I log in to check in online. What should have only taken two minutes goes on for almost a half hour. First, I have to provide my passport number. Remember all those nightmares about not having a passport? Well, I do indeed have a valid passport made out to Karen Janey Hening-Speedone. They ask for the name exactly as it appears. I type it in and hit "continue." British Airways immediately drops the hyphen. The British don't believe in hyphenated names? Puhleeze!! They invented the hyphen, for goodness sake! I try putting it back in, and the web site keeps taking it back out! This goes on for several minutes, during which all the already logged-in hyphenated-last-name passengers get all the decent seats!
Next is the disabilities option. Mine says I need a wheelchair at departure and arrival. Wrong, I have my own electric scooter to ride to the door of the plane, which they will subsequently stow in the cargo hold, to be returned to the airplane door when I disembark. I try to fix that, only to finally give up. I hope you're ready, British Airways, but you're not known for flexibility!
Finally I get to pick my seat. 23D looks most promising - it is at the end of the row, where there appears to be an aisle behind it as well as next to it. The seat directly in front of it is empty so there's a prayer of a chance I survive.
Michael is taking me to the airport at 5:00 in the afternoon. I am leaving plenty of time to get through security. Between the carry-on bag full of electronic gear, the electric scooter, the foot brace and the cane, I will set off alarms that will register in the Pentagon!
Tomorrow morning I go to the bank to move money around, head to Towson to get my iPod resynched, and then wait for the FedEx guy to deliver. More on that tomorrow!
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