Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
All original content by me is licensed under the CC BY-NC 3.0 License
The kindness of strangers. (I have an interview tomorrow! Woo)
Today was an awful day at EWR, with Terminal C’s domestic/international check-in counter understaffed. Add in the large number of non-English speaking travelers and the still glitchy system and it was a fxcking nightmare, even for a Platinum member.
I have two interviews in San Francisco and I booked the tickets a week and a half ago while still in Paris, around the time when they were switching systems. My reservation was confirmed and I had seats, but no one was able to print my tickets as the reservation’s details wouldn’t show up in the new system. Two out of the three agents available toiled on my ticket, trying everything including issuing a new seat, but they could only get one leg of my itinerary. They apologized profusely, told me to fly to Chicago and try to get on the flight to SF without a ticket (HAHAHA).
So I’m late to security with only 40 minutes to go til take off, and me panicking on the phone with my travel agent trying to get a ticket by any means possible. Even the first class line is long as hell, but since it’s not less than 30 min to flight time, I can’t skip the line, AND I still have to find a way to print my next ticket. A random man hears me talking to my agent and he says “come with me, I’ll take you to Global Services” and we skip the line completely.
As I go through the metal detector, my travel agent is able to issue a new reservation. The man then takes me to a reserved, empty customer service desk as though we’re traveling together, and the agent is able to print my new ticket. I thank the man profusely, and though in the back of my jaded head I was terrified of him expecting a phone number or something in return, he just says, “it’s no problem, take care” with a smile and I run to my gate
I’m amazed and thankful. I hope I get to pay it forward someday.
I’m flattered that you’re asking me of all people for advice, haha :3
If you’re a young globetrotter, I would consider…
- Where do you fly? Who [airline + alliance] serves the best routes to your most frequently visited airports? Delta was best for me until United/Continental merged and I had more EWR and NRT flights.
- Points aside, what actual perks does the card offer? Delta offers up to 9 of your companions free checked bags - Good for families. United offers 2 free passes into their lounges - Good for people who have to use connections or travel in unpredictable winter weather. Click for a list of each of their perks.
- Visa or Amex? This is pretty important. I have a Plat Amex, but find that a lot of little boutiques and restaurants I usually venture to won’t take it - But they do take Visa. If you go to France, many vendors will take Amex, but can’t take a chip-and-PIN-less Visa card from the US. Try to remember your fave stores/restaurants and whether they take Amex/Visa or not. It’s useless to have a point card you can’t use.
Duly noted.
No matter how high your status is, you cannot get a gate pass to help get your pet and boyfriend safely through security.
Unless, that is, your pet is not a beautiful, intelligent parrot but an adorable, wriggling, barking, nuisance of a puppy and your boyfriend is your fiancé. Now for anxious airport drinks in pre-security while I get texts like: “[The TSA] asked if I do this often, I said no; They said, ‘Well don’t make it a habit’”
A very kind gate agent gave me a holiday gift: A free upgrade to 1F from economy on my award ticket! I ♥ you and your crew, United.
Ah, those good old days.
