NY GAYLA - SAVE THE DATE June 8-10, 2007
Jun 14, 2007, 7:42 pm
#451
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVPG, SPG Platinum, Hyatt Diamond, National Executive Elite, Avis First, Hertz PC
Posts: 463
Just wanted to let everyone know - I finally made it into PDX about 12:15AM today. DL will get quite a letter regarding this ordeal. To keep it short, due to some work obligations, I needed to be on the ground and web conferences for some large chunks of time on Tuesday and Wednesday during the day (Pacific Time) so suggested DL option of rebooking to flights jumping from JFK-ATL-SLC-PDX weren't really valuable to me. I opted to be rebooked on DL697 JFK-PDX on Wednesday.
I got my new itinerary sometime around 1:30AM on Tuesday morning and then managed to meet back up with some friends visiting NYC from Portland at about 6AM. That was a lucky break.
Apparently, after I had already spoken with an in person agent to rebook, DL somehow managed to rebook me on a flight at 4:00PM on Tuesday to SLC and then to PDX. I received no phone call, no email regarding this change. When I checked my confirmation code online, it continued to show DL697 as my flight on Wednesday. I tried to check in online on Wednesday afternoon, but since it was already delayed, it would not allow me to check in online. I arrived at JFK about 5:45PM for my now 7:55PM departure and the kiosk couldn't find my itinerary. After standing in line for almost an hour and watching utter incompetence ensue at the DL counters I had a supervisor tell me that I was on that other flight mentioned above. That was the first I had heard of the Tuesday itinerary. He also accused me of getting to the airport too late for my flight.
(Aside: I bit my tongue after I had just helped a group of 4 boys from Eastern Europe make their flight to Seattle. All they needed to do was drop their bags as they had just cleared customs and they already had their bags checked through to SEA and had tickets for their flight. This was too much for the agent to understand, so I had to translate. Maybe I should have made them miss their flight and put them up at my place in PDX...)
We finally left JFK sometime after 9. I chose to upgrade for $150 at the gate and was pleased with the FC product. The one thing I was pleased with regarding DL.
So I'm home and recovering and washing/repacking to head to Vegas tomorrow.
The life of a FTer.
Missing all my Gayla girls already...
I got my new itinerary sometime around 1:30AM on Tuesday morning and then managed to meet back up with some friends visiting NYC from Portland at about 6AM. That was a lucky break.
Apparently, after I had already spoken with an in person agent to rebook, DL somehow managed to rebook me on a flight at 4:00PM on Tuesday to SLC and then to PDX. I received no phone call, no email regarding this change. When I checked my confirmation code online, it continued to show DL697 as my flight on Wednesday. I tried to check in online on Wednesday afternoon, but since it was already delayed, it would not allow me to check in online. I arrived at JFK about 5:45PM for my now 7:55PM departure and the kiosk couldn't find my itinerary. After standing in line for almost an hour and watching utter incompetence ensue at the DL counters I had a supervisor tell me that I was on that other flight mentioned above. That was the first I had heard of the Tuesday itinerary. He also accused me of getting to the airport too late for my flight.
(Aside: I bit my tongue after I had just helped a group of 4 boys from Eastern Europe make their flight to Seattle. All they needed to do was drop their bags as they had just cleared customs and they already had their bags checked through to SEA and had tickets for their flight. This was too much for the agent to understand, so I had to translate. Maybe I should have made them miss their flight and put them up at my place in PDX...)
We finally left JFK sometime after 9. I chose to upgrade for $150 at the gate and was pleased with the FC product. The one thing I was pleased with regarding DL.
So I'm home and recovering and washing/repacking to head to Vegas tomorrow.
The life of a FTer. Missing all my Gayla girls already...
Jun 15, 2007, 4:53 pm
#452
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: USA, JPN, GBR
Programs: A3, AA, AC, AS, DL, NH, SQ, SK, UA; BW, CP, HH, IHG, MB
Posts: 1,950
fooko, glad to hear that you made it back (albeit with some difficulty...). You should've diverted the Eastern European boys over to me! 
Have fun in Vegas! I need to rack in a couple more trips while I have the time...
You should've diverted the Eastern European boys over to me! Have fun in Vegas! I need to rack in a couple more trips while I have the time...
Jun 19, 2007, 6:57 pm
#453
Join Date: May 2003
Location: RDU
Programs: TSA/INS/FBI Platinum (stopped last 12 of 13 int'l returns - the computer broke once)
Posts: 2,638
Well, I'm finally back to FRA, after a hell of a week in the extremely uninteresting town of BOS (had to go there for a work conference). We had a great time and I think the fall would be a great time for another. Even better if we can find a way to get cheaper room rates.
Ultimately, we had a crazy Monday morning. We raced out a little behind schedule and got to JFK just in time for the B6 kiosk to tell us we were too late to check-in, and to go wait in line. We get to the front of the line and tell them we're willing to part with luggage if we can run for it (she calls the gate to let them know two runners are on their way), and they actually tag our bag with a big pre-printed "VOLUNTARY SEPARATION" label. Fine by me. We get stuck behind the clueless people at security, and when we run down to the gate find that the plane pushed 9 minutes early. So we wait on the next and make that to BOS. As we arrive at the hotel and convention center, my mobile rings and it's someone from the conference: "Where are you? Your presentation starts right now." Yep, we ran straight from the plane to the conference room to getting miked up and on stage for my talk. (The speaker coordination people had never told me when my talk was, or we would have flown up Sunday night instead of Monday morning.)
But, we survived BOS and hopefully never have to go back again.
Usually I know when P. Alberto is a topic of conversation, and I know I wasn't that far out of it. Then again, missydarlin is usually there to stir the conversation along...
Ultimately, we had a crazy Monday morning. We raced out a little behind schedule and got to JFK just in time for the B6 kiosk to tell us we were too late to check-in, and to go wait in line. We get to the front of the line and tell them we're willing to part with luggage if we can run for it (she calls the gate to let them know two runners are on their way), and they actually tag our bag with a big pre-printed "VOLUNTARY SEPARATION" label. Fine by me. We get stuck behind the clueless people at security, and when we run down to the gate find that the plane pushed 9 minutes early. So we wait on the next and make that to BOS. As we arrive at the hotel and convention center, my mobile rings and it's someone from the conference: "Where are you? Your presentation starts right now." Yep, we ran straight from the plane to the conference room to getting miked up and on stage for my talk. (The speaker coordination people had never told me when my talk was, or we would have flown up Sunday night instead of Monday morning.)
But, we survived BOS and hopefully never have to go back again.
Usually I know when P. Alberto is a topic of conversation, and I know I wasn't that far out of it. Then again, missydarlin is usually there to stir the conversation along...
Sep 11, 2007, 9:46 pm
#455
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVPG, SPG Platinum, Hyatt Diamond, National Executive Elite, Avis First, Hertz PC
Posts: 463
Speaking of...looking for anyone interested in doing HNL 11/22-11/27ish.
Boise State v. Hawaii (football)
Other touristy things. There is a great fare I want to take advantage of...
Boise State v. Hawaii (football)
Other touristy things. There is a great fare I want to take advantage of...