Airport Adventures

Remember, it is rare for me to have no airport adventure to report of !

Hence, I give you:

The Dogs in Heat

No, not that kind of heat...the temperature of the surrounding air type of heat!

We arrive at the airport in Miami yesterday around 4:30 in the afternoon.

The weather page says it is 86 degrees. According to an incredibly friendly American Airlines agent, the weather had to be 84. Really, this lady was the tops! I wish I would have written her name down to write a comment on her to the company. I couldn't have been more lucky to get her!

So, she comforted me by saying that I still had 3 hours technically, before I had to check in...and that by then the temp should go down.

She did all my paperwork and got me into the system and practically ready to "fly" (excuse the pun) should the temps drop.

Well, my Parents, Sister and Nephew were traveling the following day and staying in the airport there until their flight...so they took the kids while I stayed with the dogs and suitcases waiting and waiting for the temperature to drop.

Around 5 it 87! NNNOOOOO, the temps were going up! WRONG WAY HEATED AIR!

But, she smiled and assured me that most likely it would go down. Granted, it didn't help that there was a guy sitting there with his dog that had been coming to the airport two days in a row waiting for the right temperature.

But our prayers were granted...by 6:30 or so, the temp was down to 84...I had been checking it constantly on my Iphone and screamed when it went down! I jumped up and ran to the lady who was smiling with me from ear to ear!

Good story, huh?

Oh, you thought it was over?!

We get to the gate with plenty of time. Boarding was supposed to start around 7:30, right when we got there. It was delayed as usual, but everything was smooth, until...

"Mrs. BG, please see an agent at the counter"

So, I go up and he tells me I have to go back out to security to open up the dog cages for them to check...WHAT? Are you kidding me?

So, the agent assured me I had plenty of time. I left my kids with the carry-ons and duty free bag (this bag is important in the story later)...went running through the security looking for my two dogs. I asked another TSA agent where to go and he sent me out through the construction area to the security on the other side where I had originally left the smiling lady. She was waiting for me with a security guy and said, "Boy, you've had a heck of a trip!"

They took me behind the TSA security tape, which I thought we were to never cross, and had me open both cages. I had to take the dogs out and lift them so they could see their bellies.

Now, I also thought they were not permitted to open cages? Whatever...

I go running back to the gate and get on the plane with my kids. I had plenty of time because the boarding was delayed about half an hour...but I was so sweaty it was awful!

Then, that duty free purchase I made?

Well, I left it at my seat and didn't realize it until we were down collecting our luggage. So, I went right up to an AA agent, maybe 10-15 minutes, at most, of being off the plane, and he called the plane. There was nothing where my bag was :(

At least getting the dogs into Rio was much easier than expected!