Calamity Averted

OK, really proud of myself -- thinking on my feet...... Two hours from the minute I read the email stating that Lufthansa is on strike to the minute I'm sitting in a very nice CLT airport bar, having an OMB Copper.

First things first... Today was my virginal Uber trip. Felix was a good driver -- Bronx native, been in Charlotte 14 years... Sounds like he works 14 hour days at Uber -- but hey, he's an independent contractor so he sets his own hours, right? Thanks Felix.

Next, I was absolutely right to react so quickly and get to the airport ASAP. I was second in line at Lufthansa. My first agent explained that I had courteously been rebooked for TH for the same series of flights. I said -- nope, I need to be in Florence tomorrow. So she put me in the line for the ONLY AGENT who was at work finding immediate flights for disgruntled passengers. Which apparently was a long process.

I think they were trying to keep us on as many LH flights as possible, because I really think I could have been rebooked CLT to Rome to Florence on USAir.... So I've ended up on CLT to Chicago... to Frankfurt..... to Florence..... Arrving 6 hours after intended. On United.

I really think I could have been put onto a USAir flight to Rome or Paris... but c'est la vie. And maybe I was a little snottier than I SHOULD have been, but I smiled and thanked the ladies as I left.

So, I hoofed it to the OTHER END of the terminal to United, where thankfully there was no line, but a series of workstations (self-serv and agent) when kept going down and up. Thankfully there was a cool chick with shades manning the machines. She was able to help me get checked in, select my aisle seat with extra legroom, and get my TSA Short Line number entered into the system so I can take the short line.