Cyndi and I checked in for our flight at one of those Southwest Airlines E-Ticket Check-In kiosks; we’d already printed our boarding passes at home and simply needed to check our luggage.
In my opinion, Southwest Airlines figured out the new computer world before anyone else. They taught us how to book our own flights, and we were happy to do it. They taught us how to print our own boarding passes, and we were happy about that, too. Now they let us check our bags almost all by ourselves, and we are still happy. They keep pushing their old jobs onto us, and each time we are happier.
But they haven’t figured out everything.
I said to the Southwest guy that took our bags: “This self check-in thing would go much quicker if your airline would print the confirmation numbers on the boarding pass with a larger font.�
The lengthiest part of the entire process is when Cyndi and I stand together, squinting, trying to read the minuscule numbers so we can type it into the kiosk keyboard. “I can’t believe we are the only ones who can’t read these,� I said. “Why not give us a break and print those confirmation numbers with, say size-14 font? After all, we’re doing all your old jobs for you.�
Our flight from Los Angeles to Phoenix was delayed an hour while they worked on the plane. Its always with mixed emotion when I hear a flight has been delayed for mechanical repairs: I resent the disruption in my schedule, but … take your time and fix the plane.
Finally, they announced that we would be flying, and that we would be safe. However, they needed to test the landing gear, so we’d be flying all the way to Phoenix with the landing gear in the down position. “Everything will be safe, but it may be a bit noisy,� they said.
Well, OK.
I would rather have the landing gear down all the way than have it stuck in the up position when we get to Phoenix. While were patiently standing in our A and B and C boarding lines, the overhead speaker offered that if anyone had a problem about flying with the landing gear down they should go to the counter and talk to the Southwest employee. A round man in a square-tailed vacation shirt standing in line in front of us grabbed his bag and left. We all moved up one place. The airline had a three-page standby list, so the scaredy-cat’s seat was filled quickly.
As it turned out, the flight didn’t seem any noisier than usual. And since we couldn’t see the landing gear anyway, who knew whether it was up or down. We forgot all about it once we started flying. We were too busy worrying about whether we’d make our connections in Phoenix.
Earlier, when we’d passed smoothly through airport security, well, it’s always a relief, isn’t it. I feel as if I’ve passed some sort of acceptability test. I made it through. I won. I’m not a terrorist after all. I’ve been accepted by the Transportation Security Administration …. the cool, popular kids let me through into their inner sanctum. I can now advance to my boarding gate and proceed with my vacation. What a relief!
I thought about my elementary school years in Kermit. I think it was about 3rd grade – I may have to show this to my mom so she can audit my memory – when we had to go back to class two days after school was out to get our report cards and find out whether we’d passed. It was weird because we’d already tasted summer vacation but now had to dress in real school clothes again and go back to class for a few minutes one hot afternoon. Up until that moment, the issue of passing had been the topic of a lot of speculation on the playground. It was nerve-racking in an 8-year-old sort of way. Who knew if we’d be held back to repeat a grade? Of course, we didn’t use the terms “held back� or “retained� in those days … we just said you failed. As in, did you pass or fail? Did anyone fail 3rd grade back then? I never knew anyone who did, but we sure worried about it. It was worth it to go back to school for one afternoon, just to know we were accepted and qualified to move on.
When the TSA guys let me pass through airport security un-frisked, I knew I had been passed. For some things, like sticky landing gear and late connections, you have to simply toughen up and take it in stride. But being accepted, being approved, that is a powerful thing.
