Flying from CBR in 3 mins time heading to MEL-DOH-EDI. Local QR called this morning to say it wasn’t going (fair enough), and offered to change flights up to 14 days from now or a refund (no thanks, I live in the uk and need to get home).

offer me a telephone number 2 and half hours on hold going nowhere, live chat (turned off), callback (disabled), and even an online call (even though logged in, it says it’s only for Privilege Club members).

When I try to change online, a change to Friday (earliest I reckon Anne normal schedule will run) is available and cheaper than today’s flights. When selected it says ‘grand, that’ll be £836 in change fees please).

I’m truly baffled. Disruotion is normal for airlines. Remote working is normal too. There’s a scale issue, sure, but why not a loaded playbook that lets me enter a code or pre-approve flights for lax departing within x hours.

I’m sure I’ll get a comment that says first world problem or something now, but really, all those choices and none of them operable … that’s vanity, not sanity.

Edit: as th time has passed the departure time for my first flight, I can’t even pay the ludicrous change fee if I wanted as it blocks all access now.