Monday, June 12, 2006

PVD is a disease

Besides being ill, I had a rather nasty experience in the Providence airport yesterday. Here is what I did:

- Stood in check-in line for Continental. Noticed that line is not moving and that both counter employees are chatting and not helping anyone. Asked guy ahead of me if they are waiting to check in. Was told no, that this is something for luggage (note: BAD sign).

- Moved to first-class check-in line and walked to counter. Gave information to sullen counterwoman; was told that this was a Northwest codeshare and shooed away.

- Stood in NWA line (am I the only one who finds their abbreviation risible?) after trying to check in at self-service kiosk and being rejected. Was finally checked in by a man who did not speak to me.

- Because "Providence is not a drop-and-go airport," I then stood in line at the X-ray machine waiting for the four incompetent operators to scan the checked luggage. (Did I mention that they had one X-ray machine running for the entire airport?) Once our bag entered the machine (which was on continuously; isn't that putting out more radiation than necessary?), we were detained at the foot of the machine until our bag came out the other end. The bag was then tossed behind the counter and we were freed to go stand in the individual security line.

- After clearing security and making my way to the gate, I was faced with a very creepy poster which proclaimed that "Despite what you may have been told, you've landed in Warwick, R.I." I don't appreciate being taken to cities other than the one I thought I was going to, and I dislike being smugly informed of the stealth hijack by the mayor of Warwick even more.

I'm never flying into Providence Warwick again!
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