No luggage yet

American Airlines does not know where my luggage is. I imagine they have more important things to figure out, like, how to be on time.

A quick search on "American Airlines stinks" brought up many stories that are similar to mine. Delayed flights, missed connections, lost luggage. I have flown many times before...even had flight delays and luggage lost before, but nothing of this magnitude.

Putting American Airlines on MY "No Fly" list.

The trip that wasn't meant to be

Writing from my house.

My trip was a bust. When we finally landed in Miami, we sat at the gate waiting for some equipment to move so we could park. We made it in time for me to JUST miss my connecting flight. Some people who made it to the gate before me (15 min before flight time) said they were told the flight was closed.

That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Next flight would have has me there at 7 something. (And in fact, THAT flight was delayed!) I am not very superstitious, but I did not need any more signs. For some reason, I was not meant to go on this trip.

My girl was very adaptable and actually slept the entire flight back. She is really a sweetheart.

Of course, I am still waiting for my luggage. I assume it will arrive, oh, sometime around 4am.

St. Maarten here we come (I think)

Sitting on the plane at DCA...minor mechanical repairs. Hoping to arrive at our destination around 2. Go through customs and be picked up by a driver my mother arranged for us. She's been there 2 days already. But first, let's get off the ground.

Sent from my iPhone

St. Maarten Takes Two and Three (or, relax, relate, release)

Decided to log on to look at my flight itinerary one last time.  After rejecting the 4 hour layover to arrive at my destination tonight at 9:00, the lady at the counter told me that she had booked me on the itinerary identical to my original one, just for tomorrow instead of today.  I should have known better....and to carefully study my new boarding documents.  If I had, I would have realized that:

1. My new itinerary involved a 7 hour layover in San Juan; arriving at the same 9:00 hour.
2. The ticketing agent did not change my return date as I requested.
   
3. The boarding documents for my daughter still had her leaving today.

I am trying to decide whether it will do any good to report the ticketing agent or not.

Soo....now I leave tomorrow morning from DC (instead of Baltimore), layover in Miami and arrive in St. Maarten at 2:05.  And my return date and time is set for Tuesday.  Hoping that nothing else goes wrong with this trip.  If it does, I'm staying home...lol

Last minute travel purchase

Lack of sleep or insanity must have gotten the best of me because I was planning on going to St. Maarten without a stroller...only using my Ergo Baby. Some good friends talked me out of it. I was torn between gate checking my Bugaboo (with no transport bag) or buying a second stroller. My husband was initially against a second stroller...convinced I'd be ok with just my Ergo. But then again, he's not going with us and wouldn't be the one carrying around a 26.5 lb toddler every time she got tired.

Concerned that my Bug would be damaged or would come back dirty with no travel bag (I really have an issue forking over $150 for that thing), I decided on the Maclaren Triumph

I have used a Maclaren Quest before (borrowed from a friend) and really liked it.   This one is nearly the same except for the way that the seat reclines and this one has less leg support.  I think it will work great for a part-time use stroller.

St. Maarten Take One (or, how to be flexible while traveling)

Emails (bolding is mine)

5:16am

American Airlines Flight Is On Time

American Airlines Flight 1859

Departing: Baltimore-Washingtom, Maryland On Time

Arriving: San Juan, Puerto Rico

Departure Time: 8:15 AM Gate: C8

Arrival Time: 12:05 PM Gate: 9

Baggage Claim: N/A

5:25am

American Airlines Flight Update

American Airlines  Flight 1859
Will Depart:  Baltimore-Washingtom, Maryland
Departure Time:  11:30 AM  Gate:  C8
Will Arrive:  San Juan, Puerto Rico
Arrival Time: 3:20 PM  Gate:  9
Baggage Claim:  N/A

7:52am

American Airlines Flight Update

American Airlines  Flight 1859
Will Depart:  Baltimore-Washingtom, Maryland
Departure Time:  12:00 PM  Gate:  C8
Will Arrive:  San Juan, Puerto Rico
Arrival Time: 3:50 PM  Gate:  9
Baggage Claim:  B

The next flight to St. Maarten from San Juan was leaving at 7 something in the evening, arriving at 9 something.  Traveling alone with my daughter, I opted to take the flight first thing in the morning and come back one day later.  My mother (who is already there) was already staying until Tuesday, so it works out well.  I decided to come in to work today and switch my off day.    

New flight leaves tomorrow morning at 8:15.  Stay tuned.

Info to know when traveling with a young child

My daughter had her first flight (to Vegas!) when she was 4 months old.  My husband had flown out to Chicago on business and then was flying from there to Vegas for a conference and I was tagging along, so I flew alone from Baltimore Washington Int'l (BWI). Back then, the hardest part of traveling was getting the stroller and all of our stuff through security.  Since then, my girl has been to Detroit, Atlanta, Miami, on a cruise (with ports in Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Ocho Rios) and to Orlando.  Travel has become significantly more difficult since that first trip, but we try to keep her satisfied so that she doesn't disturb other travelers too much.

Here are a few tips to make your traveling smoother:

1) Be sure to bring proof of your child's age.  Especially when you are flying with a lap child.  You may not even think of it if you have a young infant.  I wasn't expecting the airline to ask me for proof she was under 2 when she was only 4 months old.  But they did. Luckily, I was prepared.  I didn't have her actual birth certificate, but I had a document from the hospital stating her birthday and other vital statistics.

2) Be sure to have snacks, preferably from home. The airport is full of junk food and sugary snacks.  Save yourself the trouble and bring some healthy snacks from home.  Maybe a sandwich and some veggie sticks.  In my case, I bring whatever my daughter will eat.  Yogurt is her favorite, but because of the liquid restrictions at the airport, I usually buy it at one of the stands in the airport.  But I bring other little things from home that I know she will eat.

3) Bring an easy to fold stroller and (if your child is young enough to be carried in one), a handsfree carrier.  I tried several carriers, but my favorite is the ErgoBaby Carrier. It is more expensive than some carriers, but it will last you a long time.  It can used from infancy (with a special insert) and has been tested up to 90 pounds (not that I would EVER carry a 90 pound person...lol).

4) Bring a small stash of items to entertain your child.  Toys that do not make noise, crayons and coloring books, and dvd players (with headphones and favorite dvds) all make good choices.  My daughter won't listen with headphones on yet, so I haven't been able to use that one yet.

Next Friday, my girl and I fly out (alone again) to St. Maarten/Sint Martin.  We are meeting my mother there for a little weekend vacation.  We haven't flown since May, and I'm sure that since she's much more mobile, it will be a challenge, but with some planning and a little luck, it should be a blast!