Prefix to the Costa Rica Journey:
The day started off somewhat unique as it consisted of my boss' going away bash AND CLOSING ON MY CONDO!! Finally - just a couple days late. I got a call saying I had 24 minutes to get to Kirkland with a check of additional money they needed in order to close. Always a fun call. I made that in time then rushed to the very important mullet-themed Whirly Ball going away bash (see pictures below for an idea of what this is - it was the first time I had heard of it - yours truly holding down the yellow car). Quite an interesting "sport" but surprisingly very fun!
After a full Whirly Ball tournament, I rushed south to the SeaTac International Airport, very excitedly, to meet up with Sara, Mia and Brian to catch out flight to Denver and on to Costa Rica!! Checked our bags (for free, as they are on international flights) and headed to the gate around 5:30 PM. And that's where it all started.
The Frontier Airlines crew and staff continued to torture us with the following consecutive announcements:
- "We are currently experiencing some mechanical issues and will update you shortly with more information."
- "There currently is no mechanic on site at the airport so we've called one in. He should be here in about a half hour when we can update you with more information."
- "The mechanic has told us he needs to go get a part and we should have an update for you when he gets back." Mental comment: What, is he heading over to AutoZone for this? Do they not have the AIRPLANE part they need here at the AIRPORT??
- "Operations has been paged to assist."
- "The plane needs to be towed to the S gates as another plane is coming in to this gate that needs to dock overnight. We ask that you please catch the underground train to the S gates where we will provide you with additional updates. Those of you traveling to Costa Rica, please see us at the counter."
- At this point, they provided us with meal vouchers and hotel vouchers for DENVER considering we had already missed our connecting flight to Costa Rica and assuming we would catch SOME flight to Denver. Then we headed to the S gates.
- While sprawled in the waiting area, we could see the pilot hanging out of the cockpit window pointing down towards the ground crew. Always a great sign, yes?
- "Thank you for your patience. I'm trying to get an update from the mechanic. I'm going to go down there right now. In the meantime, we will start printing out vouchers for hotels here in Seattle tonight as it looks like we will likely have to cancel this flight."
- By this point, the entire plane of passengers have lined up at the counter when they discover that YES, even the printers at Frontier Airlines don't work. So no vouchers for anyone.
- After several calls to their closed service desks and unhelpful and non-sympathetic customer service line...
- "Hello ladies and gentleman. It looks like the mechanical issue has been fixed an we hope to board momentarily."
- Do I really want to fly on this plane at this point??
SIX HOURS later, we are sitting on the plane when the flight attendant decides she needs to run through the safety instructions TWICE just to take up some extra time. Thinking back, maybe it was because she really didn't think we'd make it there either....
We pulled into the Denver International Airport at 4:15 AM and called the number on the hotel voucher we received to call for the shuttle to pick us up. This is honestly the response we got "Why are you getting in so late??" Well, I don't know about you, but 4:15 AM is really an ideal travel time - favorite time of the day. :)
We headed down to baggage claim to get our free-checked bags for our stay when we found a lone, uniformed man standing by the empty spinning carousal. "I'm sorry, but I cannot give you your bags. They are in a secure area." **Cue the moment when I fell into hysterical laughter at the utter ridiculousness of this situation. So much laughter that tears were streaming down my face and I was receiving stares of horror that I was losing my mind.** Then the man handed us these Frontier Airlines "Overnight Kits" as if this would be the solution to all our problems. I honestly don't see the use if there is not clean underwear and a phone charger. I mean, really.
After our shuttle ride to the hotel and waiting about 10 minutes per person for 6 people to get checked in, I finally made it to my room after the sun had risen and people had already begun to check out to get 3-4 hours of sleep for the night. Only got use of the flimsy plastic toothbrush and sorry excuse for toothpaste.
The morning was no exception to the craziness of this trip thus far when one of our travel buddies was late and missed the airport shuttle. After a close call, we all fortunately made it on the plane to HOUSTON (note: NOT Costa Rica) for another 4 HOUR layover. Here we called all possible phone numbers for Frontier Airlines and now our new airline to attempt to locate our bags. Without ever getting an answer and crossing our fingers, we boarded the plane to Costa Rica.
Approximately 17 HOURS late, with a total "travel time" of 27 HOURS (if you can call sitting in an airport travel time), we arrived in Costa Rica with tears of joy as some found their bags randomly located throughout the baggage claim area and some spinning on the carousal. I honestly have never been so surprised to see my luggage at my final destination than I had at this moment.
Due to our late arrival, we missed all buses for the day to our final destination of the Jungle Villa on the coast in Manuel Antonio. Fortunately enough for one of our poor travel buddies from Seattle, she let us tag along in a van she had arranged to take her about half way to our destination. After they up'd the price on us, they agreed to take us and then take us further to our destination. We arrived about 2 hours later at the Jungle Villa in the middle of the night. I've never felt more exhausted and beat up from an Airline in my life - thank you, Frontier. And thank you for wasting precious vacation time, forcing me to sit in the Houston airport when I could have very well be sitting on the beaches of Costa Rica starting my tan.
May I advice to anyone who may read this that you never fly Frontier Airlines. Ever.
