When you fly standby as an airline employee, you’re at the mercy of the people who are actually paying for tickets. They’re the ones who pay the bills, so they’re the ones who get priority. If the plane is full, you don’t go.

We’ve been hoping to make a quick hop to visit family, but over the last few days the northeast has been hit by a series of storms, which has wreaked havoc with travel plans. When we first checked seat availablity in the middle of last week, our chances looked pretty good.

A total of seven seats available, five in coach and 2 in first class. With only four people trying to fly standby (non-revs), it was as close to a sure thing as it could be.

But things changed. By Saturday morning, it looked like this:

So we didn’t bother packing.

But over the course of Saturday, it must have changed five time, from six seats available, all the way down to minus one, meaning the flight was overbooked.

What could be going on to make it change so much, just one day before departure?

“Honey, yes I’m still at the office. We’re way behind, and I’m going to have to work the weekend. Can you break it to the kids, and call the airline to move our reservation up until Tuesday? By then we’ll either have the deal or it’ll be gone forever.

“Are you okay? Thank god? What happened?… Slid off the road on the ice?… I don’t care about the car, just so long as you’re all right….Keep you overnight for observation? I’ll be there as fast as I can. Yes, I’ll be careful

We’re going to visit Grandma??!! Yaaayy…..

“I’ll bet you thought I forgot Valentine’s day, right? Well open this.”<sound of tearing paper> She opens the card. “We’re going back home for a week?! And First Class?!” <sound of smooching> “I love you”

“I know. But she was ninety-three; she lived a long wonderful life. And she went in her sleep. What more could anyone ask?… Of course we’ll be there – Diane’s making the reservations now.

Zero seats open. The plane holds 157 people. There are eight inches of snow on the ground–bound to be a few no-shows.

Let’s head to the airport!