Wednesday morning he began sending texts and pictures about the snow starting to fall as he headed in to his first meeting. His meetings began to cancel on Wednesday and Chris was able to find a flight home. Now, if he could just make in on to the flight... Add to that, he was not feeling great with an upset stomach.
When he finished that meeting, the snow was coming down in earnest and Chris still had a drive to the airport.
The drive to the airport was a little sketchy. Chris sent me this picture of the freeway. I was hoping that he was a passenger in that vehicle and not the driver. Turns out he was driving but the going was slow. Good thing he is expert at driving in snow. (Don't try this when you are driving!)
He made it to the airport with minutes to spare. And then the fun really began. Flights were being cancelled left and right, but miraculously, his flight was still going. He arrived at the airport with 28 minutes before his flight departed Despite a slow airport train and the TSA, he made it.
The conversation with him as he sat on the tarmac waiting, hoping:
Chris Kline: Our pushback tug has no traction. We aren't moving
Chris Kline: Not too much snow here really. Much more in NJ. Uh oh. Mechanical problem now
Jolayne Kline: Nooo
Chris Kline: Back to gate. Now there's a ground stop here. We might have missed the window #travelDrama
Jolayne Kline: Shoot
Amy Kline: Where are you?
Chris Kline: Newark. That's some bad luck.
Amy Kline: Well if it makes you feel better it's good weather here 😂
Chris Kline: So much better
And a broken airplane to boot
Jolayne Kline: So now what?
Chris Kline: Airplane fixed. But it may break again. Due to the snow. Need the APU to start the engines.so… Back to the gate again!
Jolayne Kline: How about a new plane!
Chris Kline: APU can't get enough air to start the engines. This isn't looking promising. Now they're going to jump start the plane.
Got our jump start. Now have to wait 30 min for deice. So we sit. Here we go again. Take #3. Two hours late so far. Jump start worked.
Amy Kline: Yay!
Jolayne Kline: Are you in the air yet? That's when I'll believe it
Chris Kline: Pushed back. Engines started. Waiting deice
Kristen Kline: Oy!
Jolayne Kline: Did you make it?
Chris Kline: Not yet. Airport just lost some monitoring equipment so we have to wait more
Jolayne Kline: Comedy of errors. Or tragedy
Chris Kline: Yep. And idiot passengers are getting up for bathroom as we wait for runway
Jolayne Kline: After waiting so long, ya just gotta pee
Kristen Kline: I can relate
Chris Kline: stop the car!!!
Jolayne Kline: What? Ahhhhh
Chris Kline: Here we go finally. Hope we're safe
Amy Kline: Fly safe dad
Chris Kline: Made it to altitude
Jolayne Kline: Yay. What time should you be home?
Chris Kline: Maybe 930
It was a crazy night, and his stomach was upset the whole time, but I am so grateful that he finally made it home.