Unfinished Business

I had mentioned in the comments here that I had arrived in Brazil some ten hours late. Here's why.

I've been a loyal customer of American Airlines for many years. I've been an AAdvantage Gold member for the past ten years. Considering that I do not travel much for work any more, racking up 25,000 miles actually flown every year is no mean feat. I have taken American to Brazil every time I have gone and intended to take them this time despite the fact that they have discontinued service to Belo Horizonte. My flight on January 13 was due to leave at 10:20 p.m. and arrive in São Paulo's Guarulhos Airport at 10:39 a.m. I was then going to catch a bus to São Paulo's other airport, Congonhas to get a Varig Airlines flight from Congonhas to Belo Horizonte's domestic flights airport, Pampulha.

Just before I left home for JFK Airport, I called to reconfirm the departure time and found out that it was delayed until 11:55 p.m. Knowing that this would jeopardize my connection, I called American and after fifteen minutes, was able to get a later flight from Congonhas to Pampulha. Relieved, I caught a cab to JFK, checked in and went to the departure gate with about three hours to spare.  At about 10:50 p.m., we were advised that the flight was being delayed until the next morning at 8:00. All people who weren't NYC residents would be given hotel rooms. NYC residents were given vouchers for a car service and we were assured (falsely as it turned out) that cars would be available. I asked about my connecting flight. I was told that would have to be fixed in São Paulo. I eventually took the AirTrain home and got into my apartment at midnight. I was told to be at the airport no later than 6:00 a.m.  Needless to say, I was too wired and angry to sleep. I went back to the airport at 5:00 a.m.

The reason for the delay? There was a flight to London that was due to leave around the time ours was supposed to leave originally. The plane earmarked for the London flight had a mechanical problem so they took the plane earmarked for our flight and used it for London. I'm not one to cry discrimination recklessly, but consider these facts:

1. American has at least six flights a day from JFK to London.
2. American has one flight a day from JFK to Brazil.
3. The flight to Brazil was full.
4. American has an alliance with British Airways.

So, someone made a deliberate decision to inconvenience passengers to Brazil and give a priority to passengers to London. If what I paid was any indication, I would imagine the average ticket price for the passengers on my flight was much more than the London passengers. That just seems to be a simple matter of supply and demand. Consider this:

1. From the New York City area you have a choice of American, Varig and Continental (from Newark) for direct, non-stop flights to Brazil.
2. I would imagine that the choice of flights between JFK and London is vast: Virgin, British Airways, Delta, Continental (from Newark), United, etc.

In any event, we left at 8:00 a.m., flew all day long and arrived in São Paulo at about 8:45 p.m. We were advised before we left the plane that if we were making connections to see American Airlines personnel before going through customs and immigration. When I did speak with the American agent at about 9:05 p.m., I was told that they had booked me on a TAM flight going to Confins, Belo Horizonte's airport for both international and domestic flights. The flight was due to leave at 10:20 p.m. and arrive in Belo Horizonte at 11:30. I was told that I would (of course) go through immigration and customs and go to another terminal to get the flight. If I missed that one, American would put me up in a hotel near the airport and I'd have to fly the next day.

Bear in mind, I'd been awake for about 36 hours and was running on fumes. Nevertheless, I cleared immigration and waited thirty minutes for my one checked bag. I cleared customs and went as fast as I could to the TAM check-in counter. The line had about fifteen people in front of me. I was certain that I would not make it as I looked at my watch and saw that it was 9:55 p.m. The agent in charge said these magic words: "Anyone else for Belo Horizonte?" I raised my arm, explained what had happened and they got me on the flight.

By now you may be wondering where was Mércia? She had taken Varig the same day and had arrived as scheduled. When I finally arrived in Belo Horizonte, I called Mércia at our aunt's house and took a cab there, arriving at 12:15 a.m. My time from landing in São Paulo to landing in Belo Horizonte provided me with not one moment to call Mércia.

Fourteen trips to Brazil on American Airlines in nine and a half years and fully half of them have resulted in my being delayed by six or more hours due to their problems. The very definition of a piss-poor record.

So what's the purpose of this post? Why the unfinished business title? Simply put, I could not have made the flight to Belo Horizonte without the kindness, generosity and warmth of several Brazilians.

First, when I went through immigration, a Federal Police official gestured to me to go to her booth when she looked and saw the stress and fatigue on my face. She complimented me on my Portuguese and exhorted me to enjoy my stay. When I got my bag and headed for the customs line, I mentioned to someone that I had a very tight connection to make. All fifteen of the Brazilians waiting in line urged me to go in front of them and the customs official beckoned towards my declaration form. I handed it to him and he told me to go ahead. People held doors for me and let me go ahead of them on the elevator. The TAM agent who whisked me ahead to make my flight was courteous, understanding and sympathetic.

Finally, when I got on my flight and really needed to distract myself from the  stress, I had the good fortune of sitting next to a beautiful and charming young attorney a year out of law school (don't get the wrong idea; I'm a devoted husband and I was old enough to be her father) whose parting words put a huge smile on my face: "You've proved many of my preconceptions about Americans to be wrong!"

So, in closing I call your attention to the words of Jack Harding from his book I Like Brazil: A Close-up of a Good Neighbor: "Anyone who does not get along with [them] had better examine himself ; the fault is his." (Hat tip to Joseph Page).

In marking this, my 1,000th post on this blog, I just want to pay tribute and thank the gente boa from Mércia's native land for being so simpática. Obrigadão meus amigos!