This blog update should have been written in Singapore, but I am still in Chicago. The travel angels are not with me on this trip, at least not yet.

My plane from Chicago to Singapore via Hong Kong decided to throw a wobbly. Something to do with the fuel pump not working. Lots of revving of engines and mechanics, but the gist was the same. We ain’t going anywhere. Usual problems, that even if they managed to fix or replace the pump the crew would be out of flying hours so they cancelled the flight! Ironic really, since our last edition of Business Traveller looked at how airlines decide to cancel flights when things go wrong. Well, they are going wrong for me on this trip.

I have had to spend another night in Chicago, which I was rather pleased about, since it is one of my favourite cities. I think it is magnificent place. I especially love the way people actually live downtown. It gives a great feeling to the city.

Shame today it is more windy than warm. Oh, and that I don't have my suitcase. O'Hare airport was also having a bad day so it was going to be impossible to get our luggage back. Good old Macy's! Look out United, you’re getting a bill for underwear, a pair of socks and a clean T-shirt. (Well, would you want to sit next to me on a 15-hour flight when I'm wearing clothes I've sweated in for the previous 36 hours?)

My situation gets worse. I checked back into my hotel (thank you Park Hyatt, I do prefer green apples to red ones) and my laptop decided it would join the United fuel pump and refuse to work. The laptop has done sterling service having racked up well over a quarter of a million miles with me. Our tech guys response to my predicament sums up my feeling: "It had a good innings. I guess this is an appropriate answer in the baseball city of Chicago.

Anyway, I am now flying to Singapore via Tokyo Narita and doing my best to keep cheerful without laptop. So, poor me, I guess I will just have to watch movies, read a book, sleep and eat more food. I can tell the boss: “Honest guv'nor, I'd have worked much harder on the plane, but what could I do? My laptop died!” I know. Dreadful isn't it. Oooh, the canapés look tasty... I'll have another instead.

Richard Quest, CNN, stuck in Chicago, en route to Singapore, without my laptop.

Posted by Richard Quest: 1:27 PM

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