I'm stuck in Denver. In the airport. On Christmas.

[huskerlaw]

And the wireless is shitty.

Oh, and I can't go get anything to eat or walk around because I have managed to secure one of the very, very few and highly in demand electrical outlets.

Since I really have nothing to do but ponder pointless things, I am asking myself the following:

1. Why can't Denver function in snow? It's just a little blizzard, for fuck's sake. What's the problem?

2. A high percentage of passengers carry laptops on airplanes. Very few airplanes have electrical outlets on them. Why, for the love of all that is holy, is there only four plugs per GATE? In a relatively new airport? A plane full of people. Or in this case, three planes full of people, and four outlets. This can only lead to tears. And probably bloodshed.

3. Why is that little boy running around with his pants down? And, perhaps more to the point, why isn't his father saying anything to him regarding the pulling up of said pants?


I'm so bored. And stuck here for AT LEAST another 3 hours. If not all night. Tell me a funny story. Or, really anything.

[Frosty1]

1. Rocky Mountain High

Colorado

[huskerlaw]

4. I actually really love Denver

but I'm not particularly fond of the airport. Especially when I'm not supposed to be in it. ;)

[rug]

2. Seen Tom Hanks wandering around?

[huskerlaw]

3. Haha, no...

but I did see him in a movie earlier this afternoon. ;)

[fizzgig]

5. what airline are you flying?

and are you going back home or heading out? denver does know how to handle snow

the faa is saying the delays aren't bad

i've got someone flying into denver in the morning...shit

[huskerlaw]

7. The FAA is lying ;)

According to the departure board, nearly everything is either delayed or outright cancelled, and the gate areas are completely packed. Our gate is currently holding three plane loads of people.

I'm flying United, but the airline doesn't seem to matter. The runways are so jammed that it took us 30 minutes to find a gate in order to deplane. Which basically answers your other question. I'm flying from Omaha to LA, with this lovely stop as a layover.

[fizzgig]

10. hmmm

i know that united canceled about 15 percent of the flights out of denver today, but it sounds like that isn't much of a factor

well hell, i hope you can get home soon

[huskerlaw]

12. It could be 15%, if

they were all supposed to take off right about now. I have no idea what it was like here all day, but I've been here for about an hour now and the departure board is awash with cancelled and delayed flights.

The really annoying part is that it's not even currently snowing (or if it is, it's not very hard). The runways are sheets of ice, but we landed on it, so I assume it's safe for take off as well. Strange.

[fizzgig]

17. that is strange

i agree it is a crappy place for an airport

i hope things get sorted out soon

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

21. Not necessarily.

If a runway is slippery the airplanes might be weight-restricted (too heavy) for takeoff unless they buy off some passengers, which throws another monkey wrench in the airlines' works. But the more likely problem is weather-related delays elsewhere, which have a huge ripple effect throughout the system. There's a website, http://www.flightaware.com that can give you better information about flight and airport status, weather, etc., than the schedule boards at the airport.

Yes, waiting around airports can kinda suck...

[huskerlaw]

23. The flights are weight restricted

They paid 5 people to get off the plane I was on from Omaha to here. I think there are delays elsewhere, but when I landed there was a very long line of planes on the runway, and many scattered randomly about the tarmac.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

29. The trouble is that your flight can get cancelled because

your plane was supposed to come from somewhere else that DOES have bad weather.

That happened to me when I was trying to fly from Minneapolis to Chicago to London in 2006. My flight to Chicago was cancelled because there were thunderstorms in Denver, where the plane was supposed to come from.

[CGowen]

6. so you are on battery now? n/t

[huskerlaw]

9. Nope.

I'm sitting on the floor at one of the four outlets. I dare not move though, or I'll certainly lose my spot.

[some guy]

8. Good planning, eh?

Build an airport out on the plains with nothing around to help deflect snow during heavy snow storms, which, being Colorado, are pretty much guaranteed. :eyes:

On the electrical ouitlets thing, when the airport was built laptop computers and such were not so ubiqutous as they are now. Maybe they'll put more outlets with the next upgrade. :)

:hug:

[huskerlaw]

11. The placement of this airport is beyond stupid

My dad lived in Denver back when they were deciding where to build it. As I recall, it was quite the shitstorm when they announced the location. I've flown in and out of here MANY times and it's always bumpy. Always.

Also, if it's not the snow in the winter, it's the freakin' thunderstorms and tornadoes in the summer. It seems they built it right at the point where the wind coming off the mountains finally hits the ground. absolutely stupid.

[IDemo]

13. I think Dave Barry once said the Denver Airport is located in Nebraska

Is that true? :)

[huskerlaw]

18. Practically!

I believe it's technically still in Colorado though, about halfway between Denver and Ogallala. ;)

[JohnnyLib2]

14. check out "Warren Christmas" in GD.

It will make you chuckle and keep you in touch.

[huskerlaw]

19. Will do!

Thanks for the suggestion!

[RFKHumphreyObama]

15. Reminds me of an experience I had

When I went flew from Sydney to LA -although this was in the middle of summer. I had just experienced a thirteen-hour flight and was waiting for a connecting flight to San Diego. Since this was my first time in LAX -and in the United States for that matter -I didn't realize that the main terminal was where you got your food and drinks and that you couldn't get them in the place where you had to go by bus to wait for the connecting flight. To add to that, it was the day after the 2003 blackout and flights were facing long delays

So I sat in the very hot waiting terminal without food and drink for about seven hours, hungry, totally exhausted from the flight and bored out of my mind -there were no computers there. There were vending machines but since I only had $50 and $100 dollar bills on me, I couldn't use them to purchase something that cost $1 or 2 dollars.

Ugh! I never want to go through that again.

I understand what you're going through -albeit in different circumstances. And I'm sorry you're experiencing it at Christmas:hug:

[huskerlaw]

20. OMG!

Were you in the international terminal at LAX? I got stuck there this summer (though for a far shorter period of time than you) and it sucked!

Actually, I can't really complain. It's crowded and loud, but I've got my laptop at least. And I could go get food, if I was willing to give up my outlet. :D

[RFKHumphreyObama]

25. It was the domestic terminal at LAX, I think

I took a bus from international to domestic, if I remember accurately. But I'm sure they are more or less the same. My BIL's parents were stuck in the international terminal earlier this year and they had nothing good to say about it.

Incidentally, I loved all the other airports I visited in the US but LAX was a nightmare

[huskerlaw]

26. LAX is hideous.

I live in LA and avoid it at all costs. I far prefer the Burbank airport.

Actually though, there is one terminal at LAX that's really nice. It's often used for movies. I believe it's the one United flies out of. Anyway...all of the other ones are shit. That airport desperately needs an overhaul.

[existentialist]

16. well, if you're into site seeing

You could see if you can find the men's room where Larry Craig--who mo longer flies through Minneapolis, is recently accused of having tried to pick up sex partners.

[huskerlaw]

22. Seriously?

I would so go take a picture of that. Any idea where it is? I'm currently in the B concourse. :evilgrin:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

24. Oh, dang; doesn't Larry fly through MSP any more?

Just the other day I made use of the ladies' room right next to the Larry Craig Memorial Restroom at MSP. Sorry to hear he's only hanging out at DEN now.

I suppose he knows the airport cops would recognize him. A couple of airline pilots based at MSP told me people still ask where that bathroom is.

[proud2BlibKansan]

27. Do you have to pay for your wi-fi?

At our airport in KC it is free but I have noticed a lot of airports charge for it.

That sucks about the outlets. Have you considered befriending a fellow passenger and asking them to watch your computer for you while you go get some food?

[huskerlaw]

31. No, the wireless is free but

there are obnoxious ads covering the top 1/4 of the screen. I'd almost rather pay for it.

I actually packed up and went to McDonald's a bit ago. I was, honest to God, the last person they served before they closed. There was a long line of very pissed off people behind me, but the people at McD's had been working for 10 hours without breaks (or so said the manager), so they had to close sometime, those poor people.

[SPKrazy]

28. you should check out the weird art there

http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Aurora/4519/dia.html

then report back your observations...

oh

don't let the lizard people see you checking out the art...

they are very particular about their artwork...

:rofl:

seriously it is a little strange

[huskerlaw]

I will if I'm stuck here all night

but I actually found another precious electrical outlet after I went in search of dinner and I don't really want to tempt the power gods again so soon. ;)

[liberaltrucker]

30. Weather, I take it?

You have my deep empathy.

Some years back, I flew my (now) wife into DIA
to check out living there. Well, her flight arrived
just in time for the Halloween Blizzard of 1997.

The airport is designed for "all weather" operation.
Unfortunately, the access roads AREN'T.

Meanwhile, I was stuck in Limon, some 90 miles east.

When we FINALLY got together a few days later, her
first words were "Put my ass on the first fucking
plane back to Alabama!"

We don't live in Colorado.

x(

:hi:

[huskerlaw]

33. Oh my!

The storm of Halloween '97 was LEGENDARY (in Nebraska too).

And yes, it's weather related. Earlier I think it was Denver weather, now I think it's weather elsewhere. Regardless, there are a lot of jacked up or downright cancelled flights here!

[liberaltrucker]

35. Could be any or all of the above

Weather anywhere in the airline "hub and spoke"
system fouls up the works nationwide, if not worldwide.

Hang in there.

:hug:

[huskerlaw]

36. 50 more minutes...hopefully.

Though we still don't have a plane, so I'm not entirely convinced.

Overall, the situation could be far worse. I'm fine, just bored and tired.

[liberaltrucker]

37. When you get to LAX

Say :hi: to our pals for me!

:)

[huskerlaw]

39. I'm flying into Burbank

thank goodness. I'd do anything to avoid LAX this time of year...or, any time of year really. ;)

[liberaltrucker]

42. Same applies

Say hi to our SoCal pals. you know who they are!

;-)

[Skittles]

32. you want I should kick your airport-loitering ass, huskerlaw?

might speed things along

[huskerlaw]

34. I would prefer that you kick United's ass

though I don't think this is their fault either.

Maybe the weather gods?

[NNadir]

38. See if you can get the flight cancelled, rent a car, go up to the Hotel Boulderodo in Boulder.

That's what I'd try to do, if I could.

[huskerlaw]

40. That would be fun, but

the roads don't look particularly fabulous. And I'm really sick of being cold. So I think I'll pass. ;)

[huskerlaw]

41. UPDATE: We have an airplane!

it's 10:38 pm, mountain time and we officially have an airplane with which to fly to Burbank. There's not currently anything falling out of the sky, so I'm thinking our chances are pretty good.

:hi:

[liberaltrucker]

43. Get on it and go!!!!!!

:hug:

[NewWaveChick1981]

45. I hope you made it!

:hi: Sounds like you had a very un-merry Christmas in the freaking airport. I hate getting stuck in airport hell. :hug: Check in with us when you can!

[GalleryGod]

44. Sorry About Your Luck..