Gate B16

Swiss trains run on time; they just do, except the one that we took on our way to the airport. Running only 5 minutes behind, we didn't have reason to stress, we knew we would make it with plenty of time to spare. However, the next leg of our journey proved to be a different story altogether.

We boarded on time for our 3:00PM departure to Germany and began taxiing towards to runway, until the norm of the instructional safely routine was interrupted by the pilot. Speaking German, I hardly could decipher the words but the reactions of the passengers told me all I needed to know. We were put on hold due to congested air space for 45 minutes; told to sit with engines on until a 3:45PM takeoff. Normally delays do not faze me, but this was different.

I unfortunately knew that Air Berlin only flies to Bangkok once a day, at 5:20PM, exactly one hour after our flight from Zurich was supposed to arrive. Doing some quick math, (I'm fresh out of college remember!) I realized that this 45 minute delay was going to get us into Germany at 5:05PM, 15 minutes before our international flight left for Bangkok!

Two sobering scenarios crept into my head: we make it just in time to board and our luggage stays in Europe or both the luggage and ourselves sleep in Dusseldorf International Airport. Neither was optimal but making that flight is all we could think about.

Thankfully we made up some time during the flight, arriving at 4:50PM. Thirty minutes to make the connection.


A Mad Dash


Once the cabin doors opened, we bolted to the isle of the plane. Sixteen rows from the exit with everyone taking their time unloading luggage. I franticly asked Jackie, what time is it? 4:51PM. Great! 29 minutes to go and we’re still on the plane. After what felt like hours, we made it to the exit ramp of the plane, where I unexpectedly hear “Excuse me! Excuse me! Excuse me!” being shouted. Jackie was barreling through all 16 rows of passengers who had already disembarked the plane with me quickly in tow. Startled looks of confusion abound as we scrambled through what seemed to be all businessmen. No time to care, we were now at a full sprint desperately seeking out signs that pointed towards gate B16: after arriving in terminal A.

We must have run for over a mile and turned this way and that before we came to an abrupt halt at the immigration counter. Out of breath, we attempted to explain our situation to the officer but to no avail. He seemed to enjoy watching us squeam. After examining and reexamining our passports, he stamped our departure. Seeing the gates count down from B1 to B3 to B5 as we ran through the terminal only provided further encouragement to continue running.

Up ahead! B 16! SHIT!! There’s no one here! What does the sign say?! Nothing! Look out the window do you see the plane?! NO! UUGGHH!!!

Quickly, look for a departure board, maybe they changed the gate! After scrambling for a minute we found the board. Flight AB1750 to Bangkok Departing from Gate B18. We still have a chance we thought! The terminal bent sharply to the right, Gate B18 laid right around the corner. Quickly rushing again we rounded the corner in full sprint to see a terminal full of people sitting down and waiting around.




Flight AB1750 to Bangkok, our connection, was delayed.