So the A-day Gods have come down and kissed me on the face! if you haven't read my previous blog entry about my terrible luck with my a-days, basically it's when I'm at my airlines beckon call 24hours a day for 6 days out of the month. They can send me anywhere in the world out of any of the 3 airports in the New York area any time of day and they only have to give me 3 hour notice. Unless of course you are short called and you get a call from scheduling telling you "Hi, you've been rewarded a trip! Oh and by the way they're boarding. Get to JFK in 30 mins." These are usually the times when you're 4 episodes in to a Sex and the City Marathon or just got done working out and have no time to shower. Then there's the dreaded call that sends you to Newark, New Jersey... Which isn't really another state but more like an entire country all together. Or scheduling can always play joke on the new hire and put you on international standby at 5am when the first international flight doesn't leave until 1pm. So you sit for 4 hours in uniform waiting to at least be used for a transcontinental flight to San Francisco or LA. But you never do. Back to the crash pad.
So this has been my luck so far. But not this month. No sir. I have hit the A-day jackpot. Let me just tell you.
I have to commute in the day before to be available starting at midnight. So as I am commuting from Atlanta to New York I am continuously checking open time on the flight to see what they can slap me with. You can preference what trips you like and if scheduling is feeling nice they will reward you with it. So up pops an 18-hour 3day trip with layovers in Charlotte and Albuquerque. Now me and Albuquerque are not the greatest of friends due to a 9hour mechanical delay during my last training flight, but 18 hours for 3days isn't bad, and it isn't Jersey. I'll take it.
So as I'm chatting with a friend in the galley, another commuting flight attendant comes up, "Hey did you see that trip to Paris that just came into open time?"
What?! You're kidding! I just pref a trip to Albuquerque and now they need people for Paris. So I run back to my iPad and check. Sure enough they need 5 flight attendants for a Paris trip that signs in at JFK at 12:20am. This is my typical A-day luck. I'm at LaGuardia in uniform at 10:30pm just headed back to an uncomfortable bunk bed in Queens when I could be catching a red eye to Paris.
The second our plane lands I call scheduling. "Hi, this is Brittany. You just awarded me a trip for my A-days starting tomorrow, but I've noticed a trip to Paris has opened up for tonight. Well ya see... I am at LaGuardia and I wouldn't mind hopping in a cab and running over to JFK to help out. I mean I am in uniform and all..."
Silence. "oh I'm sure... Please hold." So I wait, and wait, and wait, and then wait some more. "Yes, Brittany... Looks like you're going to Paris! You better head to JFK now" I literally screamed out loud! Everyone deplaning looked at me like I was nuts. I just apologized and explained to them I was headed to Paris last minute. Actually I told everyone!! I cannot even tell you how excited I was. I told every flight attendant, gate agent and security guard I passed along the way. Oh but wait. I may be in uniform but I was the definition of a hott mess. My game plan was to go home and shower... But that just wouldn't be possible on this short call. Greasy hair in France. Not cool.
So there I am in the JFK crew lounge with rollers in my hair, brushing my teeth and reapplying my make up. What was I thinking?! I hadn't slept! I hadn't eaten!! I had no business working a 2am flight across the ocean. But there was no turning back. Like it or not I have a date with a Boeing 767 and the Eiffel Tower.
The trip was complete bliss!! The Eiffel Tower was just as big and beautiful as I had imagined, the wine was even tastier, and the Nutella and banana Crêpes were perfection. It was the perfect layover and the perfect A-day trip!! It didn't matter I hadn't slept in 24-hours! I was in Paris and had fallen head over heels!!
There will be pictures to come. I have more stories.
So my Paris high had worn off and I was headed back to Queens to finish out the rest of my Adays. Wonderful. Well after any transoceanic flight you are required to have 24-hour rest. So an entire day of my 6 A-days would be devoted to me sleeping. My best friend from training was also in New York that day so instead we spent the day shopping on 5th avenue, because i was on rest they wouldn't use me right? Wrong. As we're headed home on the subway we stop about 3 subway stops up from our crash pad to eat dinner. I look at my phone from not having service in the subway and what do I see "Voicemail: Scheduling". My heart sank and Amanda literally could see my heart beating out of my chest. You only have 20mins to respond to a page or you get a failure to cover aka youre in big trouble with your supervisor. It had been 35.
I frantically call back about the time they were entering my failure to cover. Just in time. I mean I literally had just became "legal" to work again. What were they thinking. "Yes Brittany. You have a trip for this afternoon. Sign in is at 7:45pm at JFK. You're going to Pisa, Italy"
You've got to be kidding me. Another international!! Another short call!! It was 6pm! I had hardly any time to get back to my crash pad and get dressed yet alone make it to JFK. So Amanda and I rush back to the subway then hurry our ass's back to the crash pad. As I'm frantically getting dressed and packing, Amanda is checking my rotation information and calling me a cab. Then like a perfect roomie or more like a husband she gave me $20 for the cab. Thanks hun. Long story short I make it there in plenty of time and now I was headed to my favorite country where my passion for travel all began.
It gets better.
As I'm in the lounge I overhear how short they were on people for international. So I called Amanda and told her she should put herself on availability and she would probably get an international trip. As I'm sitting at the gate waiting to board who walks up.... Amanda!! She had been assigned the SAME trip! So now not only was I headed to Italy... I was also with my best friend. It can't get better right. Wrong.
It gets better.
You will never believe who was on my flight. The one and only Carrie Bradshaw!!! Yes! My first celebrity, Sarah Jessica Parker. This trip was made for me! And let me just tell you, she is the sweetest person I have ever met. I was completely star struck and amazed. She came to the galley to talk to me and I thought I was going to pass out. Okay so maybe she didn't want to talk to me... She wanted baby bottles warmed up. But the fact is she was talking to me. So of course Amanda and I bragged a little about how much we loved her and SATC, and a few other small talk topics. I asked for a picture but instead she got my address to send me whatever I wanted. So yes now Mrs. Big herself is walking around with my name and address in her purse.This couldn't get any better!! Not only did I have the company of my best friend... But now my favorite movie star, and new best friend Sarah was there too! Absolute perfection. Thank you Adays!!!
I am now a fan of A-days and an even bigger fan of SJP.
Pictures to come soon. I must enjoy my night in Italy with my best friend drinking wine while we stare at the leaning tower! Ciao Bella!
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