My flight to Raleigh last Sunday was pretty long, like 24 hours in a row. I had to stay more than five hours at JFK Airport in New York, but I eventually survived. At the end of the day it was nothing compared to my return trip though. Read on.

My plan is the same and departure from Raleigh is set to 4:55 PM, although the first-leg aircraft is twenty minutes late and I am put on the backup list to board a different one at JFK, because it's too tight and I can't make it. Everything is fine. Luggage is checked-in, last goodbye to my colleagues and I am sitting at the gate. Now the fun part starts. Main actors: delayed plane, gate change and bathrooms. And the result? Oh yeah, I missed plane from Raleigh to JFK.

All right, let me review things. Looking out of the window on the delayed Embraer rolling to JFK with my luggage. I am finding the nearest desk and I am very fortunate. A willing madam finds a way to get he home after twenty minutes of airport "programming". Okay! The plan is Atlanta - Paris - Prague without any penalty. Don't ask how much time it is, but for non-residents - Atlanta is the other way than Czech Republic.

Atlanta is a huge and nice airport, actually the busiest in the world. Let me tell you, I spent some time there. It is located seven miles (11 km) south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It has been the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic and number of landings and take-offs since 1999, serving 89 million passengers per year. The airport is the primary hub of AirTran Airways, Delta Air Lines, and Delta Connection partner Atlantic Southeast Airlines; the Delta hub is the world's largest airline. [*]

Aéroport Paris-Charles de Gaulle is one of the world's principal aviation centres, as well as France's largest airport. It is named after Charles de Gaulle (1890–1970), leader of the Free French Forces and founder of the French Fifth Republic. It is located within portions of several communes, 25 km to the northeast of Paris. The airport serves as the principal hub for Air France. [*] Frankly, I did not enjoy D2 terminal there, very long walk from my arrival point, quite over-crowded and I was not able to feed myself there. I ended up with a stale sandwich, a cookie and some coffee. Fortunately it was fine. Had much of it.

I am not there yet! My last leg touches down exactly 28 minutes before last connection departs to my final destination. During this period I have to run out the aircraft, fill forms at baggage claims, catch the bus and the train. Luckily I did it and arrived home at Saturday 0:01 AM.

End of the story? My luggage landed in Prague the day after and I could only read from the stickers some Dutchmen were handling it (Amsterdam). Thank you KLM, thank you Delta and thank you madam. I mean seriously, good work after one guy sent his piece on the delayed plane the other way he eventually boarded. Taking off my hat!

My door-to-door time bill is 27 hours non-stop. My personal best. By the way I can't sleep in aircrafts, trains, vehicles and such things.

[*] - Taken from wikipedia.