Flight Delayed? How To Make Your Wait Time Fly By
Hurry up and wait.
That's the modern ethic for the frequent (or even infrequent) air traveler. Get to the airport a few hours early to ensure you have all the time you need to get through the security line.
Then, you take off your shoes, take all the change out of your pockets, take out your laptop, take off your belt and anything else that might possibly set off the metal detector, take your ID out of your wallet, walk through the metal detector, set it off with the cell phone you forgot to take out of your pocket, wait patiently while you get scanned by the wand that makes the Star Wars light saber noise, and then put everything back only to find out your flight is delayed for another few hours.
Sound familiar? That experience is like mother's milk to Jeff Michaels, a musician who found a way to pass that time creatively during his years on the road and turned it into the book, Please Hug Me, I've Been Delayed ( www.pleasehugmeseries.com).
"Back in the 70s and 80s, betting on when arriving flights would actually touch down was a great way to pass the time, and even make a buck off of other stranded passengers," Michaels says. "But now with the advent of blackberries, iPhones, iPads, laptops and other gadgets, there is a whole new range of busywork and play that you can take advantage of in the airport."
His ideas include:
Other games include, "How Attractive Am I Really?", "Celebrity 'Sighting'", where you gain points for convincing others a random celebrity walked by (bonus points for celebrity vampires), and detailed instructions on how to use your terminal down time to set a new world record.*
"If you even try just a few of these, you may find the time passing much quicker," Michaels concludes. "And this will hopefully leave you with at least a little strength to battle any Chronic Seat Kickers (CSKs) when you eventually board the plane." (Which he also offers solutions for-some minor acting required.)
"Overbooking, lost luggage, and excessive baggage fees are frustrating enough experiences for passengers. If I can help at least one person keep their sanity through an agonizing flight delay, then I've done my job," says Michaels.
About Jeff Michaels
Jeff Michaels began his touring career as a keyboardist with the San Francisco band Luce, opening for the likes of Nellie Furtado, Sister Hazel, and Dennis Quaid (yes, the actor). Michaels went on to form his own band, Even Elroy, and since then has landed songs on several major TV shows, including MTV's The Real World. www.beendelayed.com
