I'm an Idiot, but So is Delta

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I'm an idiot. Plane and simple.

I was up at 5:30 am this morning and left the hotel in Peabody, MA for Logan Airport. My destination for the day was Evansville, IN but it wasn't going to be the easiest day of travel. My first flight would take me to Atlanta and eventually I would get to Nashville, TN. The plan was to wait at the Nashville airport until Chandler, Tanya and Benny arrived on their drive out to DII nationals. The caravan would pick me up at the airport and then we would make our way up to Evansville.

I was going to have several hours at the Nashville airport and by several I mean at least six. I was prepared for my extended stay at the airport and had some work to do. Everything was going as planned until I showed up to the Starbucks in the B Terminal. I opened my back and realized that I didn't have y computer with me. I know I had it when I got on board the plane in Boston, but after that who knows. I was pretty certain that I left it on the plane, or at the airport in Atlanta. Stupid.

My next move took me to the Delta lounge where I hoped took get a little advice about how to file a report. I was told that I had to talk to baggage service down by baggage claim which is exactly what I didn't want to hear. If I had to go down to baggage claim, then I wouldn't have access to the food and internet at the gates.

I went down to baggage claim and the lady with Delta was extremely helpful. She put my info into the database and gave me a number to call to report the missing laptop. All was complete about 45 minutes later and I figured it was about time to find my checked luggage. Originally, I had planned to pick up the bag moments before leaving the airport but the original plan was out then window. I couldn't find the bag next to any carousel or near the Delta baggage service office. I eventually had to speak with the woman who helped me earlier and she asked to see that little luggage tag that you usually throw away.

Turns out that my bag ended up in Bermuda. My day went from bad to worse as now I didn't have spare clothes or toiletries for a few days. I wasn't going to have an address until next week which complicated matters further. I guess the code for Bermuda is BDA and the one for Nashville is BNA. Who knew that a simple mistake could take you to the Caribbean when you were destined for Tennessee. That would be a great surprise to end up with beaches and sunshine when you were expecting the Titans and the Grand Ole Opry.

Things started to go my way a few hours later when I got a call from a woman in Ft. Lauderdale telling me that my computer had been located. All the proper arrangements were made for getting my laptop back. Just before getting picked up I received another phone call from Delta baggage service confirming the location of where I needed my bag delivered. We dotted our "t's" and crossed our "i's" and then I was told that for my troubles Delta would tuck some travel vouchers into one of the bag's pockets. Sweet deal.

Moral of the story... don't be dumb and leave your computer on a plane, but if you do make the airline feel bad for you so that their service is above and beyond what they would normally provide. It also helps if they lose your bag and see the need to compensate both parties' ineptitude.