Some GREAT updates due to travel SNAFUS:

1. My night at the Kempinski in Munich did not happen. I booked a very low rate ($494 all in) through Amoma. As some of you may know, amoma went out of business. Even though I prepaid the entire amount on 3/30/19, apparently amoma never paid this onward to the hotel and as they received no $ they cancelled my reservation less than a week before my scheduled arrival during the start of Oktoberfest...lovely. I got ZERO notice of this. Luckily I asked my TA if he could take over control of the booking and add select benefits to it, and the hotel informed HIM it had been cancelled and the best rate they could offer was roughly 2x the price. Thankfully my buddy and I were able to extend our stay at The Westin by one night. Even though it's a dump of a hotel, it was a roof over our heads, didn't require a move and wasn't horribly priced. I guess now I will have to fight with my bank to get the amoma $ back.

2. On the back end of Oktoberfest, I was scheduled to fly MUC-LHR-KWI in BA J on an avios award. About 16hrs before the flight, BA cancelled it due to weather. They rebooked me on what I assumed was the only other MUC-LHR flight that day, some 6 hours after my scheduled flight. When I got to the airport I saw there were in fact earlier BA flights with seats, but they were unable to change my ticket and get me out early. Of course, my new flight was delayed and eventually the updated arrival time was about 18 minutes before the LHR-KWI departure, and it became clear I wouldn't make the connection. After 30-40m on hold I got a BA agent who told me phone agents can't rebook on non-partners and to find an airport agent. There was no one to be found. At the 11th hour, I located two BA FA's walking with a girl in a dirindl and explained my situation. The girl in the dirindl told me it was impossible and the phone center had to do it. I told her the phone center said the opposite. She told me she wasn't even regular full time BA and didn't think it was possible, but she'd try for me. We walked over to the gate, she set down the pack of Marlboro Menthols she'd been carrying and a few keystrokes later, BAM! I had ticket #s for EY. She encouraged me to take a picture of the info on the screen, then walk to T2 to check-in to EY. Somehow it all worked and so that portion of the trip is now MUC-AUH-KWI in EY J. Lousy seats since I had last choice, but it beats being stranded in LHR.

I will write some longer updates from Kuwait and Bahrain. I'd planned to catch up from the 7 hour layover in LHR today, but things rarely go as planned. Lots of moving pieces this summer (although I guess now it's fall, as we're past Sept. 23!).