Unexpected Memories
May 16, 2018: Recently I flew into Washington Dulles International Airport to visit my friend Cynthia that I traveled to Paris with last fall. We had an art immersion weekend. Visits to The National Gallery of Art, 2nd Friday at the Workhouse, and several acrylic paint demonstrations, not to mention an art fair in Del Ray. It was non-stop art all weekend and we both loved it.
However, as Cynthia drove me back to Dulles to catch my flight home, I reminisced about my memory of when Dulles was first being built and then opened. I remember my parents and I taking a ride to see the airport when it was open to the public just before flights started. The airport officially opened November 17, 1962. I was 12 years old and had not yet flown on an airplane. It would be another 7 years before I would take my first flight on an airplane. I remember the ride to the Dulles Airport was long. And, I remember back then thinking “who would build an airport out in the middle of nowhere and expect people to choose Dulles as an airport of choice in the DC area?” Well fast forward decades, and it’s now one of the busiest international airports.
So I’m on a Southwest flight from Dulles to Orlando (or Mickeytown as it’s often referred to at airports). We’re advised to line up for early boarding due to weather – “maybe we can beat the storm before it hits Dulles” was the announcement as tornadoes were already spinning north of us and there was lots of rain up and down the east coast with more rain waiting for me in Florida.
Once boarded and belted in, I looked out the window and thought “if it’s 5 o’clock in the afternoon, why is it pitch dark out the window?” In a few split seconds of boarding early to beat a storm, the storm arrived. The next announcement was “we will have to wait it out now, maybe 45 minutes and then we can be on our way.” Then, not 30 seconds later, the steward nervously announced “There is a tornado warning for the airport, so we need to deplane immediately. Take all you belongings and leave the plane now.” Well I was in row 4 and there was a sudden log jam to exit … Can you imagine the panic for the folks in the back of the plane? The wind and the rain were suddenly relentless against the left side of the plane. It was unexpectedly a frightful moment.
Once deplaned, and with the storm raging, the loud speaker continued to announce every 3 minutes in a robotic voice, “Dulles International Airport is under a tornado warning, take cover immediately. Stay away from all windows.” Oh gee. How many times have I been in a situation that I have to take cover for a tornado? Way too many times to count. I said to the girl sitting next to me in the gate area, who lives in Orlando, “I survived Hurricane Irma and wrote a book about it, I’ll be fine… (secretly hoping I will). I eventually got up and took shelter in the restroom.
An hour has passed and the tornado warning is over but we are still sitting at the gate inside the airport and still experiencing a severe thunderstorm. Guess I’ll be getting a vodka cocktail if I ever get on the plane. I’ll need one by then.
Two hours have passed and we are still sitting in the gate area… Lightning is still too close to the airport so the ramp personnel continue to be grounded.
They just announced we may start boarding shortly. Oh the joys of flying. I don’t remember too many flight delays like this in my life time, especially for weather. Once when flying standby in the busy summer months I was stranded for days, but not because of weather. And only once did I have delayed luggage on the way home from a speaking engagement. I never, however, experienced what I did on that plane sitting at Dulles – the plane moving like the worst turbulence while still on the ground. That was right before we were told we needed to take our stuff and deplane quickly.
Now we’re on the plane again… Though I just saw lightning in the distance. The door is closed and the plane has pushed back. If we can just take off, fly safely, land safely, and I get to drive home safely, the delay will be all worth it. During that entire two hour flight my anxiety level was so high, I had chest pains from the stress, praying that I would get to see my kitties again. The flight continued with lots of turbulence, rain and keeping my seat belt on during the entire time. Even the flight attendants were limited to how much they could be in the aisle. They too were belted into their jump seats most of the flight. I never did have the vodka cocktail. I didn’t have anything. Although the landing was the smoothest I’ve experienced in a long time, I was never so glad to land and get off that plane. The trip wasn’t over yet. I still had a 45 minutes ride on dark lonely roads since it was already after 12:30 AM.
If you are reading this, I made it home safe and sound, hugged my kitties, and posted this to my blog a few days later.
Wishing you safe travels in the future… Love and Hugs
Rosemary Augustine
P.S. My other airport that I watched being built and visited before the grand opening was DIA- Denver International Airport which opened Feb 28, 1995. The same thoughts were in my mind in 1995 of why build an airport out in the middle of nowhere? I traveled extensively in the 80s and 90s in and out of Denver (I was living in Denver at the time), and I use to leave my home an hour or less before departure, and easily reach the gate long before the doors closed. Oh the days before TSA. Today DIA is also one of the nation’s busiest airports. Here are the Wikipedia links to Washington Dulles International and Denver International Airport… Some interesting facts and information about these airports.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Dulles_International_Airport
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denver_International_Airport
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