Stormy weather and it’s not just the climate

Overnight it has been bucketing down and across parts of the United States strong winds have created havoc. I awoke around 5.00 am to a rainy and dark early morning in Virginia. The unpredictable weather was a nuisance, but it didn't dampen my spirits because I was heading back home to Oswego...yippee. I had a quick breakfast and then hitched a ride on the courtesy bus to the airport. Once more you can feel the heightened level of security at the airport and the long line of passengers zigzagging their way through three TSA check point areas.

Forty-five minutes later I passed through security and eagerly headed towards the boarding gate. All looked well and despite the rain the aircraft was already at the gate for the 8.20 am departure to NYC. But where are the crew? And then I heard the announcement, “Due to a compulsory rest period for the flight crew there will be a delay in departure”. Because of the bad weather from yesterday the crew arrived late last night and are required to rest for a minimum number of hours before their next shift. Oh well, it was only an hour and a half delay.

It’s a short flight to NYC and I arrived with plenty of time to spare before my 12.15 pm flight back to Syracuse. By the time I arrived at JFK Airport, the authorities had closed all Washington Airports due to some incredibly heavy rain squalls. They were also tracking a tornado which may cut across the Washington area. So it was really awesome to be safe and sound at JFK Airport or so I thought.

Surprisingly the aircraft was on time and the departure came around quickly. As I was about to board two TSA officers approached me and requested a word. The TSA officers informed me that when my checked-in bag was scanned and then inspected, they found an unknown powered substance in a plastic bag with my toiletries. I quickly recalled that I had decanted some Metamucil into a plastic bag because I didn’t want to take the large container...oops. What a price to pay for maintaining a balanced diet.

Mind you, it was the same day the authorities arrested an individual in Washington in a “sting” operation and the day before the printer cartridge parcels were found on international freight and passenger flights. Undeniably, what a different world we now live in, but it was a very important lesson to be learnt. With a gentle warning I was allowed to be on my way.

I was elated when the wheels of the aircraft finally touched down in Syracuse and without a doubt the trip to Washington was an unforgettable adventure.

Ciao,
Mark