people are good

The Tightest Connection Ever

My first plane landed at 12:56pm and my next plane boarded at 12:58pm in a different terminal, and my second flight departed at 1:30pm. Not only did I have to take a bus to get to the next terminal, but i also had to check-in and go through security again (I agree, it was stupid for me to book this flight, but I assumed the flights were closer together). I REALLY needed to make my flight, because I wasn't getting back to Beaver Creek until 9pm already, and I was starting my new job at 8am the next day.

First, I asked the flight attendant if I could be moved to the front of the plane, since I was in the back. She moved me to the first row. As soon as I got off the plane, I asked a security guard how to get to the terminal I need to go to... not only did he give me directions, but he got up and jogged me to the bus stop (which would have taken me at least 15 minutes to figure out). Then, I told the bus driver that I was in a hurry and he said, " don't worry, I'll drive fast." I've never been on a public transportation bus that went so fast. Instead of dropping me at the bus stop, the bus driver dropped me off right where I needed to go to check-in.

1:15pm.... I was in good spirits at this point, but I was still sweating from running through the airport and semi freaking out. I skipped the line for check-in and told the woman at the counter my situation. She told me my flight was closed. I asked her if there was anything she could do, and she said, "no." I asked her when the next flight was... she said "8:30 tomorrow morning." Then, I started to cry. I told her that flight was far too late, since I was starting at new job and continued to ask her if there was any way I could make my flight. At this point, I was devastated and thought I was going to miss my first day of work at The Marriott.

1:20pm... That's when the check-in lady started radioing everyone in her department! That's when she was finally able to reopen my flight and said, "if you get to the gate in five minutes, you can get on the plane."

I started sprinting (first in the wrong direction, which was rather embarrassing because a lot of people were watching the whole ordeal at this point). The guy at the security gate let me skip the huge line and go through the first-class line. I arrived on my flight, minutes before takeoff, sweating, out of breath, and thinking "damn, people are so good."

I never would have made my flight if every single person I had encountered hadn't helped me as much as they could along the way.