Hello ladies and gentlemen of Bonnyville! It's been a while since I've sat down and written for you guys, exactly a month in fact, as I spent three weeks towards the end of July and beginning of August half way across the world back in the motherland visiting friends and family.
Yes, yes, I know it may shock some of you that I do indeed have friends, but that's another story for a different day. I'm not writing this week's column to boast about how awesome a time I had on my holidays, no, no. I'm writing this week's column to get a few things off my chest regarding the absolutely ridiculous experience I had with the airline I chose to fly with.
Now, I'm not going to come out and state which airline I travelled with, I'll let you guys try and figure that one out for yourselves, but in all my years of flying the transatlantic route between Canada and the United Kingdom, I've never been messed around as much as I was last week.
Having spent a wonderful three weeks with my immediate and extended family in a surprisingly sunny Manchester, August 2 soon came around and it was time for me to come back to my second home. As I'm sure the majority of people do nowadays, I went online the night before to check-in early. After enduring what can only be described as an uncomfortable flight into the UK in the sardine section that is economy class, I decided to treat myself and upgrade to a business class return ticket.
That meant when I got to the airport in Manchester bright and early on the Saturday morning I was rushed through to the priority check-in for baggage, a welcome surprise considering the regular line was at least 100 people deep, before heading off for some breakfast with my family before blubbering our goodbyes through waves and waves of tears.
While munching my way through a proper bacon and sausage sarnie (sandwich for you normal folk), I noticed my flight from Manchester to Toronto, scheduled to leave England at 11:15 a.m. had indeed been delayed until 2.p.m. At the time, I didn't care too much since my new business class ticket brought access to the premium lounges on the other side of passport control.
After saying my goodbyes, I quickly got myself through security and duty-free before climbing the stairs to the lounges. Dressed in a brand new football jersey, shorts and sandals I was clearly out of place as I entered the swanky lobby area.
Waiting with my ticket in hand, I approached the desk expecting her to point to whichever of the four rooms I'd have access to. As I waited, and waited, and waited, she instead looked up and informed me that unfortunately the airline I was flying with was one of the only airlines in the world that refused to pay the membership fee to ensure its customers could gain access to the lounge.
Long story short, I wasn't allowed in. Of course, I then took the walk of shame, brushing past business suit after business suit back down the stairwell to mesh with an almost claustrophobic waiting area. Yes, it really was that busy.
Content to sit down in a corner with my laptop, I bided my time until the aircraft was finally ready to board. I didn't have too many problems here in all honesty – I boarded the plane quickly and my flight into Toronto was absolutely wonderful. You're probably wondering what the heck I'm complaining about then right? Well bare with me for a moment people, bare with me.
Upon landing in Toronto, three hours later than we were supposed to, I obviously believed I'd missed my connecting flight into Edmonton. While walking through the airport, I noticed that the flight I was supposed to be on had also been delayed, giving me a full hour to get through security, re-check my bags and make my way to the plane.
The kind people though at……my airline, decided instead of giving me a chance to make my initial flight they would instead transfer me to a later flight into Edmonton – a full FIVE hours later. Even though I managed to get through security with plenty of time to make the initial flight, I was told that would not be possible to get my baggage on the plane in time for departure and I had to wait for my later flight. There were two further flights leaving Toronto for Edmonton before the one I'd been re-booked to also, but apparently I wouldn't be able to make those either.
Frustrated at this point, I did my best not to let the situation get to me and instead focused on finally getting home after what will have been an almost full 24-hour journey.
Fast-forward a few hours and my re-scheduled flight was finally ready for boarding. After missing the call for priority boarding, I was stuck at the back of the line, which suited me fine to be honest as at that point, the less time I spent on the plane the better. Oh, did I mention my initial ticket for the flight five hours earlier was a business class ticket and my new one was for economy class? No? Well that was another thing that upset me too.
Anyway, now at the front of the line, I handed my ticket to the person at the gate. Scanning it on her machine, a red flight flickered before the computer made a noise not too dissimilar to that made on the popular game show Wheel of Fortune when a contestant gets a question wrong. Shaking my head in disbelief now, the airline representative told me that unfortunately my seat had been given to another passenger and I was no longer confirmed for this flight.
She continued that I ‘might have to fly out first thing in the morning', something I point blankly refused to do. In the heat of the moment, I may have even told the attendant I'd sit in one of the lavatories for the duration of the flight rather than miss it. Stood there, almost in tears from the frustration, I was then told there may be a seat available at the front of the plane, you know in business class where I was supposed to sit anyway, that could be mine if I paid for it.
Almost laughing at this point, I told the representative I had already paid for business class, but was under the impression I had been booked for economy because there wasn't any business class seats left on this flight. I think this did the trick as I was promptly given a ticket for business class and told to head down the ramp to the plane. Again, the flight was wonderful – no complaints whatsoever with the actual flying part, it's just the getting on the plane that seemed to be a problem.
Landing in Edmonton at close to midnight, I stood with the rest of the passengers on the flight from Toronto waiting for my baggage. After waiting almost an hour, my baggage nowhere to be seen I assumed it had been left behind in Toronto. As I groggily dragged my feet to the baggage services desk, I handed the gentleman my baggage ticket. He took a look, smiled at me and immediately went to the back.
A few minutes later he emerged with my baggage – “this arrived on the 6 o'clock flight” he exclaimed. Yes guys, the 6 o'clock flight, the same flight I was initially supposed to arrive on, and the same flight I was told I couldn't make because my baggage would not get on the plane in time. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
As I left the airport with my girlfriend, absolutely exhausted from my 24-hours of travel, I made a promise to myself to never, ever again fly with that airline. It may have been a little cheaper than my alternative options, but no amount of money saved is worth being messed around as much as I was. It kind of put a dampener on what was an otherwise incredible vacation.
Think you have a nightmare travel story to rival mine? Shoot me an email at [email protected]
