Attempting to Fly

Here I am, trying to get from here to there.   Unlike in most areas of the world where you can go to your favorite discount website, plug in your dates and destination and take your choice (depending on how much money you want to spend) …. it is more like going directly to your favorite airlines and having the following experience  

Marines – (located at the other side of the run way)

Are you going to Bastion tomorrow?

Don’t know yet, call us back or stop by after 2000

. ——time passes——-

Are you flying to Bastion tomorrow?

Show times are 0600 and 0800.

——time passes ——-

It is 0530 – Oh, we don’t have a flight till after 1000, stop back around 0830 and the crew will have told me if they are taking passengeres or not.

It is 0830 – No, crew says no can do on the passengers. Next flight is tonight, show time is …..  

Air Force – (pax terminal, near side of the runway)

No, we don’t fly there, try ISAF  

ISAF – (window in the same terminal as the Air Force less than 10 meters away)

yes, we have one flight late tonight. Signing you up on standby. Come back at the show time and we will tell you if you have a seat or not.

-Any idea of how many seats on the plane?

No, and seating is  by priorty, booking and sign in time.  

Brits – (half way off the end of the earth, the runway or to the Marines….)

Ah, yes Mum. We have a flight this afternoon, There should be seats, let me just get you down here at the top of the Space-A list. We will see you back at show time.  

Obviously, we are hoping to catch the Swampy flight. Otherwise, ISAF and the Marines have the same show time (which means that the Marines should know an hour earlier that they are, once again, not taking pax).  

 Good thing I am on a salary….. or perhaps I would be better off flying Kulula Airlines or at least enjoying their paint jobs.
 

-Holly
Kandahar Air Field