[PilotMan]

I started this whole thing to capture moments like this one. I've spent the vast majority of the day, my last day home, fretting about how I'm getting to work. I don't start my trip until after noon tomorrow, and normally I'd be able to commute to work early in the morning. However, tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and there are no direct flights until after I'm supposed to be there.

There were two leg options in the morning that would get me there, but only 1 so I had planned on taking the last flight to Newark tonight. You've seen this before, and everything has worked out alright. I've been able to avoid bad weather and get to work when I needed to. The day started pretty early this morning, almost over 10 hours before my flight, with a text that said that my flight was already 3 hours late. Not good. Like, really not good. That sort of certainty that early means bad things. There were only 4 direct flights from here to there all day, and the first one, the 630a flight, already cancelled.

So this is where I start thinking. I look up what my options are for the backup flight. What I find is that Chicago is already overbooked, and it's Chicago, land of commuters and bad weather. So the chances of getting to Newark from there suck. There's another flight, going through Charlotte, to Newark that will get me there. So I have an option, but it's not a good one. The combination of fewer flights due to the holiday, and really full flights, due to the holiday make everything so much harder.

Back to the story.

So the flight wasn't to leave now until 11pm, 3.5 hours late. I'm keeping an eye on the earlier flight too. It was supposed to leave around 430p, but it's delayed too. It's all ok so far. I need another backup plan. It's a weekday, so there's supposed to be a cargo flight that goes direct too. I call them to make sure that it is going to run, and that they still have a seat on it. Yes to both answers. The drawback here is that it leaves at 5a. That means I've got to be there by 4 and leave home by 330a, get up at 230a. Not a great backup, but still doable.

So, while I'm keeping an eye on all of this, my flight cancels.

I relist for the earlier flight, now delayed until the time my flight originally was supposed to go. All the flights are full and full of non-revs trying to travel. So the plan now is to take this other, delayed flight. But the reality is, I won't get there early enough to list for the jumpseat, because others will have beaten me to it.

A couple hours later. That flight cancels.

Now there are no direct flights left for me to take to get to work today. I've got the option to call in and miss my trip, without pay. That would cost me some significant coin. I like the idea of being home, but it means losing 1/4 of my monthly pay and having to talk to the chief pilot to explain why I'm missing the trip.

I go back to the drawing board. There's another flight that I can take into LaGuardia tonight. That would mean finding transportation back to Newark, across Manhattan, late tonight. Can't say that's an option I'm keen to try either.

So that's where I'm at. I've got to make a decision. Go to LGA, get up at 230a and take a cargo flight direct, or call the company and miss the trip, stay home and take it in the checking account. I hate all these options. On Christmas Eve no less. I've got a stress headache and my last day home, when I'm supposed to be relaxing and enjoying the spoils of my Christmas haul, but no, I'm worrying about this.

In the end I've settled on the cargo flight. I called them, listed on the flight, and no that I've got a seat and that I don't have to worry about someone taking my seat. It's just really, really early. So I get to be home a little later, but my day tomorrow will be just that much longer. If anything happens to this flight, I'm staying home. I've got plenty of support on my side if I do, but I'm at least, giving this my best effort. Now to enjoy the rest of my day.