Joe Louis makes the most of a flight delay
“Flight 371 is now delayed until further notice.” This was the flight’s third delay of the day and the exasperation on the crowd’s faces in the small airport was readily visible. We weren’t going anywhere for a while. A glance out of the floor to ceiling window along the waiting hall showed a relentless storm that had no inclination of letting up. I watched as an older woman holding a small child frustratingly argued with her husband in a language I didn’t understand. But yet I comprehended exactly what she was saying.
Although the airport was small, it had a convenience store and an open bar. I moved to the waiting area near the bar, and more importantly near an electrical outlet. People were mostly handling the ubiquitous delays in stride. A couple across from me were affectionately chatting and amusing themselves. A young backpacker, slumped down in his chair, was catching a nap. Four Spanish speaking women close to me were playing a card game I didn’t recognize. Unlike the mother from before, these people realized, that it only makes sense to worry about what you can control and to make the most of a lemon-filled situation.
I started a conversation with an older Australian couple sitting adjacent to me. When the husband heard that I was backpacking through Asia he offered to buy me a beer. I refused, thinking that I didn’t need the charity (unlike many of the people I had seen in the previous weeks). He insisted, saying it was in return for stories I would share with him. Seemed like a fair trade.
Over a few beers and nuts we traded travel stories and tales of adventure. He gave me a few tips for my next stop, having been there twenty years earlier on a similar international jaunt. It was an unexpectedly enjoyable few hours.
We all eventually made it to our destinations, more tired and later than expected. But sometimes when you make the most of a bad situation, you come out further ahead than you would have been otherwise.
See what other blogs are saying about dealing with flight delays:
“A few airports are becoming so entertaining that you might just find yourself ‘accidentally’ missing your flight. Fancy a round of golf, or perhaps a rejuvenating stroll along a nature trail? Or maybe you’d prefer a dip in a roof top swimming pool, or even a spot of ice skating? Unlikely as it seems, all of this and much more is available at the best airports in the world”
–Travel Nation
