Prelude to Oceania 2019

In the beginning…

So… This trip which we were so excited to go on has started with a dull wet thud. We had everything packed and excitement was setting in. Then, an odd thing happened. While we had booked the flight through Alaska Airlines using miles, most of the flights were through a partner carrier, Qantas. Tara got a text message from Qantas (because she is amazing and took the time to register our Qantas legs so we could pick seats and get notices) that our flight from LAX to SYD was cancelled. 

We received this message while still in PDX. So, we did what any reasonable person would do and we called someone to check the information and assess the next steps. Since we booked through Alaska, we gave them a call to check on things and were assured that everything was in order, no worries. So, we boarded our first class flight to LAX, had a couple drinks and shared a nice conversation with the flight attendant about the length of the flight to Australia, the low quality of the limes on the plane, and the unfortunate lack of Kahlua preventing Tara from getting a White Russian.

When reality punches you in the face

Once we landed here in LAX, we took a lovely half mile stroll through tunnels below the airport to get from our inbound terminal to the international terminal. We emerged into a brightly lit glass ceiling shrine to capitalism and luxury brands. Through the hustle and bustle and background noise, we began to look around for where our gate might be. We did not receive boarding passes from Alaska in PDX, and were told we needed to get them from the Qantas counter in LAX. Looking around, it was not immediately clear where the Qantas gates were and a glance up showed a very large reader board with departure information.

That is when we saw it. QF56……….Cancelled. This confirmed the text that Tara had received earlier. The text that she had called Alaska about, and they had assured her that everything was in order. This got my blood pumping. We desperately searched for a gate agent to confirm our fears and help us through this emergency. The person at the Norwegian Airlines counter was no help, he wasn’t even able to point us in the direction of where Qantas has gates (it turns out that in the LAX international terminal, nobody has regular gates). We bumped into a couple of LAX police officers on bikes who told us where to find the Qantas lounge. We needed information not drinks and Fox News, and we kept looking around.

Any port in the storm

So, I called Alaska for some help. Sadly, I wasn’t able to get the support and guidance I needed. Their systems still showed that the flight was scheduled and on time. Also, because this was a partner flight, they could do nothing on my behalf, I needed to speak with an agent. When I inquired where I might find one, they again had nothing useful to share with me. I did ask what good a partner airline is if the information is wrong and there is nothing that Alaska could help me with. It had all the effect of shouting into a hurricane except the shouting would at least be cathartic. Once again, we were alone, frustrated, and worried that our amazing vacation plans were going up in smoke.

At this point Tara and I both muttered a few phrases that might make a sailor blush, and flopped around the Tom Bradley international terminal desperate for help and for someone to tell us that everything was going to be ok and that we would make it to Sydney and were actually going to be able to take this vacation. The only support Alaska was able to offer was an 800 number for Qantas. I called that number while walking around the terminal, and Tara jumped on the phone with Alaska. I was notified by an automated attendant that Qantas was having abnormally high call volumes and I could be expected to wait 43-52 minutes. However, if I had an Australian or New Zealand mobile number, then I could leave my number and they would call me when I reached the front of the queue.

Raise your hand if you have a mobile number from Australia or New Zealand. Yeah… we couldn’t raise our hands either. Without any other options, we decided to take the policy officer’s advice.  We walked in the direction of the Qantas lounge to see if someone there could help us find a gate agent.

We found the lounge one level up. I was still on hold with Qantas, and Alaska was talking Tara off the ledge. We found an elevator, jumped on, and I realized as the doors were closing that I had just entered a Faraday cage. Within 5 seconds, our calls with both Qantas and Alaska were dropped. At least the top of the elevator revealed the Qantas lounge. The attendants were pleasant and full of smiles. When we inquired about talking to a gate agent, we were directed to leave the secure area and talk to the ticketing counter. At least we had a direction now.

Misery loves company

It seems that Qantas was having a bad day as well. In addition to our cancelled flight to BNE and then on to SYD, the direct flight to SYD was also delayed. After what felt like an eternity, the ticketing agent was able to confirm that we had seats on the delayed direct flight to SYD that would depart at 10am the next day. I was a little amazed that it could take 21 hours in this day and age to get from PDX to LAX and back out again?

We would still be in premium economy and our actual arrival into SYD would only be about 9 hours later than our original itinerary. Not terrible. They were also putting us up at the Hilton LAX with meal vouchers. We left our luggage in their care, planned to eat, sleep, and come back early and refreshed. Oh plans.

Second verse, same as the first

I woke around 4 or 4:30am to an f-bomb and the cold glow of an iPhone screen in a dark room. Tara was on her phone and had a grimace where her smile should be. She got a text indicating that our flight to SYD had an issue and the 10:30pm flight was cancelled.

Apparently, we hadn’t actually been booked on the morning flight. But, that’s a whole different story.

The good news is that we had learned one lesson. Rather than call Alaska, we started with Qantas. After calling them, we were informed that the agent was looking into it. A few long minutes later, the agent let us know that their reservation system was down and they would continue to look into it and call us back. Once again we were worried, powerless, and without direction.

Expecting that Alaska could do nothing to help, Tara encouraged me to call them anyway. What did we have to lose? We were just waiting in limbo for Qantas anyway. I called the MVP customer service line for Alaska and explained my situation to the customer service representative. True to form, the first response was that there was nothing they could do because I had taken the first leg of the trip and now everything was in Qantas hands. This was a little more than I could take after one cancellation, short sleep, and anger at the whole situation. It is entirely possible that my response was more pointed, snippy, and curt than was absolutely necessary.

A new direction

After a few rounds of “What can you do for me?”, “The only reason I started the itinerary was because Alaska assured me the flight was still scheduled” and “What about other options?” mixed in with a healthy bit of time spent brainstorming with Tara while we were on hold, because she was speaking with a supervisor, we had an option. Alaska was willing and able to book us on a Cathay Pacific flight in business class for 16 hours to Hong Kong departing at noon followed up by a coach seat for the 9 hour journey to SYD.

Hallelujah!

We finally had an option to get us out of this wicked merry go round of soul crushing, vacation destroying, horribleness. (At least that’s how Tara refers to LA…)

After a quick discussion, we took it. A few more minutes on hold and we had a confirmation number as well as a pleasant surprise. They were able to upgrade our second leg to premium economy. So, time to get to the airport, bail our luggage out of Qantas lockup, and get ready for our more scenic journey to Australia.

All over, but the waiting

Getting the luggage out of hock was a long process, but not complicated. The most interesting part of it was that nobody at the ticket counter knew that the flight was cancelled. Tara got a text and called up Qantas, but the ticketing folks assured everyone else around us that the flight was still going out at 10am. Which information is correct? At this point, Tara and I were over it, and didn’t care. With our new itinerary, we would end up in SYD about 26 hours behind original schedule and we didn’t have anything planned right away.

So, here we sit. I just heard that QF12 to SYD just boarded (30-40 minutes late). I have a mimosa and the love of my life. We have time off work and some exciting plans. I also get to show her international business class. (Poor lady had never even experienced First Class before yesterday. Her mind is about to be blown…)

What did we learn?

• If you get a notification from an airline, follow up on it right away. Even if it is not the airline you booked with. It turns out that even partner airlines are not quite as integrated as you might hope for.
• Stand up for your wants and needs. It isn’t always in your best interest to simply take the first statement that comes your way. Ask follow up questions. Offer alternative suggestions. Ask the agent if they can get you booked on another carrier or out of another city.
• Keep an extra pair of underoos in your carry on. I know that many people already know this. This was the first trip I have done so, and I am glad I did. Although, maybe that was the action that jinxed us.
• Those baggage receipt barcodes that they give you when you check a bag… Don’t throw those away. Because we had our flight re-booked on a different carrier, Qantas lost the reference to our baggage ID and needed our copy to find our bags. I am sure there are other reasons to keep it, but this was our reason.
• Keep your cool. Righteous indignation and outrage are not behaviors that are likely to get you what you want in a time of need. Cooler heads prevail.

Anyway, Tara’s about to get our third round of mimosas. And, if anyone was wondering, she’s still waiting on a call back from Qantas…