Monday, April 19, 2010

Stuck in the US of A

As far as I know, nobody who was at the MySQL User Conference and lives in Europe has made it back home yet!

Please leave a comment on this blog as soon as you get home. I am interested to know...

My flight was yesterday, so I have the worst prospects. I am booked on a flight for next week Wednesday (10 days delay)! No joke! :(

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Kaj is on its way to Spain now. http://twitter.com/kajarno

erkules said...

I'm booked on fr (23.) but I doubt it is going to happen:-/

rpbouman said...

Hi Paul,

yup, I'm stuck...the lack of information from KLM is appalling...they have my email, but couldn't even bother to confirm my flight was cancelled...i had to find out at the airport. Website requests don't come back, telephone is perpetually engaged...

Finally, today I am told I can fly back like you on wednesday 28th...except my original flight back was scheduled for Saturday 17th. The thing is, I wouldn't mind that much being stuck, but my wife is with child and due 28th of April. So I *really* gotto get back.

Apparently it is possible to fly earlier, but all airline companies I checked suddenly raised ticket fees...KLM: 8000 USD (yeah, that's one way back). Delta: 3000 euro (one way), Air France, also 3000 euro, Iberia (to madrid, one way): whopping 5000 euro.

Where are you staying? I'm checking into a cheap motel tomorrow, downtown SF is way outside my budget - esp. now, because those prizes have been raised as well.

Paul McCullagh said...

Lucky Kaj...

Erkules: I think you are in luck too. The planes are lifting off again today, so you should be OK on Friday.

Roland, we are staying the Clarion, next to SF airport. We got a good rate through Air France.

But you are right about the ticket prices, they have just gone through the roof.

We also looked into alternative bookings, but it is all too expensive. So we have to rely on our carrier to get us home.

rpbouman said...

Paul, what a happy coincidence!

just earlier today I booked a room at the Clarion as well!

I will be joining you there tomorrow :)

See you then!

Paul McCullagh said...

Cool, its not to bad here actually...

Sorry to hear that you might miss one of the most important days of your life! :(

Volker said he overheard someone explaining to United Airlines that he is worried about his flight next week to Europe, because he has to go to his brother's wedding.

And if he could fly this week, that would be even better!

So there is no chance the (otherwise very friendly) US citizens are going to ease off, and just let the Europeans go home... :(

rpbouman said...

Paul, what room are you in? I just arrived at the clarion...going out now to do a bit of shopping, will probably be back at the hotel for dinner.

see you!

Unknown said...

I got home yesterday via Washington and Frankfurt (United). No real issues, and I think there were even a few spare seats on the Frankfurt flight.

- Kristian.

Paul McCullagh said...

Hi Kristian,

Good to hear. I also made it home yesterday, but I was very lucky. I waited altogether about 7 hours at the airport on Wed. hoping to get a seat.

I flew Air France. They bumped off some people that had a confirmed booking, in order to take some of the people that had been waiting for days.

When I left, the airport was still crowded with many people waiting for a flight from SF to Paris.

So even if they continue flying regularly it will probably be a week before things are really back to normal.