My week last week was saved by a concierge in Vancouver.
As my flight (luckily Haamer-less, so a 333) landed in YVR, it slowly dawned on me that my wallet was sitting in the backseat of my car.
I had a meeting in SEA the next morning, and one in DTW the next day.
I had no cash.
I had no credit cards.
I had no AE/MP ID.
I had no driver's license.
And to boot, my wallet was sitting, nicely exposed, in the T1 parking lot at YYZ.
This guy sums it all up:
The in-charge summoned the concierge, who came racing across the airport to hear of my dilemna.
In no time at all, the following occurred:
+ a call was placed to the concierge in YYZ that my car key would be incoming on the YVR-YYZ red-eye with instructions to open up my car in the morning, and either hide or grab my wallet.
+ I was able to confirm with the Marriott in SEA that they would let me in without a credit card imprint, as they had my CC on file.
+ The concierge phoned her husband at home, and had him drive in with cash. She then went to the exchange booth, had it changed to US funds, and loaned me (as it turned out, the perfect amount) what I needed to get me back hom again after my jaunts in SEA and DTW.
+ I then got to ride on one of those carts for the first time to US Customs.
This good lady totally saved my week. I had visions of sleeping in SEA airport that luckily did not come true.
The rest of the week was also helped greatly by the managers at the SEA and Chicago Marriotts, who let me in with no CC ^
It was not helped whatsoever by those wonderful folks at UA.
My flight from SEA-ORD was delayed due to weather.
"No worries", I was told. "All flights in and out of ORD tonight are delayed due to weather."
On the airphone with my dad the whole way in, I was able to determine that the ORD-DTW was showing as going out more or less on time. And that the inbound had already landed.
Then a delay popped up.
Raced to the gate. Naturally, they did not hold the plane. It left 5 minutes before I arrived.
"UA will take care of you - just go to the lounge."
Anyone want to guess on whether the matron let me in?
I told her my story.
"How do I know you're not lying?"
"I'm an AC Super Elite, I have access to this lounge."
"How do I know that?"
"It's on my BP"
"I need your card"
"I just told you my wallet is in the back seat of my car in YYZ"
"I need your card"
"Look, here's my SE luggage tags"
"I need your card"
"Look, here's my SE welcome package"
"I need your card"
"Look, here are my personalized AC upgrade certificates with MY NAME ON THEM."
"I need your card"
"Thanks for your incredible helpfulness to a UA PE customer in need flying in F."
ORD of course was a mess. So after 2.5 hours of sleep, got back on the plane to DTW the next morning.
Net result:
AC - ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
UA -
And I will forever be in debt to the concierge in YVR who saved my trip.
