LAX shooting

[4 Deuces]

So sad what happened at LAX.  I was returning from a cruise and was on the cruise bus returning to the airport at 9:30 AM.  We were almost there and the couple I was traveling with said, "wow, we made good time."  Then, all traffic came to a stop.  We spotted 6 helicopters above the tarmac and realized something wasn't right.  After sitting at a stop light for nearly an hour, the bus driver finally found a parking lot next to the airport to stop the bus and let us all out.  By then, we were getting reports that the airport most likely wouldn't be open for hours.  My noon flight was already cancelled.  We heard a TSA agent was shot, first in the leg, then killed ... lots of mixed stories.  People were walking the streets with their luggage because they were evacuated from the airport.  Traffic was gridlocked.  Cars were trying to back up from the overpass leading to the airport.  Even Princess Cruiseline was out of options.  They offered to take the bus to the Marriott because there was a back way in.  They also offered driving to another airport, such as Ontario or Burbank.  I tried calling several airlines and hotels and the phones rang busy.  I knew at that point that options were limited and I didn't want to spend the night in the parking lot.

Luck was with me (not on the cruise casino of course).  The parking lot was right next to Avis car rental.  For $25, I rented a one-way SUV to Vegas and drove the other couple back to McCarran to their vehicle.  I was home by 5:00 PM, one hour after LAX finally opened.  Over 750 flights affected and the airport was 8 hours behind.  I would have most likely had to have stayed over night.

While I may have been slightly inconvenienced and ended the cruise with a 4.5 hour drive, I was actually very lucky.  I missed the event by about 20 minutes.  It could have been worse.  And nothing I went through could compare to the TSA employees, particularly the family who lost their family member.

If any one else was affected or knew any of the TSA employees hurt by the shooting, my thoughts are with you at this difficult time.