First Class

by KEN MOSHESH

‘“HEY LOOK AT THIS!” OUTFLYS THE FIRST SALVO FROM THE HERE-TO-FORE INVISIBLE NEIGHBOR OCCUPYING THE SEAT DIRECTLY BEHIND ME AS OUR SMOOTH SONOROUS FLYING LIMO SIGNALS THE LINGERING DESCENT TOWARDS THE WAITING STATION BELOW.

CAVALCADING HORIZONTALLY BY SMILE-STAINED PORT -OVALS, STREAM DAZZLING ARRAYS OF VERTICAL ILLUMINATED SNOW FLOWS EERILY TOPPING CHOCOLATED PRECIPITATIONS, DELICIOUSLY INTERSPERSED WITH ASCENDING MARSHMELLOWNG CLOUDS ALL WHIPPED TO PERFECTION AMIDST JETTISONING SOUNDS UNCURTAINING MUTED BRIGHTS AND TWINKLING LIGHTS DIMMING THROUGH THE NIGHTTIME DIN... WINKING BACK...MERRY CHRISTMAS!

THUS I BEGIN MY TRIP BACK EAST VIA AMERICA WEST AIRLINES
HOWEVER, THE RETURN TRIP WAS ANYTHING BUT TASTEFUL.....

FIRST OFF, I WAS ALMOST STRANDED IN AN AIRPORT (3000 MILES AWAY FROM HOME) WHEN AN AIRLINE TICKET COUNTER AGENT TOLD ME I COULDN’T BOARD THE PLANE BECAUSE A RESERVATION PERSON’S CONFIRMED CHANGE COULD NOT BE DONE AT THIS AIRPORT.

I HAD TO CALL RELATIVES WHO HAD JUST LEFT THE AIRPORT TO TAKE ME BACK TO A NEIGHBORING AIRPORT WHERE THE CHANGED DEPARTURE DATE COULD BE AFFECTED.

MY FAMILY AND I CHALKED IT ALL UP TO HOLIDAY VOLUME ETC., AND THE SEASONS SPIRITS STILL RULED THE DAY.

AT THE NEW AIRPORT, BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (BWI), MY FIRST SCHEDULED FLIGHT OUT (DEC 25) WAS DELAYED, THEN INTERRUPTED BY ANOTHER SCHEDULED FLIGHT, DELAYED AGAIN AND FINALLY CANCELLED LATE INTO THE EVENING.

ACCORDINGLY, AS IS CUSTOMARY THE AIRLINES HOUSED US IN A LOCAL MOTEL OVERNIGHT, TO BEGIN DEPARTURE PROCEDURES AGAIN THE NEXT DAY.

THE NEXT DAY I WAS GIVEN RESERVATIONS ON A ONE O’CLOCK FLIGHT IN THE CABIN SECTION AND A STANDBY POSITION IN FIRST CLASS, FOR WHICH I WAS TICKETED.

WHEN THIS FLIGHT TURNED OUT TO BE OVERBOOKED, COMPANY PERSONNEL SUGGESTED THAT I VOLUNTEER MY TICKETS ON THIS FLIGHT
IN RETURN FOR A FUTURE TRAVEL VOUCHER CONSIDERATION AND HAVE A BETTER CHANCE AT FLYING FIRST CLASS ON THE FIVE O’CLOCK FLIGHT.

STILL FULL OF THE HOLIDAY WARMTH AND SPIRIT ENGENDERED BY MY VISITS, AND NOTICING THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES TRYING TO GET ALL OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS ON THE SAME FLIGHT, IT SOUNDED GOOD TO ME.

UNFORTUNATELY THE FIVE O’CLOCK FLIGHT NOT ONLY HAD NO FIRST-CLASS SEATS, IT WAS ALSO EVENTUALLY CANCELLED.

WE FORM THE USUAL, HOLIDAY, TIME CONSUMING, SINGLE FILE, LONG LINE FOR REBOOKING. FEELINGS GET FRAYED, AND ALTERCATIONS ERUPT. (I HELP COOL DOWN ONE PARTICULARLY POINTED ALTERCATION INVOLVING AN ELDERLY, DISABLED, BLACK MALE, AIRLINE PERSONNEL, AND OTHER WAITING PASSENGERS THAT ULTIMATELY INVOLVES THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES).

AS THE LINE CREEPS UP TO MY PLACE, THE TICKET AGENT WHO IS IN THE PROCESS OF REBOOKING ME IS ORDERED (BY ONE OF THE AGENTS INVOLVED IN THE PREVIOUS POINTED ALTERCATION WITH THE BLACK MALE) TO STOP THE PROCESS AND BEGIN ONBOARDING THE PASSENGERS FOR THE NEXT SCHEDULED FLIGHT TO OUR DESTINATION, WHOSE DEPARTURE TIME HAD ARRIVED DURING OUR DELAY.

MY AGENT APOLOGETICALLY ASSURES ME AS SHE STOPS THE REBOOKING PROCESS THAT IF I STAY RIGHT NEXT TO THE COUNTER (THERE IS ALSO A BLACK FEMALE WITH ME SEEKING TO REBOOK),SHE WILL CONTINUE MY REBOOKING PROCESS AS SOON AS SHE FINISHES ONBOARDING THE NEWLY ARRIVED FLIGHT PASSENGERS.

FINALLY THE NEW PLANE BUSINESS IS COMPLETE, AND WE AGAIN BEGIN MY REBOOKING PROCESS. THE SAME AGENT WHO HALTED PROCEEDINGS BEFORE AGAIN INTERRUPTS WITH; “WE ARE NOW GOING TO FORM TWO LINES FOR REBOOKING”

SHE TELLS US TO FOLLOW HER TO THE OTHER END OF THE COUNTER BEHIND ANOTHER BLACK MALE TO START ANOTHER LINE. PORTIONS OF THE LINE ORIGINALLY BEHIND THE THREE OF US MOVE FORWARD TO WHERE WE WERE JUST ESCORTED FROM, TO BEGIN THE SECOND LINE.

THIS SAME TICKET AGENT REITERATES THAT IN SPITE OF WHAT I WAS JUST TOLD BY MY AGENT IN HER PRESENCE, SHE WILL NOT RESUME REBOOKING ME AND MY FRIEND, BUT WILL NOW SERVICE TWO OTHER LINES.

THE OTHER BLACK MALE WHO IS AT THE HEAD OF OUR NEW LINE (I’M SECOND, AND MY AFRICAN FEMALE FRIEND IS THIRD), WHO WAS THIRD IN THE ORIGINAL LINE, SUGGESTS THAT THE NEW AGENT IN CHARGE SHOULD, AT THE LEAST, TAKE ONE PERSON ALTERNATELY FROM EACH LINE.

TO MAKE A LONG WORSENING STORY SHORT, AFTER BOARDING SOME PASSENGERS WHO ARRIVED FROM PHILADELPHIA ON “OUR” FLIGHT, THE NEW AGENT REBOOKS AND BOARDS AT LEAST THREE CONSECUTIVE PEOPLE FROM THE OTHER LINE (NONE OF WHOM WERE BLACK) SAYING; “WE WILL COME BACK TO BOARD SOME MORE PEOPLE”.

HOWEVER, WHEN THE AIRLINE PERSONNEL RETURN FROM THE PLANE TO OUR BOARDING AREA, THEY REPORT THE PLANE HAS LEFT.

ALL INQUIRING COMMENTS ARE STIFLED BY A CALL FOR ATTENTION BY OUR NEW AGENT WHO ANNOUNCED THAT WE WILL ALL BE HOUSED OVERNIGHT AGAIN IN THE LOCAL MOTEL AND A SPECIAL FERRY PLANE WILL BE CREATED (SINCE ALL OTHER FLIGHTS WERE FULL) AND MADE READY FOR US AT 3PM THE NEXT DAY. WE WERE THEN TOLD TO MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR THE 3 O’CLOCK FLIGHT “AROUND” EIGHT IN THE MORNING.

SO BACK TO THE LOCAL MOTEL MANY OF US GO. OTHERS ARRIVE LATER. THE THOUGHT OF MY COAST TO COAST DEPARTURE (WHICH BEGAN ON THE 25TH OF DECEMBER) PUT ME TO SLEEP QUICKLY THAT NIGHT, AND AWAKENED ME WITH A SMILE THE NEXT DAY.

WHEN I CALL TO MAKE RESERVATIONS AROUND 7:30AM AS PREVIOUSLY INSTRUCTED ON THE MORNING OF THE 27TH OF DECEMBER, I AM TOLD THAT A FLIGHT LEFT AT 6:30 A.M. THAT MORNING. I AM ALSO TOLD THAT THERE ARE NO OTHER FLIGHTS AVAILABLE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS... AND, THERE IS NO 3 O’CLOCK FLIGHT!

“ NO WHAT??!!!”

AT THIS POINT I CONTACT THE OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT OF AMERICA WEST. I EXPLAIN MY SITUATION TO A VERY CORDIAL, EFFICIENT ADMINISTRATOR WHO FINDS TWO POSSIBLE FIRST CLASS SEATS DEPARTING LATER IN THE DAY, AND MAKES RESERVATIONS FOR ME ON A 6:40 P.M, FLIGHT OUT OF BWI.

SHE ALSO TELLS ME HER RECORDS SHOW ME AS BEING ON THE 6:30A.M FLIGHT EARLIER THAT MORNING!

WE BOTH REMARKED THAT IF THAT WERE IN FACT THE CASE (A DEPARTURE FROM THE STATED 3 0’CLOCK FLIGHT) IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE AND PROFESSIONAL IF THEY WOULD HAVE INFORMED ALL OF THE OTHER PASSENGERS AND MYSELF SENT TO THEIR DESIGNATED MOTEL WITH THE ERRONEOUS 3 O’CLOCK FERRY PLANE INFORMATION, RATHER THAN DISSEMINATE FALSE DEPARTURE INFORMATION TO INQUIRING RELATIVES.

I THANKED HER FOR HER HELP, AND SHE THANKED ME FOR MY PATIENCE.

WHEN I GOT TO THE TICKET COUNTER AT BWI TO SECURE MY GATE PASS FOR MY NEWLY CREATED RESERVATION, I WENT TO THE FIRST CLASS SECTION OF THE COUNTER AS INSTRUCTED.

AFTER BEING IGNORED BY AGENTS WHO ARE “TOO BUSY” OR “ON BREAKS” ETC. FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES, ONE OF THE MANY PERSONS IN MY LINE UTTERS A TEARSE , “DAMN, FIRST CLASS DOESN”T MEAN S***AT THIS AIRLINE”.

HOWEVER, THE AGENT WHO IS SERVICING THE CABIN LINE, NOTICING MY CONTINUING DILEMMAS, COMES OVER FROM HER NON-FIRST CLASS STATION TO GIVE ME MY GATE/BOARDING PASS, AND HER CORDIAL APOLOGY.

AT THE BOARDING GATE (SINCE I’M VERY EARLY), NOW FAMILIAR, PERSONNEL SUGGEST I DISCUSS THE 6:30AM, 3 O’CLOCK SITUATION WITH A SUPERVISOR BACK AT THE TICKET COUNTER.

BACK AT THE TICKET COUNTER A PASSING SUPERVISOR IS FLAGGED DOWN TO SPEAK TO ME BY AN AIRLINES EMPLOYEE. CALMLY I EXPLAIN TO HER OCCURANCES LEADING UP TO MY NEW RESERVATIONS.

SUDDENLY, THE SUPERVISOR SNATCHES THE AIRLINES ISSUED ENVELOPE CONTAINING MY NOW EXTENSIVE TICKETING PAPERS (ALSO CONTAINING A PHONE NUMBER OF PERSONS TO CORRESPOND WITH AT A LATER DATE) THROWS IT AWAY, WHILE SAYING, “ YOU NEED A NEW ONE”.

DURING THIS TIRADE SHE MAKES COMMENTS LIKE, “ WHAT DO YOU WANT US TO DO”. “WE CAN’T TAKE CARE OF EVERY ONE” . SHE TAKES OUT THE “VOLUNTEER” TRAVEL VOUCHER FROM MY TICKETS ISSUED ON THE 25TH, HOLDS IT UP, AND SAYS, “ WE ALREADY GAVE YOU THIS, SO WE’RE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ELSE NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED!”

SHE REITERATES” YOU DIDN’T PAY THE ITINERARY CHANGE FEE!” I AGAIN POINT OUT THE PERSON WHO I PAID IT TOO. SHE THEN CHANGES TO,” YOU MADE THE 6:30AM RESERVATION ! “ HER VOICE BECOMING LOUDER WITH EACH PROVOCATIVE FALSE ACCUSATION, AS THOUGH SHE RESENTED (AMONG OTHER THINGS) MY GOING OVER HER HEAD AND SECURING RESERVATIONS AFTER BEING TOLD EARLY THAT MORNING THAT NONE WERE POSSIBLE.

SHE AGAIN TELLS ME I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE 6:30AM FLIGHT IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION TO THE 3PM ”OFFICIAL” INFORMATION I WAS GIVEN THE EVENING BEFORE.

REMEMBERING THE INSTIGATIONS, QUICKNESS, AND DURATION OF THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN THE ALTERCATION INVOLVING THE BLACK MALE ON THE EVENING OF THE 26TH, I RESPONDED TO HER CONTINUOUS ATTEMPTS TO GOAD ME INTO AN ARGUMENT THAT COULD RESEMBLE THAT SITUATION AND POSSIBLY CAUSE ME TO MISS MY NEW FLIGHT BY SUGGESTING CALMLY, “ THAT SHE CHECK HER RECORDS.”

WALKING BACK TO THE WELCOMED SANITY OF MY BOARDING GATE, I SMILED WRYLY AT THE ANCIENT RACIAL/CLASS NIGHTMARE THAT I WAS DETERMINED NOT TO LET MAR THE BEAUTY OF THE HOLIDAY VISIT, MY PERCEPTION OF THE PROGRESS MADE IN RACE/CLASS RELATIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS NEW MILLENIUM, AS WELL AS THE OVERALL CORDIAL PROFESSIONALISM OF THIS AIRLINES.

LATER AS WE ARE PREPARING TO DEPART ON THE 6:40PM FLIGHT THE SAME SUPERVISOR ASKS FOR “VOLUNTEERS” WILLING TO GIVE UP THEIR SEATS FOR “FUTURE TRAVEL CONSIDERATIONS.”
AS HER VOLUNTEER PROCURING SMILE PAUSES AT MY EXPERIENCED EYES FOR THE SECOND TIME, THE DAY’S RECENT EVENTS LEAVE ME WHISTLING DIXIE TO MYSELF AT EVEN THE THOUGHT OF “VOLUNTEERING” TO GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN.

I DIDN’T KNOW I WASN’T SUPPOSE TO GO FIRST CLASS!