Trip 2 - Day 4-10 hr flight+JFK=Nightmare

I booked Delta/Aeroflot to Moscow (SVO) this trip (same as my first trip).  I left Detroit with a 5 hour layover in JFK.  No problem, I hung out with the other family that was traveling with my agency.  We had an awesome chat and I left them as they were on the Delta flight.  i would have gone Delta but with the last minute ticket purchase the fare went much higher than their Aeroflot partner.  So I left to Terminal 1 by foot... yes folks it is faster to go from Terminal 2 to terminal 1 and vice versa BY FOOT.  Remember this... it is important later.

So I arrived to Aeroflot's complete disorganized mess of a check in process (they have to reprint your boarding pass)... went thru security and sat at the gate for a good long time... the flight was great... the guy who was sitting next to me... his in-seat entertainment unit didn't work so he asked to move.... wa-la, SPACE!  Mind you the Russian airplane does not have the same amount of room that American plans do... they cram more people in theirs. Once over the ocean I took a good long power nap, after my 2 hours of sleep that night, it was a great flight and we arrived without a hitch.  After grabbing my luggage, I met the driver and I was off to see my sweet boy.

Now on the return it goes a little differently.  On the way back to the airport... it was again rainy and dreary.  But it mirrored how I was feeling...  I sat in my seat next to a nice guy who actually spoke English, I proceeded to doze for about 45 minutes or so even though I slept only 2 hours that night too.... but that was my fault because I took a nap in the afternoon.  We arrived to JFK right on time... yay for connection time.  I would have time to walk around and get my blood flowing again.  We taxied for 15 minutes; I joked and said I feel like we are driving here from Moscow.  Russian announcement and BAM, you will be sitting on the ramp for about 15 minutes.  Darn it!  I so want to get up...  I have been sitting for 10 hours in a very small space where my knees touch the back of the seat in front of me.  15 minutes passed and a second announcement... we are going to move; however, we will be moving to a holding position to wait an additional 30 minutes...  then another 15 minutes... our wheels hit pavement at 4:35 PM and it was now 6:00 pm.  We moved and pulled to the gate....  I moved like a girl on fire...  I just wanted to be able to hug and kiss my sweet Elina and Connor.  I jogged to Immigration, hit the restroom (because I knew bags would take a minute to roll in)... grabbed my bag and cleared Customs... next baggage re-check for Aeroflot.  It is 6:18 pm, my flight is at 7:05 pm from Terminal 2 and I am in Terminal 1.  The young guy behind the counter denies me my connection, says I won't make it...  I tell him I am familiar with the airport and that I will make it... he tells me to proceed to the Aeroflot ticket counter to be rebooked...  it is the last Delta flight of the evening to Detroit...  I do not want to be stuck in JFK.  I turn to him and say, "Fine don't check my bag...  I will take it with me and re-check it at Delta.”  I proceed out of Terminal 1 walk as fast as possible to Terminal 2 with a checked bag, carry-on bag, purse and backpack... walk in the door and only see stairs and not the elevator and escalator (I don't feel I had time to find it)...  I grab my bags and trudge up the stairs...  I am now a sweaty mess!  I see a Delta red Coat and ask him to connect my bag... he told me to go quickly thru the TSA Checkpoint...  I divest while the Officer checks my passport shoes off, lap top out, pockets empty and bam toss things into trays and I am thru and i am still in "moving mode"... I see the door open for the jetbridge and I am there breathless but standing there... melting... and I say can I still make my flight?  The gate supervisor looks at me and says, "Ma'am, we haven't even begun boarding yet.”  I wanted to fall the floor and laugh hysterically... like a lunatic.  Nice job Aeroflot!  JFK is such a mess, thank God Immigration and Customs was empty and that I had made that connection before so I knew where I needed to go!