I got interviewed by a local TV news reporter last week.
Why? Well, I flew from the MSP airport to the Santa Barbara, CA airport (SBA). I went to California to help my 94-year-old parents with some issues they were having. It was a short-notice trip, and my wife booked my flight for me.
Whenever we can, we fly on Sun Country airlines. It's a local no-frills, budget airline in the Twin Cities that flies a few routes every day. Usually, I fly to LAX. But, Sun Country has one flight a day back and forth between MSP and SBA, but only during the summer months. So, my wife booked me on that flight, which eliminates a terrible traffic problem in Los Angeles. Both L.A. and Santa Barbara are about 50 miles from my home town and my parents. Driving a rental car from LAX always takes a minimum of 2 hours, and often more. Driving from Santa Barbara always takes about an hour and is much less stressful.
OK, but what about that interview? Well, after landing, I stepped out of the Santa Barbara terminal to reestablish the nicotine level in my bloodstream while waiting for my checked bag and before getting my rental car. (Note: SBA is a small airport, so the baggage claim is in the same room as the car rental desks.)
While I was outside, having a smoke, I noticed a reporter and camera person from a local TV station. The reporter approached me and asked if I had just come off the MSP to SBA flight. I said that I had. So, he asked me if I'd mind appearing on the local news. It seems that the flight I was on was the first Sun Country flight of the year from MSP to SBA. I agreed to do it, and got asked why I was coming to Santa Barbara that day, so I briefly explained.
They didn't air my interview, because I wasn't really coming to Santa Barbara and wasn't really a tourist. Apparently the story was about tourism bringing money into town in airplanes. My reason for flying between the two places wouldn't do Santa Barbara much good, I guess. The reporter also didn't ask my opinion about Donald Trump, unfortunately. I have some words to say about that, too. So, I went back into the terminal, grabbed my bag, rented my car, and drove that hour to the assisted living facility where my parents are now living. I'm still not a TV celebrity, I guess.
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