Today was our travel day to PDX. My wife and I woke up at 4:45am to finish getting ready for our 6:23 departure from ALS to DEN. We arrived in DEN about 7:30, to try and make a connecting flight to PDX which was leaving at 8:10. The gate was a mad house – just crammed with people. The wifey and kid number two were lucky enough to be the last two people on the first plane to PDX. Let the adventure begin for myself and kid number one. We walked the terminal, rode the train between concourses, and kid number one was entertained with Netflix until our next flight departing at 12:30. After wading through the masses to get to our gate, we learned we were not to get on the flight. The next four hours were filled with more Netflix, coloring, chess, and kid number one attempting to meet new friends. We moved closer to our gate and I swear it felt like we were a herd of cattle. Of course we didn’t make the flight because it seemed like everyone in DIA was trying to fly to PDX. The last four hours had us giving up hope, and settling on a hotel for the night and a fresh start/new try for a flight in the morning. However, we stuck to it hoping to get on the last flight out. Kid number one kept meeting people and she was able to play with a fellow five year old, watch more Netflix, and more coloring. The masses came out again for this last flight to PDX and it wasn’t looking good. With all the ticketed passengers boarded, and the fellow non revenue passengers looking anxiously at the gate agent, we were fully ready to trudge to the hotel island and wait for a shuttle. She finally called Adams party of two. Gleefully we accepted our boarding passes and headed for our seats. We made it to the back of plane and were just about to sit down when over the intercom the flight attendant pages, “Adams party of two? Please come to the front of the aircraft.” Our excitement was quickly reduced to tears. We turned around and kid number one was crying the whole way back to the concourse. With kid number one still in tears they call us again to give us another set of boarding passes, and this time we were the last two on the airplane. Talk about a stressful few moments. But we made it!!! Just another adventure to add to the airport madness chronicles. The joys of non revenue travel.
Life and Photos by Andy 