well it was no picnic trying to get out of EZE. Fortunately, with ExpertFlyer and great help from the SE desk, I finally got answers and made other arrangements flying out on Continental Business First (cannot hold a candle to AC's Exec First on this route) to Houston then on AC to Calgary. Thanks to Sandra for the assistance1^

Otherwise we wouldn't have been leaving EZE until 3 AM on Monday and econo on that 767 no less-at first we didn't even have guaranteed seats.

Oh well got to spend another day in EZE and eat again at Lila's. Information flow at AC is terrible though as even the SE agents couldn't get info and were misinformed. The people in EZE had computers that were out etc.

Glad to be sitting in IAH President's Club right now and heading home in a couple of hours after shopping at the outlet malls with our 11 hour layover (another story since we could have made the early AC flight but 60 minutes prior is cutoff and we showed at 50 (after a bit of running). Oh well life is good--hopefully Chile will recover quickly--on my list of other countries to visit after we do a couple of more trips to Argentina.

Since the earthquake took precedence my question about compensation for the initial bird strike delay still stands unanswered. In a way I feel lucky to have not been in SCL with earthquake etc and know AC's operational problems as a result. However, with poor info flow from Air Canada, I feel some compensation is in order for the now 36 hour delay in getting home.