No, I would respectfully say that the
real question is "WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot, United?"
So originally I had a UA flight TPE->NRT and a UA flight NRT->HNL, both on 12 March. I get notice yesterday that the TPE-NRT flight was CXL, and I was rebooked on an ANA flight departing 12 March at 0900 as opposed to the original 1030. I got to TPE this morning (12March) and the nice people at the ANA checkin desk informed me that my ANA flight is actually on 13March, but I still have the 12March UA flight NRT->HNL.
So I call the 1K desk. Wait on hold for 18 minutes and get an Indian CSR. She notices that I am talking international flights and puts me on hold for a further 5 minutes, at which point I get an eastern European CSR. After a little explanation (she asks at one point "so, you want to fly from Hawaii to Tokyo?"), she says "Oh ... uh oh ... hold on ..." and I wait for a further 4 minutes.
Then she comes back and says there's nothing she can do, she cant get me out of TPE today because it will take 24 hours to confirm a flight on another carrier and United will not pay for a hotel after dorking up my reservations and making me stay in TPE another day.
NOTE: I was carefully slow, courteous and clear the entire time. I was *not* a d1ck, altho I think I would have had justification for being one....
So I ask to speak to a supe, and - wouldn't you know it - I get cut off. Go figure.
So I call back, and after an additional 8 minutes on hold, I speak to an American CSR who, after examining the problem, books me on the 12Mar ANA flight (today's flight: the one I
thought I was on to begin with) and sends me on my way. So much for that "24 hours to confirm on another carrier" stuff. I check in and board at the last possible second and I am now writing this from the ANA lounge in NRT.
So all's well that ends well, I guess, except lucky for me that I'm a 1K and eventually got connected to a CSR with a clue. Otherwise I'd be footing the bill for a hotel in Taipei and cursing the new United even more than I am.
Flight changes backward in time - another change we're gonna like.
