Are you watching your vacation slide off a cliff?
You have been psyched for months about getting half naked and sucking up sun?
And now Eugene, Emily Ophelia (Storm name goes here ‘ ‘) are about to F’ up your only chance for sanity.
NOT!
Here is what the Pro’s do when your flights go bad.
1. Go to your airline website and write down your top 3 best options. (Fast)
2. Call the airline and press ‘International’. (International has the smartest agents)
3. While you are on hold, go to Google Flights and check for other airline options.
4. Tell your agent the problem in a calm and soothing voice. (They hate freaked out callers who threaten them)
5. Let them respond to you before you scream your 3 best options in the phone. (Don’t jabber incessantly about your failed vacation while they are typing – Let them work)
[Tip] – if they want to transfer you to Customer Service, let them, then hang up and call back.6. If they suggest a triple-connect with an overnight in Newark, – yuck – now share your best options – starting with #1. (Take a breath)
7. Go through each option, 1 at a time. (Calmly – so they know they cannot get you off the phone)
8. Then, if they can’t help. Politely ask for a Supervisor and start all over again at #4. above.
[Tip] – if you realize you are speaking to an ahole, hang up and call back. (get an agent that is happy :-)Your fall back position is to ask for a refund. (if you have a different airline you know has seats)
Here is the reality. Supervisors have a lot of latitude. And it helps if you fly more than 1x a year.
I regularly get airline ‘Sched Changes’.
(That is when a flight is cancelled – or a time change causes you to miss a connecting flight)
It is not uncommon for me to work this entire scenario 3 of 4 times to get what I want.
This process is slog…….not a sprint. (google ‘middle east negotiation style’ for tips)
[Tip] – This is one instance where if you have a good travel agent they will do all this behind the scenes and you won’t have to start drinkin’ early.Been there, done this, – many times.
>>Jake
I’ll keep the tarmac warm for ya’.
