Skywest out of LAX was delayed for me on Wednesday evening last week. That’s a standard risk taking scheduled flights late in the evening, of course, as delays rack up through the day. And of course a brief delay on my final connection was the worst thing that happened to me on my way out for the Thanksgiving holiday, even though I flew out of Dulles around 5pm on Wednesday evening (and I know better!).

Surprised when the announcement came on that a scheduled one hour-plus flight wasn’t going to have any beverage service “due to the short duration.” This wasn’t Los Angeles – Orange County (going away early in the New Year) or even LA – Oxnard. And it wasn’t on a turboprop, either. Certainly an hour-long flight on a CRJ can offer limited meal service at least, some water or coke perhaps if not Biscoff cookies? Now, the return flight on an Embraer 120 had drink service, so it’s not policy for the route. Either a lazy flight attendant or Skywest didn’t have catering load drinks. Admittedly the flight was late, but they didn’t do a faster than normal turn so there’s really no excuse.

Then for my return I showed up earlier than necessary, there was no wait at security at all, I had checked in online, and I wasn’t checking bags. And with no lounge at this far out stsation, I was at the gate a full hour before my flight… Just as the previous Los Angeles flight was boarding. “Great,” I thought, “I’ll just pop down to LA an hour early and kill time in the Red Carpet Club instead of sitting here. The Skywest employee working the flight, though, said “sorry — I have to get the paperwork done for this flight, you’re too late.”

Say what? I’m at the gate better than 25 minutes before departure and you won’t add me to a flight with open seats? Heh.

Now, it doesn’t really matter, I have a plenty long connection. But I do believe in getting out to my connecting city earlier rather than later, as you never know what’ll happen to the next flight or to weather. I could have pushed it. But I didn’t, I just let it roll off, and I took a seat. I get my blood boiling enough, and as Joe Brancatelli says, “It doesn’t get any better on the road.” Traveling on amateur day, and as long as I make it where I’m going, I’m just not going to get excited or wave around any shiny cards to get my way today.