Well, this day was a complete travel day bust. I’m sure many of you can relate. I checked in for my flight at Delta around 9 AM. Surly agents, problematic passengers, finally at the counter and against my better judgement, I decide to check my bag.

Now, take the tram to gate E06. Wow, they are working on making a new tram so only one is running. At TSA – yep, there are people who had to be turned away because they were not TSA.

As I go through the security, the buzzer goes off. I’m picked as a random person to have all my electronics scanned.

At the gate, crowded with summer travelers, no seats. The flight is oversold, of course. I’m fine, but once on the plane, they discover there is a float valve for the air conditioner that isn’t working properly. The pilot comes on and tells us they are going to try to fix it. 45 minutes later, they cannot fix it and they are flying the part they need to fix it from Atlanta. Everyone disembarks the plane and go to the counter to see what is possible to get from Tampa to San Diego. Oh, we can get you through Minneapolis to San Diego because all flights to Atlanta are full. Oh, there are no seats in First Class. We can give you a middle seat in Delta Comfort. No Way!

I request for my bag to be taken off the flight since it now shows this flight will not be leaving until 3 PM and there will be no flights to take to San Diego in Atlanta.

Go to baggage service area. It will take an hour to get my bag off the plane. Please wait “over there” where of course there are other people from my flight waiting to get their bags.

Upstairs, at a Ticketing Agent, I ask if they can get me out of Sarasota early the next day to catch a flight to San Diego. Luckily they are able to get me First Class all the way. Friday the 13th tomorrow, what are the chances things will go smoothly?!

And while I’m waiting for my limo driver to come back and pick me up at Tampa, look at this group. Are they coming to protest?

What started at 8 AM ends up at 3:30 PM back at my home. At least, I’m home, with my bag and now booked for tomorrow.

Summer travel by air is no fun when you get delayed.