kirktastic

I sprang for the $8 to renew kirktastic.com for another year. That’s no promise I’ll post again but the way the pr0n site domain pirates are, I’m pretty much stuck keeping the domain until I can divorce it from my identity.

Anyway…
Last weekend I went to Costa Rica for some R&R. Pura vida as they say down there. I pretty much did a repeat of the trip I took at Thanksgiving 2007. So it was avión to San José CR, shuttle van to Jaco, and water taxi to Montezuma. This is the part where I’d link to the photos but I left my camera at home and as I’ve complained about before, it can’t take good pics. So look at the pics from last time but imagine with a little more clouds and rain (not a lot, but it was obscenely blue on the trip in 2007). It was a great way to recharge. It was too short though.

Although I did get to spend more time in Costa Rica due to THOSE FUCKERS AT AMERICAN AIRLINES with their 24 year old airplane and mechanical problems. This time we taxi from the gate on time but get out to the runway and the captain says there’s a problem they need to check out so they’re going to park off to the side while the mechanics look at it. Sure, mechanical problems happen and I don’t want to fly on a plane with problems. So we park off to the side and sit there for about an hour. Oh and the AC isn’t working well. I’m totally dehydrated and in Costa Rica they won’t like you board the plane with any liquids — even those purchased behind security. So the people in business class are getting mimosas and whatnot. In the back we’re getting shit. Meanwhile the girl sitting in the same row as me is not feeling well (OMG SWINE FLU) and I noticed I had a sore throat (it could be the OMG SWINE FLU… or it could be the result of a hangover, dehydration and spending the previous evening in a smoky bar). After an hour the captain came on and said they didn’t know what the problem was yet but they were going to order buses to take us back to the terminal and they’d work our our route home. About thirty minutes later the buses arrive and we’re taken back to the terminal. Where we get in line for rebooking. There’s one person working at this counter. About 45 minutes later I get to the front, hand my passport and bordering card to the lady and a man — the station manager — comes up and says they’re not going to do any rebookings because at this point they think they can fix the plane. Even though he said they didn’t know what the problem was yet. But they’d need another hour. Since I waited in the line I asked why I couldn’t be put on the flight to Miami that was leaving in an hour and from there get home. She said they can’t do that. So I asked so what if in an hour this flight is canceled and I then I’m stuck in San Jose. They have the seats and they can make sure I get home today. She says nothing but gives me that fucking American Airlines “you should be lucky we even let you on our planes” look. I sit down and am pissed, but I’ve come to expect the total lack customer service from American Airlines. An hour later the guy comes on the PA again and says they think they know the problem and will need another hour to take off. I get a text message from American’s computer system actually giving the new take off in two hours. I get a sandwich and something to eat and check out what is going on the internet. An hour later the man comes on again saying it will be another hour, but the text I receive simultaneously says it will be two more hours. I can still get a flight from Dallas to Austin but a further delay means I’m spending the night in Dallas (or still San Jose). About 30 minutes later he says they are still waiting from American Airlines HQ to allow the takeoff and once they get that, they’ll board the plane. He then says since the flight is catered for breakfast and they don’t have lunch to serve, he’s going to give everyone vouchers to use in the food court for a meal. Everyone on the plane lines up for these vouchers and I’m thinking we’re never going to leave because people will need to go up to the food court and get some food. He also fails to remind people that although the food vouchers include a drink, no drinks are allowed on the plane (the plane, of course, has drinks so there’s no reason to buy a drink if you’re going to eat on the plane). Eventually the buses show up and take us to the plane. Interestingly, the crew on the plane decided to serve the breakfast anyway — french toast or an omelet – I decide to take the french toast and it was hideous. It didn’t keep well. So I had to wait with the damn thing on my tray until they got around to clearing the meal service. When we land at DFW I check my reservation on my iPhone and find that AA has already booked my on the next two flights to Austin. The first one wasn’t going to happen since I’d need to clear customs and get to another terminal in 20 minutes. If you’ve every been to the Terminal D passport control at DFW you know it is huge. Usually when I show up there there’s very little wait since it is staffed adequately. But since our plane is six hours late they weren’t expecting us so there was only about 3 agents there also getting the other international arrivals. I’m not concerned since I know I have that second flight home. I clear customs and the second flight is actually in Terminal D so I just need to go through security again and wait for it.

I have enough miles for one more free trip on AA and after that I’m done. I’m going to expect the service to be like it has been on my last few trips and not like the trips a few years ago. I’ll expect the flight to be delayed and canceled. I’ll expect the customer facing employees to be rude bitches. If I check my bags, I’ll expect them go get lost. And if the flight actually is on time and the people are nice, I’ll be pleasantly surprised. But I will give me paid air travel business to Jet Blue, Continental or Southwest for US flights and anyone but American on international flights.