3 August UPDATED:
See below for the final episode.
Originally Published on: Aug 1, 2026
Theoretically I’m heading to Chicago, but there are lightning storms keeping us on the ground… in the plane … at the gate … with minimal AC.
Fúlgura coruscatiónem, et dissipábis eos: * emítte sagíttas tuas, et conturbábis eos.
This time I built almost four hours into my connection.
I better stop writing.
Grrrrr.
UPDATE
Four hours later, we get to take off. There was bad weather, and it was genuinely bad. However, as it passed, we were stuck on the plane for a long time because the union workers would not bring the jet bridge because of possible lightning.
There we sat, warm and uncertain.
UPDATE
They got the jet bridge to us and many deplaned. There was total chaos. I asked if we could then reboard and was told yes. I zipped into the club across from the gate for a cup of soup, or something, not much there, and I heard my name. Out I went as they were about to close the door! I did make it with some reasoning.
And there we sat for another 30 minutes, because the weight was different.
UPDATE
Coming into Atlanta we had TWO… TWO… missed landings. The first was a hard bounce and then acceleration and climb. They got us into the pattern again eventually and again, with no touch down, zoom again because there was an aircraft on the runway!
I called this “first Pete and now repeat”. Nomen omen?
UPDATE
I have no idea where my bag is. They told us who were rebooked that we had to pick up our bags at the carrousel. However, nothing. I have tried to track it. It only shows that it was checked in for the Chicago flight I missed. So, “See you in St. Louis!”
UPDATE:
As we sitting and twiddling, I called an agent and rebooked for tomorrow at zero dark. As we were taxiing to take off, I found and booked a hotel by the airport. Never stay at the Radisson Airport Hotel Atlanta. I’ve been to good Radissons.
I’m tired. My foot hurts. I’m hungry.
This is the second time I’ve done this Atlanta thing in a month.
UPDATE:
One nice thing happened. When I was waiting in vain for my bag, I helped an older couple get their stuff off the carrousel. Later, waiting and sweltering for the Raddison shuttle, the same couple told the waiting driver of another hotel’s shuttle that I had helped them. As the driver of that shuttle was to depart he said, “C’mon, I’ll stop at the Raddison too. That saved me probably at least 20 minutes of waiting if not a half hour in the heat, humidity and fumes. Generous tip followed.
UPDATE:
I remembered that I have an emergency beef jerky pouch in my back pack sent by one of you kind readers a while back. I stuff one into my pack after the last trip like this. A special prayer for that kind benefactor and a sincere “gratias Tibi libenter persolvo!”
FINAL UPDATE 3 Aug
I got to the airport after about 3 hours of sleep. Using the usual fast security line, at Clear I was told by a teenager that I had to go through the ordinary, general checkpoint. That couldn’t happen. I spotted a supervisor and make my case. She explained that because I rebooked, the boarding pass on my phone had a QR code that had “yesterday’s data” and so I wouldn’t be accepted. (Because I didn’t have my bag, because it was held by Delta, I had gone straight to security.) Anyway, I made a case and the supervisor took me over to the TSA agent, who was not at the moment engaged. I made my case there. She checked they flight manifest and let me through. WHEW.
So THAT is a lesson. If you get rebooked to the next day, GO TO THE COUNTER even if you do NOT have a bag and get a new printed boarding pass. Once beyond security, that’s what I did so I wouldn’t have a problem getting on the plane.
That said, my app wasn’t updating with any bag information. From my seat on the plane I called the concierge line and the nice agent searched and found an update: my bag was on MY PLANE and I would pick it up when we landed. So that well.
Thus, we concluded the anabasis.
All in all, it was dreadful, but there were a few bright human moments along the way.
Whenever there is a chance of Lightening at an airport, everyone is cleared off the ramp. You’ll even see a little flashing light on top the terminal when this occurs.
A go-around after a touchdown is called a bounce and go.
Fr. Z, just want you to know, its nice to read this at 5:00am after a largely sleepless night on an uncomfortable bed with noisy neighbors in the unit below and a brother missing from his usual place across the hallway. I read some Scripture about 1/2 hr ago, Romans 8:
“Brothers and sisters:
What will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?
No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly
through him who loved us.”
Sounds like an exhausting day.
Sounds like a rough time, Father. It seems with all you’ve been through lately, and many of us “out here” also, we are going through a time of testing or strengthening; maybe it’s both at the same time! So glad I have used the Armor of Christ (Ephesians) and much more, for many years. It keeps me going each day. God bless you and all of us!
Your saga makes me want to avoid commercial air travel. Safe travels, Father Z! Praying the rest of the trip is less chaotic.
Fr.Z:
I will try to remember hotel recommendations. I remember Pittsburgh you mentioned to avoid the Courtyard by Marriott by the airport.
I will also remember to avoid the Buc-cee’s on weekends at Myrtle Beach (unless it’s 0600 hours).
And there we sat for another 30 minutes, because the weight was different.
Oh, come on, Fr. Z, just how much soup did you have? ;-)
I had a similar saga at Chicago and Phoenix airports just a couple days earlier, 28th: delays, missed connections, not very good hotel, while managing a broken foot, and (shockingly) my luggage made my final flight.