Day 1 - Heathrow Hell

Day 1 – Heathrow Hell - 195 Cancelled Flights

My United flight from SFO to London Heathrow went off without a hitch. For the first time, I actually landed in Heathrow on time, Friday morning at 7:30. While waiting for my connecting flight, I chatted up a fellow passenger who was a “particle accelerator physicist.” We both were getting concerned when the flight board started lighting up flights as cancelled and mine only said, “please wait.” Flight Tracker suddenly sent me a notification that my flight was cancelled. I shared the info with Mr. Physics and off we ran to the Luftsanza desk while hearing rumors of a plane having an emergency landing on the runway.

Here is the converstation that followed my arrival at the Luftansa counter:

Suzanne: I’ve just received a notification that my flight has been cancelled. What do I do now?

Luftansa Rep: I am not aware that any of our flights have been cancelled. I cannot confirm the notification that you received.

S: But it’s cancelled. What do I do?

L: Go to the boards and wait for your Gate assignment. Your flight should depart shortly.

S: Let me ask you this….Hypothetically, if my flight were cancelled, what would I have to immediately do?

L: Proceed to Gate 14. Exit the terminal. Collect your bag at baggage claims. Exit customs. Proceed into the main terminal and rebook your flight at the Lufstansa desk.

S: Thank you.

As I turned to leave with my information, I was stopped by a passenger in an adjacent line and asked to please share my information with the gentleman at the back of the line (by this time there were 50 people in line). On my way to Gate 14, I did as requested and shared the info with the man. He was traveling with his father, so we decided to “team up together.” Turns out there was no Gate 14. It was actually Gate 16 we needed.  While waiting in customs, I learn Siriam was traveling to Munich with his fathter, Dorie, to pick up his European Delivery BMW too. They were also from Palo Alto.

Once upstairs in the main terminal, we were greeted with complete chaos. People were packed in the terminal, indistinguishable lines were everywhere, but no one really knew where each line went. Wi-fi and cell service went down as people started frantically trying to re-book their flights.  At 9:30am, we were told by one airline rep to stand in the rebooking line. Turns out we spent 45 mintues in the wrong line and were escorted through the crowds to the correct line.  By this time 8 Luftansa flights were cancelled and we were all in the same rebooking line with only TWO reps to handle all the passengers. 

Siriam was immediately on the phone and after 4 hours of talking to various reps for United and Lufstansa, he got himself booked on a 5:00 flight to Frankfurt and a connecting flight to Munich. His father, however, was put on a flight the next day at 1:30. While Matt was in Frankfurt for his layover, he was trying everything to find me a flight out on any airlines from any of the 5 London airports. There was not a single available flight. In total 195 flights were cancelled that day.  I was even looking into the option of taking an overnight train from London to Munich. By 3:30, after 6 hours of standing in line, it seemed like we had barely moved. Every passenger was spending 20-30 minutes with a rep to find a rebooking option. There were periods of time when the Luftansa check-in counter was empty and 12 reps were sitting there with nothing to do. Siriam walked over and asked if they could take some of the people in line and help rebook since they can do everything the booking agent was doing. The reply, “That’s not my job.” Finally, airline attendants told people to just leave the airport, stay an extra day in London and try to rebook from their hotel room online. We were told there were no available flights out of London until Sunday night.

Siriam finally had to leave us in line to catch his flight. Dorie was waiting in line for a hotel voucher. Soon afterwards, he decided to give up on waiting and we said our goodbyes. I was so sad to see him go. That was the low point. I had been standing in the hot terminal for 7 hours, no food, no bathroom, no sleep, all alone. I started talking to my Pop in my head to please keep me company. All of a sudden I felt a tap on my shoulder and it was Dorie. I was so happy to see him. He said after an hour of wandering the airport and not being able to check in, he was bored and tired and would rather stand in line with me for the company and hopefully get a place to stay. He said he was too old to sleep in an airport. Together we waited out the last part of the line

By 6:30, after 9 hours of standing in the line from hell, it was finally my turn, Here is the conversation:

Suzanne: Please do your best to help me. I’ve been waiting 9 hours to see you. I have a 2pm appointment in Munich that I cannot miss. I will take any options you have.

Luftansa Rep: All flights are booked to Frankfurt and Munich. The earliest you could fly is Sunday night.

S: What about a flight to anywhere close to Germany and I could take a train from there?

L: I’m so tired of watching flights today go out with empty seats because I can’t get people through this line. Do you like to gamble?

S: My Pop taught be to play black jack and gamble when I was six. No problem.

L: There is an 8:10 flight for Munich. I can put you on the waitlist. If there ends up being an empty seat, it is yours, but you have to be one of the first passengers at the gate and let them know you are there. You have 70 minutes to check in at the counter (the line was long but moving) and clear security. If you don’t make the flight, you will have to go through this whole ordeal again.

S: I’ll take it! Thank You!

I made it through check-in and very long line security line. Fortunately, Heathrow does not announce the departure gate until boarding time. Once the gate was announced, I literally ran to the gate and was the 4^th in line. I pleaded my case to Gate Security, begged him to let me on and handed over my wait-list ticket. After a short wait, he smiled and called me to the desk and presented me with seat 11b. I was so happy I hugged him. Inside the gate, I once again found Mr. Physicist. He said, "I had been pressing my thumbs together hoping you would get on a flight tonight." I guess a little German luck helped!

While waiting at the gate, I managed to get a message to Matt that I was in route to Munich. He promised to wait at the airport for me. Once in my seat by 8:30, I could finally relax…it only took 13 hours to get it. After take-off, I realized I had not eaten since I left SFO the day before. I never eat on flights, but had to make an exception this time. They served the funniest little box of meatballs that were stuffed with mustard along with a roll. I must have been starving because they actually tasted good. I exited the terminal gate in Munich at midnight, and there was Matt waiting for me. We had finally met up in Munich!