Good Times at the Airport

I guess I owe a bit more detail on how I got stuck at O'hare for 24 hours.
I sent this in an e-mail to one of my family members. I got a little sick of typing at the end but it basically covers the whole not-so-fun experience.

Side note: I did not take any photos of this experience for the blog although I thought about it. I was too frustrated to show O'Hare airport any sort of un-needed attention. I didn't want it to get the wrong idea, like I wanted to be there or something.

Here's the O'Hare story. I was told that it would take a 1/2 hour on the El to get to O'Hare. It took 1 1/2 hours. I arrived at O'Hare at the time my flight was scheduled to leave. This is the 1st flight in my life that I have missed. I packed my big over coat into my suit case, checked it, and went to wait for the next flight. Well the next flight was over sold plus it had 26 stand by passengers. I did not make the next flight.

I decided to go check with Customer Service because it seemed there were a few problems. Customer Service informed me the next flight was over sold by 2 passengers but not to worry because the last flight of the day was a much larger plane and only over sold by 10 passengers (no idea how the logic worked on that one).

I asked if I could upgrade my seat to be guaranteed a place on the flight - no.

I asked if I could take another route through Denver, New York, anywhere - No.

I asked what would happen if they couldn't get me on a flight that night and was told I would be booked on a flight the next day.

I asked if I could be booked on a flight the next day right there - No.

I had to wait.

So I waited and didn't get on the flight over sold by 2 people. The flight over sold by 10 people had a few issues. They downgraded the plane to a smaller size SO no go on that flight. I called United and was placed on a 3PM flight the next day. Unfortunately they had no idea where my bag was. Meanwhile Mom and Dad booked me a hotel room near the airport. As I left the airport (7 hours after I got there) without my coat, armed only with a sweatshirt, I realized I was in big trouble (it was freezing!!!! outside!!!!). I made it to the hotel, crashed for a few hours and went back to wait at the airport. I managed to get on an earlier flight at around 12PM and landed in LA to find my bag waiting for me. It was not fun.