Why is LA the only city in the world that doesn't provide public transportation to the airport? And when I say public transportation, I don't mean, taking a bus from Hollywood to El Segundo transfer at Inglewood and walk up Century Boulevard to LAX with your rollerboard in tow. I mean, real transportation that delivers you right to the terminal - in one shot. Every other city has gotten on board with this phenomena, but for some reason LA is exempt from providing this very basic,.
When I lived here, airport rides were used as barter. For example, you could get someone to feed your cat while you were in Santa Barbara for the weekend in exchange for an airport ride (offer good for one year).
With this being said, Terri's husband Steve graciously drove me to the airport for a 7 am flight to JFK that was over-sold due to a cancelled red-eye flight that I was initially supposed to be on. I arrived at LAX prepared for the madness that would await me at the gate as the airline tried to consolidate two flights on to one. I was making a pit stop in New York for an 11:30 am appointment with my gynecologist and was waiting for their offices to open to postpone the visit. I know, I know, I should just find a doctor in France but because of my complicated medical history, and not wanting to deal with sending my records overseas, I prefer to do my annual when I'm in town.
I called the office just as they were opening at 6 am LA time with the hysteria of pissed off passengers surrounding me, to explain that I wouldn't be making the appointment, explaining that I was stuck on the other side of the country due to a flight cancellation. They understood but informed me that I owed a penalty fee of 100 dollars. Irritated, I explained that I had every intention of honoring the appointment but due to unforeseen it was unfortunately not possible. Obviously. “You should have known,” is what the receptionist said. I should have known what? If I knew that the flight would be cancelled, I wouldn't have even gone to the airport in the first place, and stayed back at Aunt Terry's for another night. Even if I checked the flight status, it would not have been in their 48 hour cancellation policy bracket, so it was a moot point.
She then put me on hold while she spoke to her Finance Director, Bruce. Bruce the Finance Director? I knew this would not end well. I have reported to Finance Directors at past jobs and know that they have the compassion of a gate agent on an over-sold flight during Christmas. In short, they don't want to hear it. I also had a boss named Bruce who was such a pain in the ass. So I knew that I wasn't going to win this battle. The receptionist came back on the line and told me with fake regret that they would not be able to waive the penalty fee because in 2006, I only gave them 36 hours notice instead of 48 for a cancellation.
In 2006? 6 years ago, I only gave them a day and half's notice for a cancellation? I have honored my appointments every of other time and it was obvious that my absence was completely out of my control, as she heard the gate agents announcing the now over-sold 7 am flight to JFK.
At this point I was frazzled. I was tired, stressed that I wouldn't be flying out, stressed about Bruce, and stressed that I was missing an important appointment. I miraculously got onto the flight and while I wasn't offered first class, I sat next to a young man who captures Los Angeles through his photography. He shared with me the complications of love. Ah, to be young again.
And that's American healthcare for you and I'm looking into finding a gynecologist in Paris.
