The dumbest travel-related mistake you ever made?
Aug 7, 2019, 1:42 pm
#1396
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BUR / LAX
Programs: UA MM/Gold; WN A-list; HH something depending; Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,552
Friend was disembarking a cruise in Galveston, and flying home the next day. She knew there was the possibility of a hurricane but wasn't really paying attention because she didn't think it would affect her. She also didn't have a cellphone so once she left the ship we had no way of contacting her (and we hadn't been able to get a message through before she disembarked). She got off the ship and headed straight to her hotel, took a nap. Late that afternoon she finally turned on the TV in her hotel room to discover that Hobby was shutting down completely at 6pm that night, too late for her to catch a flight to safety. So she got to ride out Hurricane Ike (Cat 5) in Houston, thankfully not at the hotel (which sustained damage) but more inland at a friend's house with no power.
So no cellphone and not monitoring the news while knowing that a major hurricane was headed in your direction. Oops!
So no cellphone and not monitoring the news while knowing that a major hurricane was headed in your direction. Oops!
Aug 8, 2019, 3:27 am
#1397
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Lausanne, Switzerland
Posts: 7
A few...
1) Not me, my then 17yo son. We arrived (thankfully) well in advance at the airport (GVA IIRC), checked our suitcases, and decided to go through security and have a drink airside. He realized (before entering the security queue) that he had put his wallet with ID in his checked suitcase. So half an hour to go to check-in, have the suitcase retrieved, take the wallet, check it in again - if we had had little time to spare, it could have been bad.
2) Not really a mistake, but a funny. The eighties, I was 20-something, first trip (from France) to the States - Paris-NYC through London with BA and Air India. Arrived at the airport, went to check my suitcase, the guy says (in English, I'm French-speaking) that I'll have to get that suitcase back in London and recheck it. I was pissed and said (in English) "Oh s*h*i*t". You have to know that we French are much more casual with profanity that the British or Americans (or at least that was the case back then, it may have changed a bit), so to me, saying that was no big deal, but the guy was so shocked (you should have seen his face) that he actually did something so that my suitcase would be routed without any need for me to pick it up in London!
3) 1989, so the very beginning of security checks in airports (in Europe, at least). I arrive well in time at some London airport (Gatwick or Heathrow, can't remember) for a flight to Geneva, check my suitcase and then leisurely stroll through the airport landside, do a bit of shopping etc. Then, about 45 minutes before my flight departure, I go to security - monstrous lines! Huge huge huge! I mean, it was the beginning of that kind of thing and the airports didn't have any idea of how to organize it. I also was (stupidly) too shy to go to the top of the line and say my flight was leaving soon and could I go though - so I waited over half an hour in that crazy queue, then (after the checkpoint) literally jogged my way to the gate while my name was called in the loudspeaker (I'm glad I had a checked suitcase, I think it's the reason they accepted my boarding so late...). I sat down in my plane seat red as a beet and sweating profusely...
1) Not me, my then 17yo son. We arrived (thankfully) well in advance at the airport (GVA IIRC), checked our suitcases, and decided to go through security and have a drink airside. He realized (before entering the security queue) that he had put his wallet with ID in his checked suitcase. So half an hour to go to check-in, have the suitcase retrieved, take the wallet, check it in again - if we had had little time to spare, it could have been bad.
2) Not really a mistake, but a funny. The eighties, I was 20-something, first trip (from France) to the States - Paris-NYC through London with BA and Air India. Arrived at the airport, went to check my suitcase, the guy says (in English, I'm French-speaking) that I'll have to get that suitcase back in London and recheck it. I was pissed and said (in English) "Oh s*h*i*t". You have to know that we French are much more casual with profanity that the British or Americans (or at least that was the case back then, it may have changed a bit), so to me, saying that was no big deal, but the guy was so shocked (you should have seen his face) that he actually did something so that my suitcase would be routed without any need for me to pick it up in London!
3) 1989, so the very beginning of security checks in airports (in Europe, at least). I arrive well in time at some London airport (Gatwick or Heathrow, can't remember) for a flight to Geneva, check my suitcase and then leisurely stroll through the airport landside, do a bit of shopping etc. Then, about 45 minutes before my flight departure, I go to security - monstrous lines! Huge huge huge! I mean, it was the beginning of that kind of thing and the airports didn't have any idea of how to organize it. I also was (stupidly) too shy to go to the top of the line and say my flight was leaving soon and could I go though - so I waited over half an hour in that crazy queue, then (after the checkpoint) literally jogged my way to the gate while my name was called in the loudspeaker (I'm glad I had a checked suitcase, I think it's the reason they accepted my boarding so late...). I sat down in my plane seat red as a beet and sweating profusely...
Aug 30, 2019, 9:21 am
#1398
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,880
This one is pretty mundane but none the less was very stupid of me. I rolled off my puddle jumper flight this morning and got distracted by the McDonalds across from the gate. I got breakfast, sat down to eat it, and briefly checked which gate my connecting flight was departing from, not even thinking to look at the time.
Well, I finished my breakfast and was just reading news on my phone for 5 or 10 minutes before it occurred to me to check when was my flight departing. In 16 minutes and I wasn’t even at gate! Luckily the gate wasn’t too far... I hauled ... over to the gate, arriving 12 minutes before scheduled departure only to find the door closed and the screen reading “flight closed.”
Luckily this story has a happy ending – the gate agent opened the door for me and let me on. But lesson learned (one that I probably should have learned a long time ago): recheck your connection time and don’t rely on app boarding notifications.
Well, I finished my breakfast and was just reading news on my phone for 5 or 10 minutes before it occurred to me to check when was my flight departing. In 16 minutes and I wasn’t even at gate! Luckily the gate wasn’t too far... I hauled ... over to the gate, arriving 12 minutes before scheduled departure only to find the door closed and the screen reading “flight closed.”
Luckily this story has a happy ending – the gate agent opened the door for me and let me on. But lesson learned (one that I probably should have learned a long time ago): recheck your connection time and don’t rely on app boarding notifications.
Aug 30, 2019, 9:15 pm
#1399
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Sydney Australia
Programs: No programs & No Points!!!
Posts: 14,222
I didn't want to spend $220 on a crappish hotel near where I had to pick something up there so we decided to stay at Sydney Casino on Tuesday night and have a bit of fun and just have a huge drive the next day Booked a night's accommodation. Woke up Tuesday morning to a missed call from Casino at 10 pm Monday night. Shoot. Looked at reservation... damn. I booked it Monday night, the day before.. Rang when reservations opened at 7 am to be told tough dog poo... you'll need to pay again if you want to stay. We decided we would as we had already made plans to win a million dollar jackpot!
So, my "I'm too cheap to pay $220" ending up costing us $700 for 1 nights accommodation.
This is why I don't book big stuff myself. I want to be able to blame someone else and get a refund!
So, my "I'm too cheap to pay $220" ending up costing us $700 for 1 nights accommodation.
This is why I don't book big stuff myself. I want to be able to blame someone else and get a refund!
Aug 30, 2019, 10:02 pm
#1400
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,371
can you call me right away? I need help!
got this text from a friend a month or so back ... when I called, she asked how early she and her husband would have to leave home (near Manassas VA) to get an 0845 flight from BWI the next morning (Fri)
I backtracked the timeline for her: neither of them has TSA Pre, which means getting in line ~0700, which means leaving the car in the terminal garage ~0645 (or at remote parking ~0630), which means getting into the car ~0500 ... but the better idea would be to spend the night at an airport-area hotel with a park-and-fly rate
then I asked where they were going ... Portland Maine, attending a 4pm wedding and flying back home Sat afternoon
maybe 10 min before she texted me, her husband had said something about calling the bride’s father (his former Northern Virginia housemate, now living in PWM) to ask about the dress code ... she found the invitation, and had that “Oh Cr@p!” moment when she realized they had both been expecting a day trip to Annapolis (Anne Arundel County) MD, since bride and fiancé are in DC ... the venue was actually the Cape Arundel Inn in Kennebunkport ME
needless to say she was NOT happy about something like $550pp round trip on WN, plus $350 or so for hotel and rental car
I backtracked the timeline for her: neither of them has TSA Pre, which means getting in line ~0700, which means leaving the car in the terminal garage ~0645 (or at remote parking ~0630), which means getting into the car ~0500 ... but the better idea would be to spend the night at an airport-area hotel with a park-and-fly rate
then I asked where they were going ... Portland Maine, attending a 4pm wedding and flying back home Sat afternoon
maybe 10 min before she texted me, her husband had said something about calling the bride’s father (his former Northern Virginia housemate, now living in PWM) to ask about the dress code ... she found the invitation, and had that “Oh Cr@p!” moment when she realized they had both been expecting a day trip to Annapolis (Anne Arundel County) MD, since bride and fiancé are in DC ... the venue was actually the Cape Arundel Inn in Kennebunkport ME
needless to say she was NOT happy about something like $550pp round trip on WN, plus $350 or so for hotel and rental car
Aug 31, 2019, 2:25 pm
#1401
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Paris & Scotland (Laird), "Suite on the World"
Programs: Hertz platinum, Bonvoy titanium , Delta flying colonel/platinum/MM, retired old men board member
Posts: 592
This one is pretty mundane but none the less was very stupid of me. I rolled off my puddle jumper flight this morning and got distracted by the McDonalds across from the gate. I got breakfast, sat down to eat it, and briefly checked which gate my connecting flight was departing from, not even thinking to look at the time.
Well, I finished my breakfast and was just reading news on my phone for 5 or 10 minutes before it occurred to me to check when was my flight departing. In 16 minutes and I wasn’t even at gate! Luckily the gate wasn’t too far... I hauled ... over to the gate, arriving 12 minutes before scheduled departure only to find the door closed and the screen reading “flight closed.”
Luckily this story has a happy ending – the gate agent opened the door for me and let me on. But lesson learned (one that I probably should have learned a long time ago): recheck your connection time and don’t rely on app boarding notifications.
Well, I finished my breakfast and was just reading news on my phone for 5 or 10 minutes before it occurred to me to check when was my flight departing. In 16 minutes and I wasn’t even at gate! Luckily the gate wasn’t too far... I hauled ... over to the gate, arriving 12 minutes before scheduled departure only to find the door closed and the screen reading “flight closed.”
Luckily this story has a happy ending – the gate agent opened the door for me and let me on. But lesson learned (one that I probably should have learned a long time ago): recheck your connection time and don’t rely on app boarding notifications.
Sep 4, 2019, 3:42 am
#1402
Join Date: Aug 2019
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 15
I was not paying attention and ended up on the wrong train. Traveling from the city to near where I live. Not after drinking or partying. Not under stress or duress.
Possibly I was rushing? Honestly, I probably was in a rush.
Possibly I was rushing? Honestly, I probably was in a rush.
Sep 4, 2019, 5:49 am
#1403
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Basingstoke, UK
Programs: BA, EK, Hilton H, Starwood, A-Club
Posts: 75
A couple - I booked the long term car park for the wrong month. I'd booked it for February instead of March. Non-refundable since Im a cheap-skate. Opps. Then there was the time I had a project in JER and was regularly travelling from LGW to JER either on BA or City Flyer when it was a separate company. But this day id got the wrong time for a BA flight thinking I was on a City Flyer flight. Bye Bye plane.
Sep 7, 2019, 2:16 pm
#1404
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Europe
Programs: Costa Coffee
Posts: 112
I usually attend SAT for a conference every first week of December. When I saw a good J deal from London in March I jumped onto it. Managed to get the transcon via JFK & LAS for 640 TP in total. This week I was registering for the conference and notice that it's in the second week of December! Cheapest flight change was via MIA and set me back £1500. I'm now also short 280 TP to renew Gold. 
Sep 7, 2019, 4:56 pm
#1405
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 239
I was in AMS, and was going to BSP back before Ukraine went visa-free, and bought a ticket to KBP while there, but I did it on the day BEFORE the visa was to go into effect. 
Fortunately, Ukrainian immigration gave me a break (this was back when they were still a bit Sovietish) and let me in (although they gave me a hard time when leaving as I had purchased some "historical artifacts" that were being freely sold at the tourist souvenir market 
).
Fortunately, Ukrainian immigration gave me a break (this was back when they were still a bit Sovietish) and let me in (although they gave me a hard time when leaving as I had purchased some "historical artifacts" that were being freely sold at the tourist souvenir market ).
Sep 7, 2019, 5:10 pm
#1406
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: HH Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold, Hyatt something
Posts: 33,539
I usually attend SAT for a conference every first week of December. When I saw a good J deal from London in March I jumped onto it. Managed to get the transcon via JFK & LAS for 640 TP in total. This week I was registering for the conference and notice that it's in the second week of December! Cheapest flight change was via MIA and set me back £1500. I'm now also short 280 TP to renew Gold.
Sep 7, 2019, 6:13 pm
#1407
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, MLife Gold, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Caesars Diamond, Amex Plat
Posts: 5,943
Canceled a rez at Swiss boutique hotel for 4 nights ($500/night) within 30 minutes of booking it. Thought it was odd that I didn’t get a cancellation email so I put the confirmation number in again and screen said “doesn’t exist.” So I’m thinking all is well and forgot about it. Fast forward 6 months and get a call from hotel asking if we were okay and when would we arrive bc our checkin was the day before. WTH. They had no record of cancellation and I was on the hook for the $. I think something must’ve happened between the booking engine and hotel site. Owners were ultimately very kind and didn’t charge me. But I had an awful day of vacay sweating it out about the $ and lesson learned to check all rez again a week after booking and before arrival.
Sep 7, 2019, 8:22 pm
#1408
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Back in Reds Country (DAY/CVG). Previously: SEA & SAT.
Programs: DL PM 1MM, AA PLAT, UA Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 10,349
My wife and I got married in 2010. I just assumed that her last name legally changed when we got married and that the marriage certificate was also the record of name change. We took a small honeymoon (5 hour drive) right after the wedding and then took a bigger trip to the UK and France the following year (we are US residents). Had we planned on taking the trip across the pond right after we tied the knot, I probably would have booked the plane tickets using her married name, yet her passport and other ID would still show her old (still actually correct) last name. Considered we booked non-refundable J class tickets, and we got a really good deal since we booked almost 8 months out, I would have peen pretty upset to find out at the airport that we have to book her a new ticket 2.5 hours before departure.
While I didn't actually make the mistake, it was only a matter of luck.
While I didn't actually make the mistake, it was only a matter of luck.
Sep 12, 2019, 1:59 pm
#1409
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 267
I was chilling in the hotel room thinking I had ample of time completely forgetting that the clocks changed the night before. Needless to say that I missed the flight I was booked on and had to take one the next day.
Sep 13, 2019, 8:02 am
#1410
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 268
My freshman year in college I had Continental Airlines tickets to fly home for the summer break. Since we had to have all our crap out of the dorm rooms and I lived over a thousand miles away (NY to CO), I mailed a bunch of stuff back.
Including my plane tickets!!!!
I didn't realize until like the next day, what I had done, so I had to call Continental and explain. I believe (this was a long time ago) that they re-issued the tickets plus a $200 fee and that if I found the tickets, I could send them back in and get the $200 credited back. Which of course, I did, but I was sweating bullets there for a while.
My sister (since she's not on FT) had moved houses and apparently in the process of cleaning up had thrown out their passports. About a week later when attempting to book travel on Frontier (this was years ago) she found she couldn't book without the passport # (I even double-checked for her and sure enough their website back then would not let you hit Continue until you filled out the passport info) and that's when everything fell apart. They did get the expedited/whatever reissued ones, but by the time they came in the flight prices increased about $150 per ticket. Doh!
Since then we make sure we scan our stuff and have copies just in case.
Including my plane tickets!!!!
I didn't realize until like the next day, what I had done, so I had to call Continental and explain. I believe (this was a long time ago) that they re-issued the tickets plus a $200 fee and that if I found the tickets, I could send them back in and get the $200 credited back. Which of course, I did, but I was sweating bullets there for a while.
My sister (since she's not on FT) had moved houses and apparently in the process of cleaning up had thrown out their passports. About a week later when attempting to book travel on Frontier (this was years ago) she found she couldn't book without the passport # (I even double-checked for her and sure enough their website back then would not let you hit Continue until you filled out the passport info) and that's when everything fell apart. They did get the expedited/whatever reissued ones, but by the time they came in the flight prices increased about $150 per ticket. Doh!
Since then we make sure we scan our stuff and have copies just in case.