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After the Storm

© Suzanne Wade

The first flight out after the storm was going to leave early the next morning. Happily, we packed and hoped that we would have the seats our family members in Washington had requested for us. Phil offered to drive us through the littered streets of St. Croix, and we gratefully accepted. After saying our good byes to the owners of the hotel, who treated us like family during the storm, we set off to the airport.

What confusion! The airport was still without power. No computers were up, ticket agents were going off a typed sheet that must have flown in with our awaiting plane. Others who had missed flights showed up expecting to get out, and were sorely disappointed that their names were not on the sheet. This plane was stopping at St. Thomas next, and most of the seats would be taken up with vacationers from the other island. I nervously went up and was relieved to see our names on the list. One obstacle down. Next, our bags were placed on the plane without the benefit of the normal computerized tag. I then realized that all the x-ray and security machines were also in need of electricity. I scanned the crowd hoping that no hijackers or terrorists would be boarding our plane. Then again, why would they have stayed through the hurricane? One airport worker had a portable metal detecting device, but with the amount of people, not everyone was checked.

We hurried on the plane and got our seats close to the front. I noticed a harried pilot coming out of the cockpit with paperwork in his hands. The computers they normal use for weight and balance calculations were also sitting useless in the airport. I wish I hadn't heard the pilot remark on how long it had been since he had completed a weight and balance by hand. This aircraft was not a puddle jumper, it was a Boeing 757! This certainly did not calm my nerves.

The flight to St. Thomas was uneventful. We were talking to the flight attendants, and having our flight beverage of water--since their normal catering truck could not make the airport. Really, you save your frequent flyer mileage in order to bump up to first class, and you get water as a beverage. It is the story of my life.

Upon landing at St. Thomas, we were relieved that the island had electricity. The storm hadn't hurt this island as much as St. Croix. Quite a number of people were getting on. The flight attendants hadn't realized that everyone from St. Croix had randomly taken a spot, since no computers were up to assign seats. This made the people from St. Thomas quite upset, having to fly in an open seating environment to Atlanta. I felt sorry for the attendants--at least the catering truck showed up.

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