Friday, December 21, 2007
Alyssa's first solo plane ride.
Alyssa went to FL this morning for break. She flew for the 1st time by herself. I knew that she needed more excitement than hanging around here all break. One day out and she was already going stir crazy. My brother and his family will also be coming to FL. With Alyssa 9 now, it was time. I had called Delta and made sure that everything was all set.
I got up at 5:30 this morning. Alyssa had left most of her clothes over thanksgiving. I packed her backpack with books, some clothes for her cousins, a notebook and pencil, her mp3 player, and one webkinz. Also was a card with my parents numbers on it.
The news talked about how busy the airport was going to be. THe wait for security was already 1/2 hr at 6:30! her flight was at 9:40. WE left the house at 7am. Traffic was not that bad and we got to the airport around 7:45. We did wait for regular checkin as I had an envelop for an unaccompanied minor , needed my boarding pass, etc. They tried to see how many people in regular check in could use the kiosks. WE probably got into the line around 8... and was done before 8:30. Then the security line! It was really bad. Now my friend, who was also flying out that day, only had a 5 minute wait because she had a stroller. We probably got thru around 9am. Note that along the way we passed the chapel and Alyssa asked what that was for. I decided not to answer that question (the real answer is that when tragedy strikes they use it)
Anyway, I got her a starbucks mocha frap, and a choc choc muffin. WE got to the gate and she drank the frap, but said she did not like the muffin. I asked her to eat, but she said when she got there my parents would probably feed her. She was suppose to arrive around 11:30. The took her and this other girl , who was 11, onto the plane first. There were two other kids who fly by themselves. a 13 year old and a 5 year old boy. Anyway the other mom of the 11 year old was very nervous. she was nervous about flying, about her child flying, and about being alone (single mom) for 2 weeks. She was happy that our kids were together. they put all the kids flying alone at the back of the plane. Alyssa thought it was to put them closer to the bathrooms, but its so that they dont leave the plane before everyone else and that they are accompanied. The flight attendant keeps their paperwork. Meanwhile, they board the plane and so many people ran up last minute. I guess others did not think about long lines today! It was amazing to watch.
About 5 minutes later the plane pushes back and turns. It just sits there. I think its because of traffic. I was told that we needed to stay near the gate until the plane takes off--at least on the website it said so. This guy who helped push the plane back came back into the terminal and then he hear that there was a problem with the plane. He told me and the other mom that they were bringing it back to check it out. So they bring the plane back and find a bad "starter" on one engine. Meanwhile it was going to be about 1/2 hr. So I ask if they can now bring food to my child. They said they would, so I bought some stuff. meanwhile, the girl next to Alyssa had a cell phone and was always talking to her mom. So I talked to Alyssa. she was fine! Eventually they found out if was going to be more than 1/2 hour so they said that anyone that wanted to leave and get lunch, etc could . They took off Alyssa and that girl. Alyssa wanted lunch, so I got heer pizza. But the funny thing is that she wanted to get back on the plane. I told her to wait around. This was all exciting to her. Meanwhile that great guy kept telling us what was going on the whole time. he was even the one to bring food to my child earlier. When we wanted info and he was not busy he was always giving it to us, aka what they were replacing, why it was taking long to find the part, etc.
At one point one of the delta employees got the other 2 kids off. They had no money with them and no parents. The 13 year old was connecting, so I understand, but the 5 year old! and I guess they could not reach his parents? The delta employee bought them lunch. I would never leave a 5 year old like that! The re boarded the plane again and by 12:30 they were in the air. We did wait to make sure this time. I headed home. Traffic was awful. I got home around 2. Meanwhile the whole time I called my parents and felix to fill them in. My mom got Alyssa and she was just fine and says that she has no problems flying by herself. She was a bit nervous on takeoff, but I guess having the other kids around really helped. I KNEW she would do good. She knew as well. She said that she was nervous before camp and loved it and knew this would be the same. So on one hand my daughter can be very mature, but then like last night, she can completely melt down over a computer game not doing what she wants. She is like two people sometimes!!!!
Now it makes life a bit easier to send Alyssa places, aka to Fl and to NJ. Myself or my parents don't have to fly with her. We were willing to have one of my parents fly back with her if it did not work out.
I got up at 5:30 this morning. Alyssa had left most of her clothes over thanksgiving. I packed her backpack with books, some clothes for her cousins, a notebook and pencil, her mp3 player, and one webkinz. Also was a card with my parents numbers on it.
The news talked about how busy the airport was going to be. THe wait for security was already 1/2 hr at 6:30! her flight was at 9:40. WE left the house at 7am. Traffic was not that bad and we got to the airport around 7:45. We did wait for regular checkin as I had an envelop for an unaccompanied minor , needed my boarding pass, etc. They tried to see how many people in regular check in could use the kiosks. WE probably got into the line around 8... and was done before 8:30. Then the security line! It was really bad. Now my friend, who was also flying out that day, only had a 5 minute wait because she had a stroller. We probably got thru around 9am. Note that along the way we passed the chapel and Alyssa asked what that was for. I decided not to answer that question (the real answer is that when tragedy strikes they use it)
Anyway, I got her a starbucks mocha frap, and a choc choc muffin. WE got to the gate and she drank the frap, but said she did not like the muffin. I asked her to eat, but she said when she got there my parents would probably feed her. She was suppose to arrive around 11:30. The took her and this other girl , who was 11, onto the plane first. There were two other kids who fly by themselves. a 13 year old and a 5 year old boy. Anyway the other mom of the 11 year old was very nervous. she was nervous about flying, about her child flying, and about being alone (single mom) for 2 weeks. She was happy that our kids were together. they put all the kids flying alone at the back of the plane. Alyssa thought it was to put them closer to the bathrooms, but its so that they dont leave the plane before everyone else and that they are accompanied. The flight attendant keeps their paperwork. Meanwhile, they board the plane and so many people ran up last minute. I guess others did not think about long lines today! It was amazing to watch.
About 5 minutes later the plane pushes back and turns. It just sits there. I think its because of traffic. I was told that we needed to stay near the gate until the plane takes off--at least on the website it said so. This guy who helped push the plane back came back into the terminal and then he hear that there was a problem with the plane. He told me and the other mom that they were bringing it back to check it out. So they bring the plane back and find a bad "starter" on one engine. Meanwhile it was going to be about 1/2 hr. So I ask if they can now bring food to my child. They said they would, so I bought some stuff. meanwhile, the girl next to Alyssa had a cell phone and was always talking to her mom. So I talked to Alyssa. she was fine! Eventually they found out if was going to be more than 1/2 hour so they said that anyone that wanted to leave and get lunch, etc could . They took off Alyssa and that girl. Alyssa wanted lunch, so I got heer pizza. But the funny thing is that she wanted to get back on the plane. I told her to wait around. This was all exciting to her. Meanwhile that great guy kept telling us what was going on the whole time. he was even the one to bring food to my child earlier. When we wanted info and he was not busy he was always giving it to us, aka what they were replacing, why it was taking long to find the part, etc.
At one point one of the delta employees got the other 2 kids off. They had no money with them and no parents. The 13 year old was connecting, so I understand, but the 5 year old! and I guess they could not reach his parents? The delta employee bought them lunch. I would never leave a 5 year old like that! The re boarded the plane again and by 12:30 they were in the air. We did wait to make sure this time. I headed home. Traffic was awful. I got home around 2. Meanwhile the whole time I called my parents and felix to fill them in. My mom got Alyssa and she was just fine and says that she has no problems flying by herself. She was a bit nervous on takeoff, but I guess having the other kids around really helped. I KNEW she would do good. She knew as well. She said that she was nervous before camp and loved it and knew this would be the same. So on one hand my daughter can be very mature, but then like last night, she can completely melt down over a computer game not doing what she wants. She is like two people sometimes!!!!
Now it makes life a bit easier to send Alyssa places, aka to Fl and to NJ. Myself or my parents don't have to fly with her. We were willing to have one of my parents fly back with her if it did not work out.
# posted by sandy @ 5:01 PM 
