<p>MICHONE - how goes it for your son and his traveling?? Did he make it home??</p>
<p>The airplane has just taken off from Columbus Ohio and will be landing 45 minutes late in Detroit. Northwest tells me that the plane will leave Detroit shortly after it lands and should arrive on time to Laguardia. Today has been a whirlwind of emotions - and it won't end until I see him on the ground! My girlfriends have been great - they all came over in a snowstorm this afternoon to play mah jjong and take my mind off things. I'll update everyone when he arrives home safe and sound. Thank you all for your advice and encouraging words.</p>
<p>Is this going to go on forever - constant worry until they get home? I think it's yes.</p>
<p>And even then some OLDFORT LOL</p>
<p>well, if you worry to this extent over a kid who may get stuck at an airport in a very safe enviroment...man life is gonna be agony.....</p>
<p>save the stomach knots for the big stuff, like driving from nyu/detroit in the snow!!!!!</p>
<p>Just saying unless you want an ulcer, you have to pick your worries</p>
<p>I was, yes, freaked, out when my D was stuck at the Standsted airport the day of the "liquid" scare...she was calm, I was trying to figure out where a 17 yo could stay...it all worked out and I learned she could take care of it</p>
<p>And when my younger D, after older D left something at a train station, when younger D figures out bus routes, gets us free tickets, has the bus wait, etc..I knew she would do just fine in the travel department</p>
<p>So, remember, you live in a place of eratic weather....life is gonna be messy....enjoy the ride!!! and enjpy watching them be able to handle it</p>
<p>CGM - depending on who is the worrier - everyone deals with this type of stuff differently - and maybe this is the first time the OP's kiddo has had to face the possibility of doing something like this by themselves - ease up a bit and be a bit kinder. Sometimes it takes a few trials by fire for parents - and their kiddo's - to find out what they can accomplish on their own - and what needs to be worried about.</p>
<p>I know that I worry about both of my kiddos differently now - and still - and for different reasons - but I worry more about my gal on road trips than I would my son - and having found that she has been able to mange the flying thing on her own has been a relief for me - after a few trials by fire of our own. Some folks never stop worrying - no matter how many challanges they are faced with - to each our own.</p>
<p>Hey my DH worries about me when I fly - cuz he knows that I don't cope very well with what can happen - and my fear of flying - so sometimes the worry never stops ;)</p>
<p>We just got back from the airport. My son's plane landed ten minutes early!
I know I'm a born worrier - but this is my first away at school.</p>
<p>Mazel Tov!</p>
<p>EVERYONE can relate! Glad he's home safe and sound.</p>
<p>As for early landings, I have learned that the airlines publish a landing time 15 minutes late, to allow them some grace time in case of delays. Then if all goes smoothly, they end up landing "early." Sometimes they make up time in the air, too.</p>
<p>Consequently, if I'm the picker-upper, I've learned to arrive at the airport 15 minutes before I would have, given the published "landing time." The last 6 flights I've met passengers have arrived 10-15 minutes "early" so I think it's a trend.</p>
<p>^^^^ Yeah at some airports, especially overcrowded ones like O'Hare, they'll budget for as much as 30-45 mins on the ground (taxiing, waiting to take off...) into the scheduled flight times.</p>
<p>my Ds call me when they have touched down...I am about the same distance away time wise as it take them to walk outside after deplaning...and we can't stop/park unless someone is physically standing right there to get in car....we have to circle around and around, keep on moving...and if I pick up anyone at the airport, better they have to wait 10 minutes then me go in ten loops....sure I could park and go stand there and then it takes longer!!!</p>
<p>thank goodness for cell phones</p>
<p>Takeoff and landing times have been wildly manipulated in the name of keeping airlines' on time records pristine...it's not just your imagination, P3T! :)</p>
<p>But I love how they still give exact departure and arrival times. Like you're really going to get there at 10:06!</p>
<p>Glad all is well OP. I worry about everything too.</p>
<p>My son has been bumped, put up in hotels for the night, had flights cancelled, flown into an airport that was 2 hours away from his booked destination. I have been sent on ahead of a storm since I arrived early, been given money for a hotel since international flight was late and I missed the connecting flight. It happens more often than it used to. I take a deep breath and try not to get too flustered. In all cases, it works itself out and the adventures vary. Got to have a credit card or available cash for emergencies. We prefer NW to United. For my own peace of mind or NOT, I usually follow flightstats when my son is flying and have him text me when he arrives where he is destined. I tell him that it is only for his poor old Mom's peace of mind sitting up 8000 miles away. He complies. This is one thing to take into consideration when planning where to attend college. :) Makes Arizona, New Mexico, California et. al. look good.</p>
<p>D was supposed to fly home today on Continental, on a frequent flyer-points ticket. She had a connection in Newark. When she got to the airport, the ticket agent told her there might be a delay in Newark. As D was waiting for her plane, she was paged by the airline. When she went to the ticket counter, they asked her if she would like to take a direct flight on Northwest, instead. Although she would have to wait at the airport for the flight, she would arrive home 2 hours earlier than she would on the Continental flight (and no connection worries). She was more than happy to accept! We were pleased that the Continental agent was so thoughtful.</p>
<p>This thread topic is exactly why we encouraged S to look at colleges in temperate climates. We also took schools off his long list that had complicated public transportation (or none) to the closest international airport.</p>
<p>I have a stomach ache as I type this. My high school senior left this morning at 4 AM from Ft. Lauderdale on a school trip to Teton Science School in Jackson Wyoming. They made it to Salt Lake City but their connection to Jackson was Cancelled. She just texted me that they rented a bus and are driving the 285 miles...in a snowstorm, to the Science School. This trip on mapquest takes 5 hours in good weather.....</p>
<p>I don't feel very well...</p>
<p>Breathe a little easier. I've done the Salt Lake City to JH bus before. It is not scary or treacherous. </p>
<p>When the weather closing the JH airport is going to last very long, several of the airlines have a fairly standard arrangement with local Salt Lake bus companies. </p>
<p>It takes a while to get there but, they will.</p>
<p>They do really well on the roads there, too. Rest assured, they know the liability of heading out when it is risky. Lorelei</p>
<p>Thank you so much...I am feeling better now. I just spoke to her on a cell phone (I am so relieved) she is fine and they are about 1 1/2 hours away from their destination and they are happily watching a movie (on the bus?!). It did eventually occur to me that the local bus drivers must know how to drive in that kind of weather. Thank you 07DAD and lorelei.</p>