And the title of best bbq in Lindbergh Int'l Airport goes to . . .

No doubt at some point in your life, you have experienced a significant flight delay -- most likely due to weather. After an early arrival from LAX to SAN, we were immediately notified of a ground delay in effect for our next leg from SAN to SFO. San Francisco has notoriously foggy weather and someone had evidently sneezed and the fog rolled in. When this occurs, it increases the workload on controllers, who are now limited to just 2 of 4 runways and aircraft are forced into holding patterns.

Meanwhile in San Diego, we were held to a ground delay with at least an hour until we would be given any updates. While perhaps frustrating to a passenger, this gave me an opportunity. It was originally supposed to be a quick turn of the aircraft of just 30 mins. Now I had some time to at least find a bathroom and even feed myself.

While I did my post-flight walk-around of the aircraft, the captain and flight attendant went to get food of their own. The aircraft cannot remain unattended for more than five minutes, so I babysat the CRJ until they returned. This gave me time to snap a little cockpit selfie sporting my pink tie for breast cancer awareness. When the rest of the crew came back, I went into the terminal to see what my options were. Immediately I saw a bbq place . . . and continued to walk down the terminal. I walked passed a stand serving the famous donuts from Donut Bar from a previous adventure. As appealing as this was, my mother's voice echoed in my head on how donuts are not an appropriate lunch.

I nearly walked the length of the terminal and nothing was appealing to me, so I doubled back to Phil's BBQ to give it a shot.


While I do enjoy a good bbq, I tend to be a bit particular about where I get it. The San Diego Airport terminal didn't strike me as the place to get fine bbq, but maybe they can surprise me. I ordered a bbq chicken sandwich with potato and mac salad on the side. I returned to the plane just in time to hear clearance lift the ground delay. Passengers would be boarding in five minutes. I looked at my massive bbq chicken sandwich and dove in.


Fear struck in. Passengers were mere minutes away from loading up and potentially seeing one of their pilots welcoming them onboard with a cocktail of potato salad and a bbq sauce all over my face.  I polished it off with not a minute to spare. How was it? Alright. Flavorful. I honestly don't even remember it that well. All I know is that all of my speed eating efforts were in vain. After half the passengers had loaded, clearance gave us another call telling us that there was another delay of about 45 minutes. Alright, everybody back out! I could have enjoyed the meal after all, but now all I was left with was indigestion.