We arrived at the Memphis ANG aerial port terminal at 8:03 this morning for a 10:30 roll call for Spangdahlem, Germany flight with 53 tentative seats. There was also an 0800 roll call for a flight to Rota, Spain, again with 53 tentative seats. We passed up the Rota flight feeling confident about being able to manifest through Germany.

We were wrong.

The Rota flight had already taken out its four passengers and our flight was next but the terminal chief  came to tell us that the flight to Germany would not be taking passengers as the plane was fill with mission requirements but that we could still go on to Dover.

Damn.

Then about an hour later, the four passengers who were supposed to be on their way to Rota came back in the room because the plane was having mechanical difficulties and needed a part.

Damn, the bad luck

The terminal chief  then asked us since the plane hadn’t left yet, did we want to go to Spain instead of Germany today? Hell yeah… I’m game for anything in Europe! So we’re were taken off the Dover manifest and manifested on the directed flight to Rota. They are confident they could fix the plane for a 5pm departure and it was now noon. Sounded great so we got permission to run out and grab some lunch as long as we brought it right back in case they were able to get the plane running earlier than anticipated.

No problem, we’ll be right back!

Half an hour later, we’re back at the terminal. But we walked in to several long faces and once again the terminal chief is the bearer of bad news. The Rota flight’s departure has been moved up to Sunday. We could keep our names on it and definitely leave on Sunday but I’m not wanting to go back home and wait until Sunday. So with a no thank you, we asked to be put back in the manifest for Dover flight that was leaving at 1:30, because Dover has a flight heading to Rota, Spain as well today with a 5:15 roll call and we should be touching down in Dover in time to muster for that flight.

Hopefully, there’ll be enough seats for us to make that flight.  We’ll know in approximately two hours