Pretty In Pink & A Very Long Day

I checked in exceedingly early for my flight to Chicago. I definitely prefer afternoon flights so I’m not used to driving to work in the dark! It was only getting light as I walked through the terminal. I’ve never seen Terminal 2 at Heathrow with this pink lighting scheme. Is it always like this in the early morning, or is this new? Something for Pinktober?

Today was day 1 of our new fully-merged airline. But I was working with an all United, all London-based crew on a plane that we are used to from our side of the merged airline. So for us today nothing much was different other than our new computer system - we knew there’d be glitches - we just didn’t know WHAT they’d be! So we were short 2 Flight Attendants because the computer system didn’t recognise that they were on sick leave. Thankfully we weren’t totally full so we managed - with a few adaptations!

Today was a rare instance of me having a trip with only a one-way working assignment. I was due to return tomorrow as a passenger. But I took the opportunity to stay in the US and visit family for a few days. So after landing in Chicago I headed to Grand Rapids, Michigan on another flight - one of the little puddle-jumpers. (See first Extra photo) The flight was oversold so I was glad that a few seats opened up and all the employee standby passengers got on.

I’m staying with my cousins, but we made a stop on the way home to briefly see my uncle and aunt. My uncle Dick is my mother’s brother. Eloise is my aunt and she was eager to remind me that she turns 100 in December! They’re both amazing! (See the second Extra photo. I’m the exhausted looking one in the middle! )