I have to tell this story for anyone out there who might still think that business travel is interesting and exciting. After logging 60 - 65,000 flight miles a year, for about six years with my last corporate job, I was happy to "hang up my wings" and relinquish my Gold Elite status after launching BrewerETC. It's not always like this, but rarely goes off without some complications.
Back in March, I joined a partnership with two small agencies producing grand opening events for a national financial institution based in the Midwest. We each bring a marketing discipline to the process and "team Brewer" has been solely focused on planning/production. However, the second weekend in June, we were needed in Kennesaw, GA to "on-site" the event.
My long-time friend and colleague, Kim Sanders, who has recently joined the BrewerETC team was with me on this journey. It began easily enough, with our ride to IAH and a smooth passage through security. We're on the plane, push back on time and take our place in line on the tarmac. This is when the fun began.
We're seated next to a small child - we later learned he was FIVE - flying alone for the first time. His name is Nathan and he is terrified. He isn't talking or making any noise, just wearing a tiny travel pillow around his neck with tears streaming down his face. We talk to him and let him know it's going to be OK - he wants to hold Kim's hand as we taxi out to the runway. Unfortunately, we were not cleared for take-off. There was weather in Atlanta and we were delayed an hour - stuck in our seats, out on the tarmac, with a child who had never flown alone.
Over the next hour, we learn that little Nathan is going to visit his dad in Atlanta for SIXTY DAYS. Not only is the little guy flying alone at a ridiculously young age, but he's also leaving his mother for two months to spend time with his father who is a Marine. We offer to call his Mom so he can talk to her one more time before we take off ... flight attendant gives us the number ... she doesn't answer the phone ... we leave a message ... she doesn't call back.
We're released for take-off and Kim holds Nathan's hand while we explain what's going on with the flight, so he won't be scared. It's a little over two hours to ATL and little Nathan needs something to do. There was ONE toy in his backpack - LEGOs - which he builds and re-builds as we're headed East.
Flight is smooth with a little chop - no movie - but we're OK and Nathan has come out of his shell a bit. Pilot comes on and tell us we're about 45 minutes out of ATL and will be beginning our descent soon. A few minutes later he comes back on and tells us there is weather in ATL and we're in a hold, don't have enough fuel to stay in the air because it's going to be at least a hour before we can land. We're going to Birmingham, AL.
I wouldn't describe it as a total melt-down, but Nathan was VERY concerned about going to Birmingham. Kim and I shared his concerns, but for different reasons. We had a 7:30pm meeting with the tent company in Atlanta that had already been pushed back once. Our unscheduled stop in Birmingham meant we would not make the meeting and would have to deal with it the following morning.
We land in Birmingham, pull up to the gate and our friend the pilot tells us that we've lost our slot at ATL, the weather hasn't moved and he doesn't know when we're taking off again. At this point, Nathan asks if he can sit by us when he has to fly home from Atlanta at the end of the summer. We try to explain that we won't be on his flight. We call the Mom again and leave another message ... she does not call back.
After some time, the pilot announces that he's not going to hold us hostage on his plane, so we can get off and get a snack. While we're grateful they're letting us off the plane, we know this isn't a good sign and begin to contemplate having to rent a car and drive to Kennesaw. I've experienced a lot of delays and they never let you off the plane if they think they're taking off again in a short time frame.
Kim and I grab our purses and Nathan grabs his backpack - we have to tell him he cannot get off the plane with us, that he has to stay with the flight attendants. He isn't happy, but sits down in his seat. Turns out the Birmingham airport terminal is super small and the only place we can go is a small shop - bought peanut butter crackers and a bag of Bugles for Nathan. When we boarded the plan he was happy to see us and the Bugles!
We take off for what is supposed to be a 20 minute flight to ATL. At this point, Nathan and I have changed seats so he can sit by the window and we're bumping our way up through the clouds when Nathan announces "it's lightening!". I'm thinking he is only seeing the strobe lights on the wing of the plane (since it's now getting dark), but NO ... Nathan is right.
The next 20 minutes - longer because we went around the weather - vacillated between choppy air and roller-coaster. On one of our big bounces, Nathan lets out a loud "Weeeeee!" Our whole area of the plane cracked up because the adults were very aware of the bad flight conditions and Nathan was just enjoying the wild ride. It's funny how things happen - Nathan was terrified at the beginning of our flight and we did such a good job of calming him down HE is now the one comforting all of us. Perspective is everything!
We land at ATL at 9:05pm and exit the plane to see a Marine waiting patiently for his son. Never heard a word from the Mom.
Now the search for ground transportation begins. We're reading the signs and walking, and walking and walking. We pass terminal after terminal - don't get on the tram because the signs are pointing in another direction - and after FIFTY minutes of dragging bags, we are finally at the elevator that leads to the train station that takes you to the off-site rental facility. It's 10pm.
We are clueless about how to get to Kennesaw, but key it into the NeverLost and hit the road. Turns out that Atlanta has nice highways, but they have a strange habit of naming each lane a SEPARATE highway number even though they're all the same piece of pavement. We headed north on our "fake highway" 75, which was separated from Highway 85 and another Highway by a double line. I am not making this up.
We pull into Kennesaw at 10:50pm and nothing is open. At the hotel, we learn that room service closes in 5 minutes but they were kind enough to bring us a salad. Friday starts at 6:30am with tent set-up - another long story that I'll spare you. Friday was a long day with us working on-site and running errands for set-up. When security arrived at 7pm we went to dinner and then headed to the hotel to crash.
At 9pm Kim gets the call that our mascot - "Freddie" the Atlanta Falcon - has been forbidden to appear at our event because another major sponsor has just negotiated a "category exclusive". They have heard our client's promos on air and threatened to attend our event, document the appearance of Freddie, and sue the Atlanta Falcons for breach of contract. Nice!
There are 2 hours of negotiations, ending with an 11pm agreement with the Director of Sponsorships for the Atlanta Falcons that Freddie will appear, my client will stop the on-air promos and we will not distribute a photo of the Falcon inside a folder with my client's logo on the front. Unpleasant, but reasonable.
Event day goes well and we have about 250 guests. Freddie makes his appearance and does a great job - trying to make up for the drama of the night before. Here he is inside our "cash cube".
We had also brought in the local college mascot - the Kennesaw Owl - and he was great too. This photo sums up the experience ... it was H-O-T!
We flew out Sunday morning on the 8:30 and had a smooth and on-time flight. Glad the weekend turned out OK and hope that when Nathan returns to Houston he is seated next to someone who will be kind to him.
