Christmas Miracle

I planned to fly home for Christmas on December 21st. An early-bird, I arrived at Kahului’s OGG airport three hours early for my flight. I cleared security in record time, arrived at Gate 23, and sat beside a trio of women wearing “Blessed” t-shirts. The place was packed so I asked if they could save my seat while I hunted and gathered snacks.

I tried every spot for my Sweet Maui Onion chips but settled on some BBQ ones instead. When I finally returned to my seat, the ladies were boarding their LA bound flight and one of them said, “I’m so glad you made it. I was worried we’d miss you.” I wished them a Merry Christmas and sat down with my ham sandwich and chips.

45 minutes later, the LA flight was still at the gate, awaiting one last party from a connecting flight. It was cutting it precariously close to my boarding time but I kept the faith and affirmed all was well. When they finally got going, we all expected our Seattle-bound Hawaiian plane to roll up but, lo and behold, an American Airlines jet snuck in instead. The crew assured us we’d be next-next after they disembarked.

So we waited, our gate and app still showing an on-time departure - even though it was approaching 4:00 and we were due to depart at 4:20.

Finally, at about 5:00, our jumbo jet was towed to the gate and we began to board. By this time, I’d learned the Seattle flight had been cancelled the previous two days due to storms on both ends so there were a few anxious people around the waiting area. I kept my cool and distance.

We waited a bit longer for a ground crew to tow us out to the tarmac with the soothing sounds of Aloha music in the background. At some point, a ground tech in a bright yellow vest boarded the plane to make a small repair behind me but I remained calm and happy despite coughing kids surrounding me.

We waited and we waited some more, with Hawaiian music looping around us. Finally the Aussie pilot broke the news: there was a fuel line leak and we’d have to go back to the gate. But, because we were a jumbo jet, we’d have to wait for another ground crew to push us back and a gate to open up.

Two and half hours later, we were still sitting there, getting warm and weary. The looping in-seat entertainment was no longer charming, and one of the kids next to me screamed, “MAKE IT STOP, MAKE IT STOP” speaking for all of us. To add insult to injury, the flight attendants passed out Biscoff’s - no one’s favorite cookie.

We eventually made it back to the gate around 8:00 p.m. when most of the restaurants were closing. It’d be another ham sandwich for me. Oink oink. But good news, they told us our part was in and we’d just need to wait for them to fix it. So we milled about and snacked, mostly in good spirits. Then, about an hour later, they informed us our flight crew had “timed out” so we’d have to hit Honolulu on the way, switch crews, and head on to Seattle from there.

At this point, I texted my nephew in sister in Seattle, saying I wouldn’t be there at 11 but more like 2 a.m. Luckily, my 20-year old nocturnal nephew was still up for getting me in the middle of the night. Then, about an hour later, we got word that our flight was officially cancelled and we’d be going no where tonight after all.

But, we quickly learned, Hawaiian Airlines would refund the whole ticket and put us up for 2 nights in a hotel. Now 8.5 hours after I arrived, I knew if I went home to Kihei, I’d never make it back to the airport so white sheets in a big bed nearby sounded pretty tempting. I got in line to rebook and hoped for a good solution for the morning. Some people around me mentioned that the flight for tomorrow to SEA was already full of passengers from the past two days of cancelled flights so that would not be an option. Great.

While we waited in line, we started strategizing amongst ourselves about alternate options. But this time I was chatting to a lovely older man behind me. He said he was from Tacoma, they’d had a great vacation, and his wife was exploring hotels and flights at her seat. She eventually joined him and announced she’d scored a room at the Marriott for $500 and would get reimbursed by Hawaiian for that. I decided not to go for that steep option after all and leave more rooms for the out of towners.

But she mentioned there was a flight to Portland in the morning with a connection to SEA so that seemed like a great option for the three of us. While we stood in line, we talked about our backgrounds, where I live, and more about their vacation. I was only seventh in line but each party ahead of me took about 25 minutes per person. Right as I was about to reach the front of the line, a skinny tech guy clearly from Seattle sidled up beside the desk. He asked the agent “I just want to make sure that if I booked a flight on Alaska tonight, you’ll refund my money and cover that?” The gentle Hawaiian agent assured him that was correct.

So when my turn arrived at last, I said, ”I’ll have what he’s having. Can you get me on that red-eye to Seattle tonight too?” The woman checked and replied, “there’s only one seat left but I’ll try,” She punched her buttons while I chatted to my new friends, asking them for a card so we could keep in touch. They couldn’t find one so I was digging in my to purse for a pen and paper while also paying attention to the agent. She said she was able to get the last seat on the Alaska flight for me but I’d better hurry to the gate because it leaves soon. I turned to my new friends and wished them luck,. Running away without their names or number, they yelled, “Merry Christmas. We love you!”

Arriving at Gate 15 on the other side of the terminal, I approached the desk. Practically hyperventilating from the mad dash, I probably looked like a wild animal. I showed the Alaska rep my new ticket and she replied, “it doesn’t look like it went all the way though but I’ll see what i can do.” As she punched buttons and called her supervisor, I asked if I could go to the bathroom. I crossed the hall and had a mini-meltdown in the stall. I cried tears of exhaustion, while affirming over and over “It is done” and calling on Jesus, Mother Mary, the travel angels, and everyone else I could think of to make it happen.

I walked back to the desk affirming, “It is done, it is done, it is done,”, feeling hopeful and raw inside. “Here you go” she said, handing me my new paperwork, “it’s boarding now.” I walked to the gate at 10:40 p.m, texted my family I’d be there at 6 a.m., made it to the last seat out and balled. While I only slept about 40 minutes, I didn’t care. I’d be home for Christmas and nothing else mattered. After 20 minutes on the tarmac in Seattle, I fell into my sister’s arms on the curb and all I could say was, “I got my Christmas Miracle.”

Home for Christmas