Coaches, planes, and automobiles - or how a TP run trip can go wrong
Jan 12, 2023, 5:44 am
#16
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: BA GGL & GfL, AA LTP, Marriott (sigh) Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Accor Gold, Avis Preferred
Posts: 3,273
what a mess and i think booking a 1720 flight is more than sufficient to get to SFO probably 98% of the time, you just got caught in the 2%, and you left a day before! but even still got stung and i cant believe you hoofed it to the bus, thats dedication.
i would have just taken any of the first trips in the early morning the following day and chanced it, but to each their own!
i would have just taken any of the first trips in the early morning the following day and chanced it, but to each their own!
Jan 12, 2023, 5:49 am
#17
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Yorkshire Dales, UK
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold, Marriott Platinum Elite, Avis President's Club
Posts: 120
Good to see you're still a man of the people KARFA!
Last 561 Leeds to London National Express I got was in October 1988!!! Vowed never to do it again after getting stuck in British Midland disaster at Kegworth!
Last 561 Leeds to London National Express I got was in October 1988!!! Vowed never to do it again after getting stuck in British Midland disaster at Kegworth!
Jan 12, 2023, 6:28 am
#19
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Philly
Programs: AA, BA, NH, TP, FI
Posts: 753
KARFA - great report, but does show you should always have a Plan B (even if you think you have plenty of time!) when you have separate bookings. You were fortunate to have alternative options, and good for you on finding the bus option.
If you had not been drinking would you have driven to SFO, as a last resort?
If you had not been drinking would you have driven to SFO, as a last resort?
Jan 12, 2023, 6:40 am
#20
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: LHR, LGW
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,469
Great read and thanks, glad it worked out. 
As for this
I dont why people think its acceptable but weve had plenty of this on FT.
As for this
One passenger nearby who was watching something on their phone without headphones was a bit annoying but fortunately not too bad.
I dont why people think its acceptable but weve had plenty of this on FT.
Jan 12, 2023, 7:32 am
#22
Join Date: May 2009
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, IHG Platinum, HH Diamond, Hertz PC,
Posts: 1,987
Plan B is always necessary - surprised to see no mention of a plan B alarm call to make sure you got off the bus at the right stop as I thought you always had a spare alarm these days ….
Jan 12, 2023, 7:42 am
#23
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Dorset
Programs: BAEC Blue, VS Red, IHG Platinum
Posts: 597
An excellent report and great to see how an extremely frequent flyer managed to dig himself out of a hole.
I have vague backup plans when I fly but I've never had anything like this happen to me. Maybe I should push the limits a bit but I don't think OH would enjoy any potential extra stress!
Looking forward to the next report from a liftshare maybe?
I have vague backup plans when I fly but I've never had anything like this happen to me. Maybe I should push the limits a bit but I don't think OH would enjoy any potential extra stress!
Looking forward to the next report from a liftshare maybe?
Jan 12, 2023, 10:02 am
#26
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 43,276
KARFA I was with you for every step of your story. It took me back to my backpacking days and early 1986. I was in San Francisco and had a flight booked home to SYD from YVR. I had a Trailways bus pass and had allowed plenty of time for the journey up the west coast of the US. Unfortunately I delayed my departure by 24hrs (yes there was a woman involved!) which coincided with some of the worst storms to hit the bay area in years. The resultant flooding meant buses taking massive diversions. I think it took some 36 hrs to get to Vancouver and did actually get to the airport with quite a few hours to spare. In those long ago days with no money or status or lounge access , by the time I eventually got to SYD, I had gone 57 hours without a bed or shower!!! I can appreciate the description of bus stations. There was quite a few hours spent changing buses at some of these less than desirable places in my travels across the US.
KARFA - great report, but does show you should always have a Plan B (even if you think you have plenty of time!) when you have separate bookings. You were fortunate to have alternative options, and good for you on finding the bus option.
If you had not been drinking would you have driven to SFO, as a last resort?
If you had not been drinking would you have driven to SFO, as a last resort?
Jan 12, 2023, 10:03 am
#27
Join Date: Sep 2022
Programs: EB Skrpmetall, AY No Extra Bags for You, BA EU261/2004 Thread
Posts: 44
An interesting and entertaining report, thank you!
It could have been worse...you could have taken the Greyhound from even sketchier part of DTLA by 7th & Alameda
When we needed Uber from LAX last week, I noticed there was quite a remarkable hidden surcharge taking one from the LAX-IT lot compared to if we had taken a hotel/LA Metro C Line shuttle. We were slugging heavy bags, so didn't want to bother, but for our 45-ish minute ride we would have saved $20-30 by choosing a different departure point. We just ended up taking a RideYellow cab (25% discount when paying by credit card and booking through their app).
You could have taken the FlyAway bus for $9.75 from LAX to Union Station, but I guess they only depart twice an hour, so Uber was probably a far more comfortable option.
Even when the LAX people mover will finally be completed in time for the 2028 Olympics, getting to Union Station by public transportation will be typically "LA and Public Transportation Don't Mesh Well" difficult: People mover => K/Crenshaw Line => E/Expo Line (or might be L/Gold Line for the whole ride from Santa Monica to East LA by then) => Another change in downtown to get to Union Station, as closest Expo/Gold line station (after Regional Connector tunnel is finished) would be Little Tokyo
I thought I watched some travel YouTuber once take a night bus between LA and SFO, but I wonder if that happened before the pandemic.
Edit: Looks like the Cabin sleeper bus went away already somewhere around 19-20
It could have been worse...you could have taken the Greyhound from even sketchier part of DTLA by 7th & Alameda
When we needed Uber from LAX last week, I noticed there was quite a remarkable hidden surcharge taking one from the LAX-IT lot compared to if we had taken a hotel/LA Metro C Line shuttle. We were slugging heavy bags, so didn't want to bother, but for our 45-ish minute ride we would have saved $20-30 by choosing a different departure point. We just ended up taking a RideYellow cab (25% discount when paying by credit card and booking through their app).
You could have taken the FlyAway bus for $9.75 from LAX to Union Station, but I guess they only depart twice an hour, so Uber was probably a far more comfortable option.
Even when the LAX people mover will finally be completed in time for the 2028 Olympics, getting to Union Station by public transportation will be typically "LA and Public Transportation Don't Mesh Well" difficult: People mover => K/Crenshaw Line => E/Expo Line (or might be L/Gold Line for the whole ride from Santa Monica to East LA by then) => Another change in downtown to get to Union Station, as closest Expo/Gold line station (after Regional Connector tunnel is finished) would be Little Tokyo
I thought I watched some travel YouTuber once take a night bus between LA and SFO, but I wonder if that happened before the pandemic.
Edit: Looks like the Cabin sleeper bus went away already somewhere around 19-20
Last edited by AutismoSupremo; Jan 12, 2023 at 10:22 am
Jan 12, 2023, 10:08 am
#29
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
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Jan 12, 2023, 10:12 am
#30
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PHX
Programs: UA *Alliance
Posts: 5,713