Cleveland Rocks!

I haven't been at our company sanctioned Cleveland hotel in YEARS.

As an FO, I was based here in CLE after our company saw fit to close our sacred STL base. I made a fine home at the Crowne Plaza, and have many wonderful  memories there. I found a family there. I am currently in the process of being transferred there, because while a two hour drive to STL only to commute on Trans States to CLE to reserve is dismal, it is still a fabulous improvement over the 20 minute drive to Columbia, MO to 2 leg it through Memphis to Columbus, OH to sit reserve that I'm currently doing.

Anyway, as I've stated, I haven't been here at our CLE hotel in years. I do remember, however fuzzy, one of the most fun times of my life at this very hotel.

It was the Tuesday before the Thanksgiving Holiday, 2007. I was on a four-day trip with a fantastic crew. We fly to CLE, fly to JAX (Jacksonville, FL), and return to CLE. We were supposed to fly to Providence, RI, but never made it due to the extreme weather. I remember telling the passengers on the taxi out of the JAX airport, "wave bye-bye to Mr. Sunshine, folks.... not much of THAT where you're headed this evening." Sure enough, we get to Cleveland, and there is a blizzard!! We taxi up to the gate, there is a message from crew scheduling - we are canceled until further notice. We are to proceed to our Cleveland hotel and wait for further assignment - who knows when?

As we stroll through the airport on our way to the ground transportation area, we come upon our passengers - gathered around a gate agent as if it was a revival in southern Mississippi. Our flight attendant notices a 16 year old girl traveling alone - face all torn up in tears. "What's wrong?" she asks. The girl responds with, "I'm trying to get to Providence, RI. My flight's been canceled. I don't have any money. I don't know what to do!! I can't get a voucher because I'm a minor!" My flight attendant and I exchange glances, and she says, "We can't just leave her. Should I call my manager of inflight?" I say, "NO!!! Better to ask forgiveness than permission." We take the poor stranded passenger with us. We buy her dinner, she stays in the flight attendant's hotel room for the night. We buy her breakfast. She ends up making a flight home in time for Thanksgiving! It was a holiday miracle! We are still stuck at our Cleveland hotel for another night - with a hotel full of stranded Southwest crews and distressed passengers. A friendly smile and a wink is all it takes to earn a drink courtesy of Southwest Airlines. And the wine flowed like..... well..... wine.

It was a party I barely remember, but will never forget!!

I remember a packed bar full of our crews, Southwest crews, stranded passengers, and hotel staff. I remember having a BLAST, but little else.

God, I love this career.

I am reminded of that special week every time I come here to this special hotel. I can't wait for the stories to come, and the adventures that await!