Boarding passes

When we checked in at SFO, the AA rep told us that we had to get boarding passes from Thai Airways for the LAX to Bangkok leg of the journey. After we deplaned at LAX, we headed straight to the Thai checkin counter.

We stood in line with other passengers and then were quickly ushered into a separate line for passengers who had no baggage to check in. Service was extremely slow and we waited for an hour and a half for an agent to help us. We finally got our boarding passes and headed for security.

The flight was scheduled to leave at 10:30 p.m. but that time came and went with no sign of activity at the gate. The flight info on the screen above the gate changed to announce a Qantas flight. Femme asked a gate agent if the flight had been delayed. The agent insisted that the flight was on time even though it was well after 11 p.m.

We waited some more and observed another gate agent checking if passengers had filled out the emergency contact info on their boarding passes. The Thai passengers had a hard time understanding English and were at a loss to understand what the agent wanted them to do. Eventually the conversation ended with a busy exchange of sign language.

As the clock struck 11:15 p.m. a few folks formed a line in front of the gate and were soon joined by others. Standing out in the crowd were a couple who wore wide brim hats with colorful ribbons around them. The hats seemed out of place, but provided some levity.

At 11:20 p.m. the gate agent finally announced that boarding was to commence causing a commotion as people rushed to the gate. We finally took off at 11:30 on a 17 hour journey that was to take us to Bangkok.