Should I stay or should I go now?
(with apologies to
The Clash)
About 80 minutes before schedule departure I left the lounge and wandered over to the gate, to check an aircraft was already there (check), was not having maintenance done (check) and seemed to be able to depart on time (check).
I mentally tossed a coin and decided to go for the side trip, so I headed to the transfer desk and checked in with minutes to spare before check in closed. There was some reluctance to check me in without an appropriate visa, but eventually I convinced the agent that I did not need one as I would only be in transit (I'd checked the rules off timatic and had a print out ready to pull out if needed). I asked to get the boarding pass for the return flight. Computer says no
Incidentally, if I had pulled out of the side trip I could have refunded most of the fare. Given the riskiness I had made sure to book a fare that was refundable even if I no showed, although I balked at the high cost of a fully refundable fare and compromised with a mostly refundable fare.