Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Travel&Dining > TravelBuzz
Reload this Page >

The dumbest travel-related mistake you ever made?

The dumbest travel-related mistake you ever made?

Old Aug 8, 2009, 7:46 pm
  #16  
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: yyz
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 424
Originally Posted by Policypeddler
tfar said he/she went to airport one day early. I digress and go off subject...I had a friend who prepped for a colonoscopy. Next day went to hospital and was told he was a day early. Hilarious!
For those of you who have never had a colonoscopy take my word for it - the prep is far worse than the actual procedure!
Fionaussie likes this.
Gogie is offline  
Old Aug 8, 2009, 8:01 pm
  #17  
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: No longer loyal "over-entitled" 1K
Posts: 3,820
Purchased two tickets for AAA-BBB-CCC.
AAA-BBB was on award ticket and BBB-CCC was on paid ticket.
I booked AAA-BBB a couple of days after BBB-CCC and didn't realized the fact 'till the day before BBB-CCC flight.
AAA-BBB was almost sold out in Y on all carriers; I purchased one way AAA-BBB in Y for around $1,200 as I had to be in CCC for that day.
In the end, everything worked out fine as I was able to change my award F ticket as award inventory opened up at the last minute and I was able to do 24 hour cancel on UA.
kkjay77 is offline  
Old Aug 8, 2009, 8:34 pm
  #18  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott Gold: Hilton Gold
Posts: 535
Talking

Was destined to Tampa, but got on a flight to Orlando (this was 3 years ago, mind you). After landing I stood at the baggage carousel and when my luggage didnt show up (they were in Tampa), I trudged over to the lost luggae counter to complain. Thats when I figured out I was in the wrong place.
Dan_E is offline  
Old Aug 8, 2009, 9:33 pm
  #19  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Seoul (GMP/RKSS) HNL/PHNL
Programs: A3 *G, fmr DL PM
Posts: 404
I once missed the last flight 5J flight from CEB to MNL because I decided to hang around the Maribago Bluewater Resort a little bit longer to have a lobster dinner. Now mind you, I never eat lobster, but since I had been drinking I decided to have them pull one out of the aquarium. I devoured every last morsel and left for the airport about 1+15 prior to my flight. Halfway during the 20 minute taxi ride, my stomach starts unfurling. I get to the airport with about 10 minutes to check in (Cebu Pacific closes the check-in around 0+45 prior) and while I am unloading my luggage I just can't hold it anymore. I sprint to the toilet, but it is too late, as I cross the door threshold to the mens room, my stomach just explodes. 4500 peso $102 lobster, down the drain. (ok, it didnt even make it down the drain)

I head into the stall to plastic bag my poor shorts and change into something else. Meanwhile, I get to the counter at :43 minutes before departure and am DENIED. They already had given my seat to someone else.

pwned!
fiveninerzero is offline  
Old Aug 8, 2009, 9:37 pm
  #20  
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: YVR
Programs: AC E75, SPG Plat, HH peon-by-choice (ex Gold)
Posts: 8,090
Similar experience to others...

Took a flight that landed in the next time zone. Since many of us fly so much, I forgot this city was 1 hr ahead. I was working on my laptop and got to the gate at what I thought to be 45 min early. Absolutely nobody around. I went to the service desk and they nicely pointed out my blunder.
Braindrain is offline  
Old Aug 8, 2009, 10:46 pm
  #21  
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
Three years I got to LAX early for a LAX-BOS flight. The boarding pass printed out with Gate 40B as my gate. After sitting at the Admirals Club for a few hours I walked out and went down to gate 40B without checking the gate screen. Even though the boaridng pass machine beeped and said "Wrong Dest" I was still allowed on board. After twenty minutes I noticed a girl next to me wearing a Yankees hat prompting me to say to her "that's a dangerous hat to be wearing to Boston". She gave me a strange look and said "this plane is going to Miami". I ran off the plane and found out the BOS flight was now at 40A. Luckily I made it (though I had to gate check my bag)...though it was pretty stupid.

My Father once showed up at EWR for his EWR-RDU flight not realzing he had booked a JFK-RDU flight that day. He had to take an $80 cab ride and ending up just making it.
CMK10 is offline  
Old Aug 8, 2009, 10:56 pm
  #22  
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: AA LT PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,564
Originally Posted by CMK10
Three years I got to LAX early for a LAX-BOS flight. The boarding pass printed out with Gate 40B as my gate. After sitting at the Admirals Club for a few hours I walked out and went down to gate 40B without checking the gate screen. Even though the boaridng pass machine beeped and said "Wrong Dest" I was still allowed on board. After twenty minutes I noticed a girl next to me wearing a Yankees hat prompting me to say to her "that's a dangerous hat to be wearing to Boston". She gave me a strange look and said "this plane is going to Miami". I ran off the plane and found out the BOS flight was now at 40A. Luckily I made it (though I had to gate check my bag)...though it was pretty stupid.

My Father once showed up at EWR for his EWR-RDU flight not realzing he had booked a JFK-RDU flight that day. He had to take an $80 cab ride and ending up just making it.
That was my fate as well in the story I posted above (1st reply). On the bright side, they did get us on the next flight out and put us in 1st class...so the $100 cab fare wasn't really for nothing. Turned out to be a great flight so now I just laugh about it.
broadwayblue is offline  
Old Aug 8, 2009, 10:59 pm
  #23  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 107
Flew through PHL once on US, had a connection to the west coast. The boarding area was chock full with people for the previous flight, so wandered down about 100 ft to another empty gate area, sat down, and promptly fell asleep. My flight was a 6pm, boards at 5:30, I woke up at 5:50. Scuttered down to the gate, but the door had been closed. The GA said, "we paged you!"

I spluttered, "but I was just over there," pointing at the spot I had been asleep. "Oh," she said, "the intercom over there is busted."

D.o.h.

Had to spend the night in DEN. Where the seats do not have movable armrests. Sucked.
rh314 is offline  
Old Aug 9, 2009, 12:57 am
  #24  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Traveling the World
Posts: 6,066
Forgot my CDs for the flight

Well I was on a long flight without any good entertainment and I wish I brought my CDs. Well in the end I bought some new Cds for my return flight but the flight going was sooooo long without my music.
danielonn is offline  
Old Aug 9, 2009, 1:50 am
  #25  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Berlin and Buggenhagen, Germany
Posts: 3,509
Originally Posted by Policypeddler
tfar said he/she went to airport one day early. I digress and go off subject...I had a friend who prepped for a colonoscopy. Next day went to hospital and was told he was a day early. Hilarious!
tfar is a man. His name is Till. That's why he signs his posts with that name.

Look up "Till Eulenspiegel".

I love the stories. Thanks to all for sharing.

Till
Fionaussie likes this.
tfar is offline  
Old Aug 9, 2009, 3:30 am
  #26  
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: dfw
Programs: AA EXP/MM, HGP ♦; former elite in Hilton, Marriott & DL (just under MM thanks to Leo)
Posts: 415
Originally Posted by Braindrain
...Took a flight that landed in the next time zone. Since many of us fly so much, I forgot this city was 1 hr ahead. I was working on my laptop and got to the gate at what I thought to be 45 min early.
Similar too, higher stakes but better outcome.

After I moved station to DFW, I flew DFW-ATL-KOA and had a nice 2 hour layover in the crown room. I was connecting to a boat on arrival to Kona. So lucky me, I used system wide upgrades and was 1st the whole way to Hawaii. The bad news was that I had become very used to flying through ATL all in the Eastern Time Zone (never a time zone change). So there I am sipping bloody marys surfing the internet and I look at my computer clock. Good, just about an hour to go. Stomach sinks before brain kicks in (too much cheap vodka?) and bamm! I'm out of my chair and running across the lounge before anybody had a chance to see the horror look on my face. The gate was literaly just below the T-gate lounge and I run up and say "Did I miss it?". The GA smiles and says, "So you are here. We gave up after paging you for 15 minutes, the flight is closing in 10 seconds." "Uhm, can I board?" "Sure, your seat is still there, have a great flight and next time be more careful." Another GA followed me down to the plane and literally closed the flight after I boarded.

Well, my window seat had been claimed by a family of 5 that wanted to seat their two boys together. "Is it ok, they never flew over water before..." The flight crew was clearly in final prep so I said, "sure"-- yup, thats the penalty for such a rookie mistake and I gladly took my substituted middle section seat with a smile, at just under 4 minutes after that "one hour to go" time check.
traveling_again is offline  
Old Aug 9, 2009, 4:07 am
  #27  
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: sydney
Posts: 131
I once booked an award flight Sydney to Brisbane. Went to OLCI the night before, and couldnt. A bit of checking revealed that my flight had already left that night. I thought that I had checked my booking several times but had booked the day earlier than I wanted. I had to book an expensive last minute fare. Luckily I didnt lose my original return flight.
grozzy is offline  
Old Aug 9, 2009, 4:18 am
  #28  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: London, U.K.
Programs: bmi British Midland International Diamond Club
Posts: 3,368
My noobishness when I was younger

Flying LHR-FRA-HKG when I was 20 I remember almost missing my connection because I forgot FRA was an hour ahead of London.

Flying LHR-NRT-LHR and never collected miles despite having an eligible fare and being a member of a FFP (d'oh!) That's almost 12,000 miles!
Strawb is offline  
Old Aug 9, 2009, 5:58 am
  #29  
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA LT Gold; BA Silver; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,081
Two more mistakes, one recent, one ancient history:

In 1986, I was in Brussels on business and somehow got it in my head that my flight home was at 1 PM. I got to the airport and found that it was an 11 AM flight and it was gone. At the time, Turkish Airlines flew nonstop to EWR from BRU and their flight was running late. Using a mixture of English and high-school French, I got myself onto the flight. They wanted the equivalent of $250. Cash. No receipt. I got a cash advance form an ATM and was on my way. Perfectly nice flight.

Last month we got back from Scotland and I could not find my passport. I'm usually very careful about putting it into the same place any time I get it out. Searched logical places several times. No luck, and we're leaving for Croatia on September 5. I applied for a new one and paid through the nose (expediting fee, express postage since she said expedited passports were taking 2-3 weeks). Found my passport 2 days later. New one arrived in exactly one week.

Well, I'd felt bad about losing a passport with 3 Indian visas, a Russian one, and miscellaneous stamps from all over. It was good to have it back even though I can't use it anymore- bureaucrat made me fill out a Lost Passport form when I applied for the new one.
Athena53 is offline  
Old Aug 9, 2009, 6:30 am
  #30  
In memoriam
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: IAD, BOS, PVD
Programs: UA, US, AS, Marriott, Radisson, Hilton
Posts: 7,203
No serious effects, but some maximal idiocy.
time zone stupidity
Had a great drunken dinner with FTers who shall remain unnamed and then went
into the usual coma; woke up just in time to get to CDG, where I was informed
that I'd damned well better hurry, as the plane was about to go. I'd forgotten that
European daylight savings time doesn't coincide with the US variety.

garden variety stupidity
At IAD, 12:32 pm, bright sunny April day.

- Hi, I'm here for the 2:20 to MHT, and the machine won't check me in.
- We don't have a 2:20 to MHT.

Turns out that was the arrival time. Sked departure was 12:55. This was back
when 1K meant 1K, and even though the agent couldn't give me a boarding pass,
she gave me a DM card with the instructions to run. Got through security in
seconds, into the mobile lounge at 12:37 (the display said "leaving in 0:08"),
at the gate at 12:46, on the plane at 12:47.

Originally Posted by Policypeddler
tfar said he/she went to airport one day early. I digress and go off
subject...I had a friend who prepped for a colonoscopy. Next day went to hospital and
was told he was a day early. Hilarious!
Hilarious, eh I prepped for mine, got up bright and early, hopped the subway
(the Brig is really easy to get to by subway), and discovered there was a
service disruption. Spent $50 on a cab only to discover that the doc's office
had failed to call in the order at all! Turns out, though, that there was another
guy with the exact same problem booked at the exact same time, and we
tag-team fussed at the rather put-upon res person (it wasn't her fault), and
somehow we both got scheduled for that day after all.
violist is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.