Purim

There is a lot on this board about BA's incompetence on IRROPS and how when things go wrong, boy things go wrong. I think this has much to do with which customer service agent you get - of course, on the phone, if you don't get the response you want, you can politely hang up and try again. But exhausted at the airport, that freedom is not there. But good things do happen.....

So my Lady Wife, 2 toddlers, foetus, 3 suitcases, 2 car seats and a double stroller made the journey from LAX to MUC last Sunday on the last A380 flight from LAX. Avios booking. WT. (Let's have the terrible husband comments in a separate thread, Please). Wife has no status. Flight late into LHR because of thunderstorms Monday afternoon. Much circling above LHR (much wretching on board I am told). Missed connection. In line for re-booking ("80 people in line" - wife taken to shorter line due to kids and foetus. Easy re-book on the last MUC flight. 5 GBP vouchers for all.

MUC flight at 8pm - everyone gets on...sits...waits.....everyone gets off. No one is going anywhere. Mad rush to Customer Service for solutions. Wife told to collect bags. Not at easy proposition given volume and travelling party. But she gets help. Double stroller demolished en route from LAX somehow. Claim form filled out. CS agent realizes that a bus/taxi to Marriot/Hilton not a viable proposition. Sofitel room booked. Everyone bathed and in bed by midnight. Breakfast included. Re-booked on noon-ish flight today. Again, WT. Avios. No status.

Now, of course, for the crowd out there who'll holler - why this post? - BA did exactly what they were supposed to do. Yes, they did. But they did it in a kind, compassionate manner, in circumstances where my wife was not the only one in this predicament, yet she was made to feel that she was the only one in that predicament. And I think the Sofitel was indeed above and beyond. Now, let's see how they deal with the stroller issue....but for the time being, I think a good job by BA