How To Get Free Ice Cream From the Airport

My flight out of SLC was at 10:30am, and to make sure I didn't miss my flight like the last time I flew out of SLC, I got to the airport with plenty of time to spare. The check-in process was fast, the security area was amazingly speedy, and I was then left with time to walk to the other end of the airport to get a Jamba Juice. As I was drinking my lovely cup of Caribbean passion, the time for us to board came and went. The lady working the gate kept assuring us that we were just waiting on our flight attendants, who would soon be landing and making their way over from two gates down.

Well, we kept waiting and waiting. And no flight attendants showed up. The gate-lady called over a man in a striking red blazer, who was clearly some sort of supervisor/hot shot. After gate-lady told him the issue, he made some calls. Apparently the flight attendants assigned to our flight were re-reouted mid-air but did not get the message. So they were likely off property enjoying their three hours of downtime in amazing Salt Lake City (I added the amazing). Red blazer guy told us that flight attendants have a two-hour call time, so the earliest we would leave would probably be 1 or 1:30. It was currently 11:30.

I hung out in the gate area for awhile, then decided I should take advantage of the Cafe Rio in the airport and get something to eat. I asked gate-lady if I could leave and the plane wouldn't take off without me. She assured me that no one would be left behind.

I returned to gate B10 after making the trek to Cafe Rio and lunching. The waiting area was clear of the people who were on my Kansas City flight, which I thought was strange. It was only 12:35. Gate-lady was also gone, but then she showed up a few minutes later (everyone needs a lunch break). The screen at first showed the info for my KC flight, but then it changed to information for a flight to San Antonio. I politely asked gate-lady what the status was for the KC flight. Without missing a beat she said, "That flight left."

I was a bit startled and got up to stand at the counter. She said she had left to get lunch and was assured by her replacement that no one would be left behind. They would make public announcements to make sure everyone got on. I was in a different concourse and clearly missed my PA. She felt very bad because she had assured me I wouldn't be left behind. And the plane had only left about ten minutes ago.

At this point I could feel myself starting to get frantic, thinking I'd have to wait for an 8pm flight, which would be awful. Gate-lady immediately booked me on a 1:55 pm flight to KC, which coincidentally I had nearly purchased but had decided to go for the earlier flight so I wouldn't have to drive in the dark if it happened to be bad weather. Also, my friend Kate was on the 1:55 flight to KC.

Since she felt bad, gate-lady gave me a food voucher to use in the airport. A PinkBerry was located right next to my new gate, and I stopped there to get some coconut frozen yogurt. I ate it as I sat and waited and talked with my friend Kate. And it all worked out.