So much for that plan.

[draggonlaady]

Yes. I'm supposed to be in Alaska. Didn't/hasn't happened. Up bright and early at 4 AM to catch a 6 AM flight out of Spokane. Which was cancelled. They rescheduled me to leave Spokane at 8 PM, so much for getting to Petersburg by 2 PM! Supposed to be there at 2 tomorrow instead; which is shitty as I'm supposed to have left Petersburg for Kake by 11:30 AM tomorrow. So I called the folks that run the boat, and they rearranged their pilot's schedule to pick me up in Petersburg later, and still get me to the boat. Bruc came back to the airport to pick me up, and we killed a bunch of time in Spokie, which was kinda nice (for me, anyway--I dunno, maybe he doesn't like hanging out aimlessly with me all day?). Picked the kid up after school, then they dropped me back off at the airport and headed home. I checked in again, and they put me on stand by, so I actually got out of Spokane at 6 PM (only 12 hours late!). When I got to Seattle, I checked again to see if I can get out of here earlier, and the woman I talked to here was appalled that nobody in Spokane had offered me a hotel room and that they couldn't/didn't get me a flight here earlier. So she re-re-rearranged my ticket, and now instead of leaving SeaTac at 10:30 tonight, and sleeping in the Fairbanks airport, then getting to Petersburg at 2:30 PM, I'm supposed to be leaving SeaTac at 6:30 tomorrow morning, I have a hotel room for the night, and I'm supposed to get to Petersburg at 10:30 AM.

However, my checked bag has already been passed through Juneau, so it's probably sitting in Petersburg right now, with all my clean clothes. Gah. At least I can get a shower tonight! Hurray for that.

Also, can anybody explain to me the reasoning behind forcing me to turn off my eReader on the plane? It has no broadcasting or receiving ability, no wifi, no radio, no way to transmit info that's not via USB cord. In what world is this in any way going to affect the plane's communication or navigation? I cannot see any way that it's more dangerous than a paper book.

Also also, a notice to the 2 women ahead of me in line? When the attendants announce that the plane has smaller than normal overhead storage areas, and wheeled bags will not fit, that means wheeled bags will not fit. It does not mean spend 5 minutes each trying to shove your bag into an obviously too-small bin, while delaying everyone else's boarding. Thanks.

Comments

[aelius27.livejournal.com]

Any electronic device by definition has both a radio frequency field, and an electro-magnetic field. I doubt it would be enough to effect the plane's instruments unless the eReader was malfunctioning, but am certainly not an expert in aviation instruments. Either way, it is clearly more dangerous than a paper book. :)

However, I suspect it is more dangerous only in the same way that you have a better chance to win the lottery if you buy a ticket than if you don't. Either way, you probably aren't going to win (or lose I suppose, in the case of bringing down the plane).

[cheshirecatco.livejournal.com]

As far as I know, no one has ever demonstrated real danger from any electronic device (transmitting or passive) in terms of aviation safety. But they run pretty paranoid about it, so what can you do.

(You *could* make an electronic device that doesn't emit any radio frequency noise, but it would be a lot more expensive.)

[sphynx-again.livejournal.com]

This is why I *always* keep a change of clothes in my carry-on. Besides the fact that I think me and my luggage has arrived at my destination together exactly twice in my life. Actually, that is WHY I keep the fresh clothes in the carry-on.

I once picked my luggage up at the hotel desk as I was checking out, and heading back to the airport to go home.

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

Luggage mishaps are reputed to be very common...but this is the first time I've been seriously inconvenienced that way. I dunno. I guess plane mechanical isn't most people's most common issue when flying but it sure seems to haunt me!

[winnett.livejournal.com]

I thought you could look at ereaders on the plane, but just not on take off and landing.

And the canceled flight is totally lame. I'm sorry! You would think with all the extra money they are charging things would get better, but it's only worse.

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

Sure. Take off until 10,000 feet... so on a 45 minute flight from Spokie to Seattle, that's like 20 minutes you can't use it. And turns out that the flight up Alaska includes a 20 minute hop from Ketchikan to Wrangle, then 10 minutes from Wrangle to Petersburg. If, you know, the plan doesn't freaking break down midway...more on that in the next post! (ooh...a teaser!)