Dear Internet,
Today you failed me. I never thought it could happen. I rely on you like a brother. If I need a recipe, I Google. If I need to know the exact size of Montana, Wikipedia is like a crazy Uncle with all the answers.
But when it comes to my plane reservations, I might as well throw my computer to the tarmac. You are useless! It seems as though you, Mr. Internet, are an unreliable source when checking on my flight status. (I chose to make you male. Make of that what you will.)
[Insert part about me complaining about how my flight was canceled and I cannot return to New York City until Monday due to “Wintery weather”]
I view you as a tool—a tool that enhances my daily living and my ability to navigate my world as easily as possible. So today I sat online and waited and waited and waited for my airline to update my flight status. Why? The phone lines were jammed and couldn’t control the high volume of calls. But I began to get suspicious. You insisted my flight was “on time.” Could it be? Was I going to be that one lucky girl to actually fly to New York in a blizzard?
No. No. No. You were wrong. And by the time I did talk to a live person (I’ll take bets as to the wait time), my flight was 100% going to be canceled and the next flight out was Monday.
Thanks, Internet, for not being up to date on your information and status reports. I’ll be sure to send you a postcard from my stranded destination.
Sincerely,
Frustrated in Ft. Lauderdale
Whitney M Dipollina @ Sun, 03/25/2007 - 12:35am
I had a very similar experience, stuck with a cancelled flight over spring break. This delay of information is strange to me, because in every other case I can think of, the internet is the quickest media outlet to receive all sorts of news and updates. I am still confused as to why, when it comes to airlines, such an anomaly exists... especially when it would probably alleviate a lot of travail on the airlines' part.