In Flight Reflections

We are safety cruising now at 33,000 feet and just passing over Denver, Co.  What an amazing sight the Grand Canyon is from above!  We are expected to land on time tomorrow after a slightly shorter flight than planned because of favorable weather conditions. 

While we waited at the gate to board I had several re-occurring thoughts.  The first was how funny the gate attendants were as they changed their minds over and over.  One sweet slightly older German lady kept saying you don’t need your passport, only your boarding ticket and state they were starting in rows 40-45.  Then a gentleman would come on and say, please have your boarding passes with your passport open to your photo in your hand and say we were boarding rows 14-19 first.  They alternated multiple times, when a younger lady then came over the speakers and we started boarding….no passport needed, and starting in the rear of the plane.  I’m not sure why I got such a chuckle out of this except to say that is makes me feel slightly better about my own “off” days at work when we un-intentionally give out miss information.  Our fellow passengers were very nice at the gate, very docile, and most just waited their turn.  Only a few rushed the gate when they called for those traveling with children or who “need a little extra time”.  I made a comment under my breath that was louder than I thought because several people around giggled when I commented on the “rushers” need to board because they needed more time.  BTW, how nice to NOT use the word handicapped or elderly etc.  The condor crew have been extremely nice happy individuals to be with.

The other things noticed by many passengers, including ourselves, were the large number of children at the gate.  WOW!  They weren’t quiet, or well behaved.  One gentleman seated by us sent his wife out on a mission to figure out where they were going to be seated on the plane……so funny.  As if he could do anything about it now.  I thought, maybe they are just getting it all out ahead of time.  I remember the stares we got when traveling with the girls.  Can you imagine seeing us at the gate?  I was always relieved, as I received countless compliments after “good” flights with the kids from the nervous passengers surrounding us.

As we made our way down the ramp and onto the plane, the Vegas heat was stifling.  The very sweet young man working at the door said it was 107 already out there!  Can you believe working outside on the tarmac in such heat?  I hope they get paid well. 

Once on the plane we didn’t have very many rows to go before we arrived at row 15.  David and I are seated in the two seats on the right side of the plane.  It is set up with 2, 3, 2 across.  There was a very cute little white pillow and freshly laundered blue blanket on each of our seats which made me smile.  I had tried to figure out how to bring a blanket or pillow but with all of the weight and size restrictions, it just didn’t’ happen.  I almost paid a premium in the airport, but decided my sweat shirt would suffice.  We got ourselves settled and the pre-flight instructions played in both German and English.  I’m pretty surprised how much I got out of the German version!  I might understand a little more than I thought.  I’m pretty rusty on my numbers though.  The captain is very GERMAN and has a sense of humor.  There was a slight delay and so I settled in.  I used my very cute little white pillow against the window and I’m not sure how much time passed before I realized we were moving and taking off.  The jet fuel smells just like the helicopters landing/taking off at the hospital.  We are sitting right in front of the massive engine, but I’ve got a great view out of my window. 

It must be a very long runway…….seemed like forever before actually lifting off.  But then once airborne it was very smooth.  The bird’s eye view of Vegas was amazing.  The detail in how the city was laid out, perfect large blocks, all the houses in rows.  Then there would be one section with one curved road through the middle of it?????? Seriously, now why would that bug me?  The main streets never faltered in being perfectly square.  Then there would be an entire neighborhood with the streets set on a weird angle.  I wonder who lives in neighborhoods like those.   There was one area that appeared to have a large manmade lake, and then houses surrounding it, with roads out in the middle like a little peninsula…..so each and every one had “Lake Front”.  I wonder what that neighborhood is called.  Does anyone know?  It was cool, right in the middle of the dessert.  I’m sure it’s $$$ to live there.

After we were airborne the flight crew served “welcome” drinks.  Free alcohol for everyone (over 18 that is).  Hmmmmm, are they onto something here?  I just had a plain jane diet coke with ice.  Kind of boring after seeing the rest of the pretty drinks.   Dave broke out the gobstoppers and we sipped our welcome drinks and felt just as good as those feeling a little more relaxed with alcohol. 

It was then I broke out the computer and started typing.  I’ve tried to post from the iPad, but honestly, can’t stand the keyboard.  It was nice to type freely on the netbook.  And so that brings me to right now, the seat belt sign just went on, the little carts filled with meals are being whisked away.  I’m thinking we have something in our future……turbulence.  YEP, the captain just said, sorry folks, we didn’t expect this, and it shouldn’t be for too long.  When the lead flight attendant came on, she explained that the meal would be delayed for a while.  She apologized and justified her decision to ask the team to defer serving dinner until it was safer for the crew to be about the cabin, and it would be more enjoyable to eat.  It’s great that she gave an explanation like that.  We could learn a lot about a service oriented industry that has firm boundaries by patterning after the airlines. 

There is a boss – the head honcho – the captain.  He very nicely introduced her in the beginning as the “one in charge of the cabin” and that she would make sure that first and fore most our safety was her job, but that her team would do everything they could do to make our trip enjoyable.  Wouldn’t it be awesome if the people directly in charge of something were given that kind of public un-conditional backing?  The crew has been well trained in being polite, but clearly stating the boundaries.  Apologizing for known inconveniences or changes to the plan, but stating they would reconcile them as best they can and in a timely manner.  Then keeping everyone informed of any updates.   I think you would be pretty stupid to not be able to figure out why they were delaying dinner, but their willingness to acknowledge that, and thank you in advance for your patience is very empowering for both parties.  I wonder how that would go down at the bedside in the NICU?  Would it be something like, “I realize that I will not be readily available to answer your questions while I give your next nurse important information about your baby.  I appreciate your cooperation and patience to allow us to be effective and punctual, even though at times it may seem inconvenient for you.”   In an effort to be available and to keep patients happy, we have dissolved lots of boundaries that make our day to day bedside nursing tasks very difficult.  I guess I have something to try when I get home.  I think I often feel like, “I told this mom she could _______, but now we are admitting another baby.  How am I going to get all this done.”  It’s really no different than having dinner ready for 300 passengers and putting it all away because you can’t control the weather.