Tuesday, March 22, 2005

My Ode to Air France

Yes, you read that right, folks. In this space and on this day, The Haggis will give a major Zut Alors! or some sort of Gallic "Big Ups" to Air France. I had to be convinced/shamed into writing this, but upon reflection, it's only right that I continue my ongoing mea culpas for trashing French people without due cause in earlier posts.

As mentioned before, my flight from Beijing to Paris was delayed by Parisian fog for over an hour. When the flight landed in Paris, my flight home to the USA was 20 minutes from takeoff a couple of terminals away. I had already resigned myself to spending the night in the Charles de Gaulle airport, because I did not have a visa to take my (still) Chinese citizen daughter into France. I was just sick about it, thinking about how I could find a flight that would land anywhere in the USA, even on the west coast.

Well, much to my unmitigated joy and admitted surprise, I stepped off the plane to find a lovely woman waiting for me and the bambina, who put us in a car and drove us directly to the right terminal and walked us right through to the jetway for the flight home. We were in our seats as the plane took off just 10 minutes behind schedule, with me just feeling such incredible gratitude and relief that Air France took the time and effort to make sure a lady and her baby made their flight. I was truly worried, not knowing what I would do to pass 24 hours in an airport with a new baby, where she would sleep, all the nightmare scenarios you can imagine. Luckily, Air France really came through for us, and I am so incredibly grateful.

So there. I said it. Air France Good. Haggis Grateful. French People Lovely and Helpful to Lady with New Baby.

Next post: pigs fly over DC.

2 comments:

Елизавета said...

Zut Alors?

JanetsJourney.com said...

I just wanted to let you know I have been lurking out here and have been reading your blog since the day before you left from China.

I have enjoyed it tremendously! Good luck with the Bambina - many blessing!