name: Harasym
Reply-To Email Address: ***************@msn.com
Alternate Email Address:
WorldPerks Number: ********5091
Street Address 1: *** Smith St.
Street Address 2: Apt. ***
City: Sheridan
State/Province: WY
Zip/Postal Code: 82801
Country: US
Flight Date: 12/20/2008
Flight Number: NW0186
Origin City: CPR
Destination City: LGA
Ticket Number: *******0510949
Confirmation Number:
File Reference Number: LGANW***994
Date Filed: 12/20/2008
Last Name On File: Harasym
========
Message:
I flew into LGA, via a stop at MSP. I had a 4 hour layover there. After we finally got to LGA, my luggage was not there. A baggage service, they said it was on Flight 184, due in at 11pm or later. So we left, and they said once they got it, they would send it out to where I am staying at my brothers, at ** &%$ Ct., Shoreham, NY 631-***-****. She also said that it would be shipped out @ 10am, or 1pm at the latest on Sunday, 12-21-08. I am a veteran who is disabled with an inoperable brain tumor,and this is an 8 day visit for the holidays which maybe my last. So all day Sunday and today I kept checking the status of my luggage, with status pending. I did speak to some real humans both days, with the one on Sunday saying it was checked in there at LGA, and we should have it by 11pm Sunday. That has come and gone. Today the same BS. It was also checked in @ LGA today. I was on the phone with one human, and she said she just wanted to find out something, and then put me on hold for 25 minutes, and then dropped the call. So I tried again, and this human was kind of short with me, seeming to not really care, and they were passing the buck, as it was someone else's fault. I live on Social Security Disability, below the poverty level, so I can't afford to go out an buy a new wardrobe for my visit. My family chipped in to get me this plane ticket. This is getting really sad. You talk about commitment to your
customers, but I don't see it. And you even have the guts to charge for baggage that you can't even get from point A to Point B. I really do need my luggage now. And I am tired of being jerked around.
Call the above phone # to tell me it is heading my way, my luggage that is.
Best wishes always,
William Harasym
CC: Edward Bastian
========
Submitted: 12/22/2008 15:55:18
Form Navigation:
Field1: Baggage
Field2: Delayed Baggage
_________________________________________

OK, so my way wasn't working too well. Notice the date, 12/22/08, and here is there Real reply after lets say 9 days. Sure, they weren't all business days, but they were 150% over their maximum projection. Oops, another lie! I was already back in Wyoming at this point. Here is the response.
_________________________________________

Re: LS-Delayed Baggage (KMM19428529V31223L0KM) 12-31-08 5:49 a.m.

Dear William Harasym,

Thank you for contacting Northwest Airlines. On behalf of all of us at Northwest, please accept my apology for your missing baggage.

To facilitate our recovery efforts, and in order to properly evaluate your claim, we respectfully request that you complete the attached Baggage Tracing Claim Form. A detailed and accurate description of both your baggage and the contents is essential. The information you provide
will be entered into our world-wide computer for further search. We request your assistance in returning the questionnaire promptly, as this will increase our chances of recovering your property.

This form should be sent to Northwest along with copies of your passenger ticket receipt, baggage claim check, and copies of the original purchase receipts for any items valued over $150.

This information can be sent to us via:

* Email: Scan all documents in PDF format as attachments, or,
* Fax: 612.367.5603, or,
* U.S. Postal Service:

Our mailing address is:

Northwest Airlines, Inc.
Baggage Services, Department C5260
7500 Airline Drive
Minneapolis, MN 55450-1101

Email address available via www/nwa.com/talk

Thank you for bringing this unfortunate situation to our attention.

Sincerely,

Terry S. Walton
Luggage Service Online Support
NWA/KLM Airlines
_____________________________________

And, as Paul Harvey says, "Now, for the rest of the story."

This routine went on till dinner time, around 5:30pm, as my sister-in-law Jackie had fixed up some dinner of chicken cordon bleu, rice pilaf, fresh green beans, and some fresh cut fruit that came as a gift, and was made out to look like a flower bouquet. We discussed our upcoming strategy to deal with NWA, and the assholes that are employed by them. I know that there are some good employees at NWA, but their public image is piss poor. And now that my brother was home from his office, he volunteered to help me and try to get this resolved.

So, with Ken on his Blackberry, and me on the cordless, we just settled down for a long evening of BS (from NWA that is!) and Ken was fired up. So we both started calling, trying to get a few simple, well at least simple to us, questions answered. First, we wanted to know where the luggage was, second, when will it be delivered, third, what is the phone number to the Luggage Services Office at LaGuardia. I was getting no results, just status pending. Ken, who deals with customer service folks on a regular basis, and owns his own company that has a customer services unit, along with a couple of health food stores, also dealing with the public on a regular basis, had his own plans on how to attack this. He kind of fibbed a little, representing himself as me, and playing the sick veteran card, and how my heart medication supply was running low, and the backup being in the luggage and how he needed it ASAP! I never put my medications in my luggage, I always keep it in my carry on. Anyhow, that was his approach. He even had one of them hangup on him, as did I. Roy, a NWA customer service representative, who, when Ken confront him on saying this is the best he can do, said to him, "Well you best is unacceptable!" Roy, @ 6:45pm EST hung up. I truly believe these folks don't record these conversations for training purposes because 99% of them suck. But maybe that is their training, to suck and jerk you around, and to constantly lie to you. We tried to get out of them that if we drove into LaGuardia, can they guarantee my luggage would be their. They couldn't even do that. They couldn't do shit! Ken finally got Wendy on the phone, and told her the story, and even told her Roy, if that is even his real name, hung up on him. It took her a little while, but she was able to get the phone number to NWA Luggage Service Office at LaGuardia. She said she tried quite a few times to get through, but to no avail. There was still no record that NWA received the luggage as per their web status page, and automated phone scam, just that it was checked in at LaGuardia Monday and Sunday morning. We tried the NWA LaGuardia Luggage Office, but it was constantly busy. We needed to do something outside the box.

It was almost 8pm, and Ken asked me if I wanted to take a ride into LaGuardia, and see if my luggage was there. I said sure, what the hell, as NWA is one outfit you couldn't trust. So we headed in, and Jackie would continue to call, and see if the status was still pending.

Traffic was light, relatively speaking, on the L.I.E., and we made it in there in a little over an hour. We went to the same parking lot I was in just 48 hours earlier. We walked into the baggage claim area, and off to the left of that level is the Baggage Services Office, and the so-called secure area for unclaimed luggage, (Meaning it is luggage that they say will be delivered, but they try ones patience, and we end up coming back to pick it up, like us.) and a little guy with a tie and sports jacket that said, "So-and-So Security" was standing guard behind the line of ropes and stanchions. Saturday night while we were there, there was no security that I could see, and scores of people just walking around the area, taking bags, and no one was confronting anyone doing that. Tonight it was different. The S and S security guard in the sports coat asked what we were doing when Ken went behind the ropes, and me on the other side started looking for my luggage. He's like, "Djew can't be in here." and I'm like, Look Bubba, I am looking for my luggage that you folks have not delivered yet. He's say, "I do not work for airline, me just Security." Oh, I was confused thinking Bubba might be able to help. During this time I spotted my luggage, and it was right on the other side of the rope, so I go to take it, and Bubba tells me I can't do that, and I said watch me. So I grabbed it and pulled it over the rope, and Bubba says, "Let me check you luggage ticket," which I let him do. They matched, go figure. It wasn't that busy, so I said to Bubba I wanted to go to the Baggage Services office, about 100 or so feet away, behind the rope line, and file a complaint. So he let me through his secure rope line. There was no line at the counter, as it must have been between arrivals, so I walked straight up to the counter. The lady there, who went by the name of Ruth asked if she could help me. I said sure, I'd like to file a complaint regarding my luggage. Ruth's response, rather rudely, was, "You need to call customer service." I said I have been doing that for the last 48 hours with much success. And then I asked her if she could validate my parking because we had to come and pickup my luggage that NWA has kept saying would be delivered. Ruth said, can't do that, and I asked what can you do? she said nothing, call up customer service, and this was done in a rude and snarky manner, basically saying, without saying it, "Fuck You, we don't care about you, our customer, so get loss." Up till this point I had maintained my composure, and hadn't cussed or even shown any anger. But Ruth became the straw who broke the camels back. I then asked for her name, and employee ID number. She wrote down her name, Ruth, but no employee ID number. I said, "What about you employee ID number." She is like, I can't give you that, and I said, Yes you can. Then she just started walking away from me, and I said, " This is the worse fucking airline I have ever flown." Ruthie turns around and gives me the finger, middle finger that is, and says, "Fuck you, and Merry Fucking Christmas to you too." I was a little shocked, but I did cuss. So I returned a Merry fucking Christmas to you too." and I walked out the office. I met my brother on the other side of the rope line, with Bubba, who just witnessed the last half of my conversation with Ruth following close behind me, making sure his secure luggage area was secure. I wonder who was watching the area when he was in the office? Hmmm? As we walked out of the terminal, I told my brother of my confrontation with Ruthie Baby, and he just laughed.

We headed home, luggage in hand, or in the trunk of Ken's Cadillac CTS. Nice ride, but I am into cheap and simple, because that is all my budget can handle. Now, if after reading this epic you think I have diarrhea of the keyboards, raise you right hand! Just what I thought...

*-I redacted some personal information for security purposes. Thank you.

Why Northwest Airlines sucks!... (Part IV)

Now, Back to the 1st human I was able to talk to about my luggage. She did indeed say it was checked in that morning, Sunday, 12-21-08. She also said it did not come in on flight 184 like we were told the night before, but on an early flight into LaGuardia that morning. I asked her why it was not changed on the website, or on the audio version as received, and she couldn't answer that. I asked if it went out to be delivered, and she couldn't answer that either, but she did blow me off and said that they are making deliveries throughout the day, and evening, and I should have it by 11pm that night. Now, we were about an hour to 1 and 1/2 hours away from LaGuardia, depending on traffic and road conditions.

I also remember, that the previous night, when I filed the initial missing luggage claim, the NWA employee asked if it was OK for them to drop off the luggage if no one was home, and I said, yes, although we have all sorts of family members visiting for Christmas, like me with no luggage, so someone should be home.

I continued to try and track my luggage through NWA website, but nothing ever changed, even the fact that they received the luggage. So, who do I believe that they actually have the luggage? The lady I spoke too, or the website/computer generated phone links? No one! They all lie, except for Wendy. Their Luggage Status Information Line is 1-800-745-9798, and you get that damned automated crap. Even when I used my special file reference number, LGANW92994, it really didn't help. One thing though, which my mom mentioned while I was phoning again later that Sunday evening, and trying to figure out how I got that first "Live Human" when I called, mom said, after they give you the automated spiel, hit "0", and maybe that might get you to Customer Service. Oh my gosh, it worked. So, again I talked to a human, and I got the same response, it's like they are programmed, or their training manual teaches them how to bullshit and lie to you!

It was kind of imperative that I get my luggage, as I was only spending 8 days in NY! So Day One is shot, no luggage, wasn't delivered by 11pm, or anytime on Sunday, so the bastards just lied and lied and lied!!! Everything is pending, like the status of my luggage. When I asked to speak to a supervisor, the answer was there are no supervisors here. How can that be? Someone has to direct this dysfunctional operation and corporation. When I asked for their employee ID number, they said they could not give it to me. What kind of horseshit is that? And the funny thing is, part of their message when I called, it mentioned Northwest Airlines commitment to customer service. They really have one warped sense of humor. And, a special note here, I did not cuss or swear, or say or do anything inappropriate during my phone calls on Day 1. I just sat there and listened to their bullshit, and boy, these folks are good at it. Also, up to this point, I was unable to get them to give me the land line phone number for NWA Baggage Services at LaGuardia, as they said they couldn't give out that number. Is that amazing or what? No phone numbers, no employee ID number's, nothing that was of any importance. While I was waiting on line at NWA Baggage Services the night of the 20th, their phone was ringing off the hook. Ummm, sounds like another lie to me. I would be done by now if I wasn't so easily distracted. I look at my e-mail, and then one thing leads to another, then another, and before I know it, it is 3, 4 or 5 hours later. Wow, am I messed up or what? I will finish this in the next post, I promise, but there is another Bowl Game coming on soon, so sorry about that. Bye...

OK, so I went to NY for Christmas and... (Part III) or, Why Northwest Airlines Sucks!

It's Sunday morning, and I'm still working on my first 24 hours in NY. So, both my parents realize I am in NY, much to their amazement. I think they were extremely surprised, and happy that I was there. I mean we don't have too many more Christmas together on this planet, because of many reasons, but mainly because we are getting older, and of course the health issues. But let's not be too morbid here, let's be happy! Oh yeah, no luggage yet.

Our family has this tradition which has been going on for decades, that being the week or so before Christmas we all go out to eat together, all the families, in-laws, everyone, and my dad picks up the tab. This started, and has morphed from when we were little children, and our dad gave each of us kids a money envelope, which started with $5.00, so that we would have money to buy Christmas presents for each other, and for mom and dad too. As we got older, the amount gradually increased, and then he started giving us these Commemorative U.S. Mint Coins, usually in silver, for different occasions. I still have a few that I did not pawn. Then came the dinner out when we all reached adulthood, and I think the money part ended while I was on one of my multi-year vision quests. I don't know the exact year though, and then the coin thing also ended. So, today it is just the big get-together with the meal. This is the 1st one I attended since my last visit to NY in 2004. This year it was at the Copperage in Waiting River, NY. I didn't have any casual dress clothing because, you guessed it, my luggage was in Northwest Airlines limbo land. This brunch took place @ 11am Sunday morning on December, 21 2008. It was really nice, even though I was the only one there not dressed appropriately. I do travel a lot, just not to NY, and I always carry an extra set of clothing, usually a pair of shorts, t-shirt and socks. So, there I was, in the Copperage, in a pair of shorts, a Pirates tee shirt, sneakers and socks, and no one said a word, although I did get some strange looks. It was enjoyable, and I love seeing everyone after 4 years.

Northwest Airlines has a web page on their website where you can check on your luggage. All you have to do is enter the number the Baggage Service office gave me when I filed the missing luggage claim. It says 2 things, one being when they received your luggage (At LaGuardia) and when it was delivered. It doesn't qualify what those 2 things actually mean, but what would one expect from these idiots.

When we got back from the Copperage, it was contact NWA (From here on, NWA will stand for Northwest Airlines.) time, as the luggage had not yet arrived. There was an 800 number both on my missing luggage receipt, and on their website, and they were identical. Amazing! So, I checked online, and lo and behold, it did not show that they had received it yet, although the night before we were told it was coming in on the next flight from Minneapolis. Oops, somebody told a lie. You will notice that we were lied to on a regular and constant basis. Now that is what I call great customer service. Oh, and it gets better. So, for the next couple of hours I kept checking the website, and nada, nothing, blippo on my luggage's' status. So, now I start using the PHONE! It is now around 3pm, and the promise that my luggage would be on the 10am delivery or 1pm delivery seem to ring hallow. More lies!

We all love those calls to customer service when we get recordings, and multiple numbers to push to get certain information, and nothing really gets accomplished, ever. My 1st call was basically an audio version of what the website said, with the final comment, "our information is updated regularly with the latest information". Tell me, what would they update it with? The oldest, 3, 4, 5- day old information? And the thing about these calls was that there was no # or button to push to get a live human being, either from here or Bangladesh! What were they thinking? Then on my 3rd or 4th time calling, an error occurred, and I somehow got patched through to customer service (I thought it was customer service for just luggage claims or complaints, but I was mistaken, as @ NWA, that does not exist. You end up at customer service for reservations, but they can check on your luggage on their computer, sort of like I could on my brother's.) and spoke to my first human. This was on Sunday, around 4:30pm EST. She said it appears my luggage was checked in a LaGuardia that morning, and no, it did not come in on Flight 184 the night before like I was told the previous night (Imagine if we had waited for it that night? We would have been some pissed off campers!) and so the lies started on Saturday Night, with Lies #ed- 1,2, and 3 happening that night. If I counted them all, it would probably end up in the dozens. Just to say this now, there was one young lady, Wendy who was either a truly compassionate person, who actually tried to go above and beyond the call of duty, or just a kind and dedicated employee, not yet jaded by her job. But this didn't happen till Monday Night. She even gave us the actual land line phone number for the Baggage Services Office at LaGuardia, when many others said they couldn't (Or wouldn't) do that. Kudos to her, and only her. NWA should take some lessons from her, because they said every time before you were actually going to get a human, that they may be recording this for training purposes. These assholes are basically clueless!

Well, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (Texas vs Ohio St.) will be on soon, and I just love football, so to be continued...

OK, so I went to NY for Christmas and... (Part II)

We made it out to Shoreham around midnight. Neither of my parents were expecting me, as we kept it a surprise. My brother had told them when he left for the airport with my niece and nephew that they were heading to Roosevelt Field Mall, to do some shopping for Christmas presents. Liar, Liar, pants on fire. But it worked. If everything happened the way it was suppose to, (When does everything happen the way it is suppose to?) we would have been home around 9-9:30pm, and my dad would not have gone to sleep, etc, etc. But dad was in bed, as he still gets up at 5am every morning, and does his 2-3 mile walk. Mom was still awake. We came in from the garage into the laundry room. My brother was explaining why they took so long shopping, and I came in. My mom wasn't facing my direction, but looking the other way at my brother and her grandkids, and I walked up behind her and said, "Hi Mom." She turned around, and the look on her face was priceless. And she said, What are you doing here? Hello, it's the holidays. Anyhow, it was nice. Dad would have to wait till the next morning. We all played it out real good, and they had no indication I was coming. I would be staying in the basement, and my folks were on the 2nd floor, in the guest bedroom.

Sunday morning was cold and crisp. I woke up around 8am local time, and slowly worked my way up the stairs. As I came around the bend in the staircase, my dad was seated on the couch in the living room, watching something? He sees me, and his expression is like, who is that? And what are you doing here? He too was shocked by my visit, so our plan was carried out successfully. The luggage had still not arrived...

OK, so I went to NY for Christmas and...

it was a great experience, if you don't include Northwest Airlines losing my luggage.
It had been 4 years since my last visit to NY, and that time I took the bus from Wyoming. Prior to that, it was the Christmas of 1999, and that time I flew, and you guessed it, they lost my luggage. That time it was United Airlines, but they at least delivered it out to where I was staying on Long Island (It did take 5 days to get there though, and I was only there for 8 days.) and gave me a $200.00 voucher for future travel over the next 365 days. I never used the voucher.

Let's get back to Northwest. I flew from Casper, WY. on December 20th, to Minneapolis, where it was snowing like a major winter storm. But we eventually took off, an hour and half late, so that wasn't too bad. I was suppose to get to LaGuardia @ 8pm, but we landed around 9:30pm, and then sat on the taxiway for another hour waiting for a gate. The skinny on this part of the story was that the gate we were suppose to go to still had a plane there, and they couldn't move because there was a plane behind it that they were de-icing. Who is the fucking rocket scientist that de-ices planes behind planes that have to leave their gates? No wonder these airlines keep going bankrupt! I finally de-planed at 10:30pm, and went to the luggage carousel, and waited, and waited, and waited, and there was no luggage, well, at least mine wasn't there. Now, there was a long enough layover in Minneapolis, like 4 1/2 hours that rushing to catch the next flight wasn't an issue. So, let's rule that issue out.

I then headed to Northwest Airlines Baggage Services office, conveniently located next to the baggage carousels, and waited in line with other unfortunates. There were about a dozen or so folks in line, so there I stood for another 1/2 hour. I finally made it to the desk, where they had one person who knew what she was doing, and a trainee, who had a thick eastern European accent. He had to be told step by step what to do by the smart person, who couldn't really help the person she was actually trying to help. One big circle jerk going on here. Anyhow, I showed her my luggage receipt and she entered it in her computer, and lo and behold, my luggage was checked in on Flight 184, rather then my flight, Flight 186. Ummm, only 2 numbers off, not bad. She said that flight will be arriving in about an hour or so, and I can either wait, (It was already 11pm, I'd been up since 5:30am, and we still had an hour to hour 1/2 drive out to my brother's home in Shoreham.) or they will deliver it the following morning, either on the 10am delivery truck, or the 1pm one at the latest. We decided to let them deliver it, and headed toward Shoreham.

To be continued...