Heather the Jetsetter
Chapter 5: Something's Gotta Give
Last year Andi had just started a new job within a couple of weeks of my visit. When I booked my flight for the Final Flat Party, I didn't yet know that Dave would accept a new job and start on the Monday that I would be leaving. When it was time to get up and pack (my few belongings) for my return flight home, I was told that maybe all it takes for me to visit again is someone starting a new job -- we'll see how that goes!
After everyone left for work, I enjoyed the views from the balcony for the last time and took the Tube to the airport. Once there, my crazy adventures with Air Canada continued.
1) I tried to check in at a computer kiosk, and an employee came over to see if I needed help and to ask where my bags were -- HA!
2) When the computer failed to recognize my connection from Montreal to Dulles, the woman told me to continue checking in anyway. Unfortunately I listened to her.
3) When only one boarding pass printed, she directed me to the Ticket Purchase line, even though I didn't need to purchase a ticket. I got into a regular check-in line, and that woman also sent me to the Ticket Purchase line for assistance.
4) After waiting in a LONG queue (long enough to make me seriously think I'd miss my flight!), the woman said she couldn't help me because my connecting flight was a United flight, so I'd have to go over to that counter. When I asked her to help with the lost bag situation, she called the hotline, chatted a few minutes, looked really confused, and passed the phone along to me. The man on the other line insisted that the bag had been delivered to the flat on Saturday. If so, I'm not quite sure what I was doing wasting my time in line :-P. I told him it in fact had never arrived, to retrieve it from the courier, and to send it to my home address.
5) After talking to 3 people, I was finally allowed in the check-in line for United. The woman at the desk was just as helpful as the Air Canada folks. I gave her a copy of my intinerary and explained that the computer didn't recognize me and hadn't checked me in. She asked if I was going to Dulles. I answered yes, as I was assuming she was asking for my final destination, but then to be safe I explained my whole story and my flight. She tapped away on her computer and completely scared me when she said she couldn't find the flight, but there were other flights departing at times that wouldn't work as I'd still be in the air. We talked back and forth trying to sort things out when I finally realized that she thought I was flying Air Canada INTO Dulles directly...*facepalm*. When I explained (again...gently) that I was flying first to Montreal, THEN to Dulles, she actually blamed me for telling her the wrong thing!!! Maybe if she had *listened* and actually read the itinerary with airport codes and flight numbers I had set down directly *in front* of her, she wouldn't have felt the need to blame a customer for her confusion.
By this point I was afraid I may not make it through security in time, as it's taken an hour the other two times. For some reason, there was *no* line and I made it through in two minutes. Miraculous.
The flight to Montreal was relatively uneventful, but from the time I landed to the time I departed for Dulles, I felt like I was in Fort Knox!
1) I had to stand in line for immigration, even though I was getting a connecting flight...never had that happen before. The immigration officials asked me about my bags -- sure, rub it in fellas! (okay, okay, I know they were just doing their job...)
2) There was no clear signage where to go for connecting flights once I was at United check-in...I was already checked in, so what was I supposed to do? I eventually found the passport contol people, but they wouldn't let me through until I could present my immigration card. "Pardon? You mean the one I just gave the immigration officials to enter Canada?" The woman looked at me like I was an idiot. "No. The one to enter the US." I have always completed immigration cards on the plane before touching down, so I was confused. But I walked away, found a stack of immigration cards, and presented it to the nice lady to pass through.
3) I expected to be on my way to my connecting flight, but no, there was *another* line...I couldn't quite tell what was about to happen, but it looked like I was entering Canada again...or maybe the US. The official asked about my bag (woohoo!) and then welcomed me to the US...wait, WHAT?!
4) When I exited I found departure boards -- finally! But wait, where was my flight? Let me tell you, this was the first time I have seen a departure board that didn't list the flights in any type of recognizable order.
5) Onward I went to my connecting flight...what, another line? Oh boy, time for security! I realized that all of the lines were because I was entering my own country again. Aftering passing through the metal detector, one of the security cards held up an 8oz bottle of water I had forgotten to take out of my bag -- oops!! He gave me a serious look and said "That's a $10,000 fine and 10 years in prison." I thought he was joking with me, but you don't laugh at airport security. Instead I shrugged and replied "Well I guess I'm not doing home" and then he felt badly and apologized for joking. Seriously dude, don't play with my mind, even if it is kind of funny!
When I landed in Dulles, I had never been more ready to be back on American soil. Dan picked me up and drove me home, allowing me to ramble about my adventures before passing out the last 1/3 of the journey.
It was a good thing that I slept well that night, because the next morning the auto shop called to say that they couldn't pass my car in its yearly inspection...I'd need to replace all 4 tires. Coming off of a weekend abroad, it's not exactly an expenditure I had budgeted for, but you gotta do what you gotta do...
As you may imagine, this tale is coming to a close, but there is still another chapter or two detailing the remainder of my week and my relationship with Air Canada. You know you can't wait! ♥
Chapter 5: Something's Gotta Give
Last year Andi had just started a new job within a couple of weeks of my visit. When I booked my flight for the Final Flat Party, I didn't yet know that Dave would accept a new job and start on the Monday that I would be leaving. When it was time to get up and pack (my few belongings) for my return flight home, I was told that maybe all it takes for me to visit again is someone starting a new job -- we'll see how that goes!
After everyone left for work, I enjoyed the views from the balcony for the last time and took the Tube to the airport. Once there, my crazy adventures with Air Canada continued.
1) I tried to check in at a computer kiosk, and an employee came over to see if I needed help and to ask where my bags were -- HA!
2) When the computer failed to recognize my connection from Montreal to Dulles, the woman told me to continue checking in anyway. Unfortunately I listened to her.
3) When only one boarding pass printed, she directed me to the Ticket Purchase line, even though I didn't need to purchase a ticket. I got into a regular check-in line, and that woman also sent me to the Ticket Purchase line for assistance.
4) After waiting in a LONG queue (long enough to make me seriously think I'd miss my flight!), the woman said she couldn't help me because my connecting flight was a United flight, so I'd have to go over to that counter. When I asked her to help with the lost bag situation, she called the hotline, chatted a few minutes, looked really confused, and passed the phone along to me. The man on the other line insisted that the bag had been delivered to the flat on Saturday. If so, I'm not quite sure what I was doing wasting my time in line :-P. I told him it in fact had never arrived, to retrieve it from the courier, and to send it to my home address.
5) After talking to 3 people, I was finally allowed in the check-in line for United. The woman at the desk was just as helpful as the Air Canada folks. I gave her a copy of my intinerary and explained that the computer didn't recognize me and hadn't checked me in. She asked if I was going to Dulles. I answered yes, as I was assuming she was asking for my final destination, but then to be safe I explained my whole story and my flight. She tapped away on her computer and completely scared me when she said she couldn't find the flight, but there were other flights departing at times that wouldn't work as I'd still be in the air. We talked back and forth trying to sort things out when I finally realized that she thought I was flying Air Canada INTO Dulles directly...*facepalm*. When I explained (again...gently) that I was flying first to Montreal, THEN to Dulles, she actually blamed me for telling her the wrong thing!!! Maybe if she had *listened* and actually read the itinerary with airport codes and flight numbers I had set down directly *in front* of her, she wouldn't have felt the need to blame a customer for her confusion.
By this point I was afraid I may not make it through security in time, as it's taken an hour the other two times. For some reason, there was *no* line and I made it through in two minutes. Miraculous.
The flight to Montreal was relatively uneventful, but from the time I landed to the time I departed for Dulles, I felt like I was in Fort Knox!
1) I had to stand in line for immigration, even though I was getting a connecting flight...never had that happen before. The immigration officials asked me about my bags -- sure, rub it in fellas! (okay, okay, I know they were just doing their job...)
2) There was no clear signage where to go for connecting flights once I was at United check-in...I was already checked in, so what was I supposed to do? I eventually found the passport contol people, but they wouldn't let me through until I could present my immigration card. "Pardon? You mean the one I just gave the immigration officials to enter Canada?" The woman looked at me like I was an idiot. "No. The one to enter the US." I have always completed immigration cards on the plane before touching down, so I was confused. But I walked away, found a stack of immigration cards, and presented it to the nice lady to pass through.
3) I expected to be on my way to my connecting flight, but no, there was *another* line...I couldn't quite tell what was about to happen, but it looked like I was entering Canada again...or maybe the US. The official asked about my bag (woohoo!) and then welcomed me to the US...wait, WHAT?!
4) When I exited I found departure boards -- finally! But wait, where was my flight? Let me tell you, this was the first time I have seen a departure board that didn't list the flights in any type of recognizable order.
5) Onward I went to my connecting flight...what, another line? Oh boy, time for security! I realized that all of the lines were because I was entering my own country again. Aftering passing through the metal detector, one of the security cards held up an 8oz bottle of water I had forgotten to take out of my bag -- oops!! He gave me a serious look and said "That's a $10,000 fine and 10 years in prison." I thought he was joking with me, but you don't laugh at airport security. Instead I shrugged and replied "Well I guess I'm not doing home" and then he felt badly and apologized for joking. Seriously dude, don't play with my mind, even if it is kind of funny!
When I landed in Dulles, I had never been more ready to be back on American soil. Dan picked me up and drove me home, allowing me to ramble about my adventures before passing out the last 1/3 of the journey.
It was a good thing that I slept well that night, because the next morning the auto shop called to say that they couldn't pass my car in its yearly inspection...I'd need to replace all 4 tires. Coming off of a weekend abroad, it's not exactly an expenditure I had budgeted for, but you gotta do what you gotta do...
As you may imagine, this tale is coming to a close, but there is still another chapter or two detailing the remainder of my week and my relationship with Air Canada. You know you can't wait! ♥
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