In the loop: Missed flight

Hi, my name is Jarden I work a 9 to 5 and presently transitioning to Cybersecurity. Hmm… I guess everyone has a flight plan gone wrong story – kinda, lol – guilty, yeah, I missed my flight.

So, I  had been looking forward to this trip to Kenya for the African Tech Conference, set to fly out, packed and ready to go until Amaka’s message came in. Amaka, a beautiful ex-girlfriend lives an hour away from the airport. We had met three years back through a mutual friend, and we had hit it off immediately. As the day of my flight approached, I found myself spending more and more time with Amaka. It was as though her comeback was revenge on every Valentine’s trip promise unfulfilled.

On the morning of my flight, I woke up late, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. I had promised that I would spend the morning with her before heading to the airport. We had fun, I lost track of time and the rest is history. Before I knew it, the hours had slipped away, and I was running seriously late.

I jumped out of bed, grabbed my bag, and rushed out the door, promising Amaka that I would call her as soon as landed. Her eyes gave her out, you could tell something was up.

As I sped towards the airport, my anxiety grew. I knew I was cutting it close, and the thought of missing my flight was looming large. If I had a delay, my watch read 10 minutes, yet safe. Upon arrival at the airport, I was greeted with the unwelcome news that my flight had departed thirty minutes earlier.

Beyond devastated. I had never missed a flight before, and I didn’t know what to do. I felt frustrated, angry, and disappointed in myself; all of this for … I stood at the airport, feeling defeated, I realised that I had let my desire for Amaka cloud my judgment.

But as I took a deep breath and began to think clearly, I remembered that missing a flight wasn’t the end of the world. I quickly pulled out my phone and began to make calls.

First, I contacted Tobi, one of the sharks from TravelTank to explain the situation and see if she could rebook me on the next available flight. I was relieved to find that she was able to accommodate me.

Next, Tobi contacted my hotel to let them know that I would be arriving later than expected. She also reached out to the conference organisers to apologise for the delay and let them know that I would be arriving as soon as possible.

As I waited for my new flight, I took the opportunity to reflect on my experience and realised that while missing a flight was inconvenient, it wasn’t a disaster. I also acknowledged that my desire for Amaka was a distraction, and I vowed to be more mindful of my priorities in the future.

When I finally arrived at my destination, I was a little wiser and a little more cautious. I knew that sometimes, things don’t go as planned, but with the right attitude and a clear head, I can overcome even the most frustrating setbacks.

As for Amaka, while she was an attractive and charming woman, she wasn’t worth risking my responsibilities and commitments; of course, it was premeditated – ‘Dear, Jarden, I hope you missed your flight. Payback for the over a million times you promised a romantic getaway. Travel is my love language; it’s not a luxury. Only if you prioritise my needs you would know.’

Are you like Jarden? Have you made certain decisions that have cost you your travel arrangements? Sometimes, it’s necessary to make sacrifices and put your goals first. Most times, it’s great having a Tobi in your corner (07000202020) even when things don’t go as planned, you can always find a way to move forward and make the most of the situation.

Do you think Jarden is playing the blame game? Or did Amaka seem unfair? Watch out for Part 2 where Amaka will present her side of her story.