What are your thoughts about travel in the time of Covid?

Parents Forum Parent Cafe
5394

I hate the early AM flights. Getting up is just the half of it. The taxis and car rental drop offs can be problematic. And let’s not even mention if you have an early AM and they aren’t open for coffee before you board.

My family hates how early we get to the airport. But my husband and kid #1 were flying back from Europe and got there early with the intention to hang out in the lounge. They just made the flight.

Travel is not what it used to be. I’m looking forward to a Summer trip, but mainly just being there. Wish I could avoid flying altogether.

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5395

D1 and her family are traveling through Europe now. They have a 17 month old, so it’s a bit more challenging. On the way over one of their luggages didn’t get on the plane, but was eventually delivered.
They had an early flight between London and Sicily. The lines were so long they almost missed their flight. They were there 3 hours early. Easy Jet lost their portable crib. They were not given luggage tag for the crib, so the chance of them getting it back is 0.
I have been hearing similar horror stories from my colleagues in Europe. Long lines at security check in due to staff shortage.
Pack accordingly and get to the airport early.

5396

It’s not peak summer travel season there yet…

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5397

Air travel right now is a NIGHTMARE. Just came home from visiting Canada. BOTH flights going to Calgary were delayed (only made our connection because IT was delayed) and they lost a bag, which was delivered to our hotel overnight.

Coming home, our first flight was delayed–we knew instantly we wouldn’t make our connection if it was on time (which it was—the only flight of 4 that was). Air Canada told us we would be rescheduled and if necessary, would be put up for the night-so we weren’t worried.

Upon arrival, an employee at the gate gave us our new flights (the next morning) as we stepped off the plane–gave us confidence in Air Canada at the time. We were told to go to customer service to get our hotel. We got in line at 8PM–behind about 100 people. We were within two parties of being served when it was abruptly announced that this counter was closing at 10PM, in ten minutes. We were told to go to departures check-in the get back in line.

There were at least three hundred people in line at departures. At 11 PM employees started handing out lists of hotels, telling us to make our own arrangements, and file for reimbursement. So we went from “don’t worry, we’ll take care of you” to “good luck, you’re on your own”.

We called about 15 hotels—it was Friday night, lots of flights were cancelled, there were no hotel rooms near the airport to be had. We finally found one in the city proper, 12 miles away. We took a cab, sans luggage, got 4 hours sleep, and schlepped back to the airport for a 8:40 am flight.

Morning flight went without incident. THEN, at our home airport, our luggage was missing. It wasn’t lost, we were told—it just hadn’t left Calgary yet. They said they would deliver the 2 bags to our home. That was Saturday. Today is Tuesday. We are still waiting.

I have little confidence that Air Canada will do what they said and pay for our hotel and taxis. Thank goodness we have trip insurance. Maybe we should have filed with insurance company instead of airline???

And… to top it all off, the day after we got home I came down with COVID. Not too bad, feels like a terrible cold, but still…

5398

I’m pretty sure you have to file with the airline first. What a terrible experience. If the would have told you just to go and get a hotel and file later, you could have just left and not waited in line! Of course just try and get it out of them what the limit would have been to spend on the hotel. They won’t tell you!

I hope you feel better.

5399

Haven’t you talked about this trip on here for a long time? So sorry it was a pain in traveling and getting sick . :frowning:

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5400

That’s awful. On the flip side, younger S surprised GF last weekend for her bday. (Her family knew he was coming). I was nervous since he used my freebie Delta points. But both flights were fine, even got their 30 min early on the return. Checked luggage made it fine as well. He got lucky!

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5401

YES----we already were rescheduled and were in line with folks who had not been rescheduled.

Finding a hotel 8 PM instead of 11PM would have meant a more restful evening for sure! Air Canada made no distinction between those who needed a new flight and those who just needed a room.

5402

Many years ago (long before Covid), I was in Taipei for some meetings and I was supposed to leave after the meetings for Singapore. But the flight was cancelled and there was no hotel vacancy anywhere in the greater Taipei area that night. I had to fly to Hong Kong to sleep in its airport hotel and then took an early flight to Singapore the next morning.

I traveled recently domestically. With all the stories about delays and cancellations. I had all my travel apps ready in case I needed to book a flight or hotel myself. I wouldn’t count on airline agents to be able to take care of travel disruptions in a timely fashion these days. Fortunately, all my flights were fine on this recent trip.

5403

Thank you. I don’t feel that awful.

Actually the trip was wonderful, except for the air travel. Canadian Rockies cannot be described, they have to be seen. Here’s a photo of Lake Louise:

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5404

I wonder if I’m hindsight that securing your own hotel room and filing for reimbursement is the better option instead of the one air Canada offered.

Hard to say but it is food for thought for us future travelers

Also sorry about catching covid. It seems almost unavoidable

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5405

OTOH. I just returned from a cross country trip. No problems. No flight delays or cancellations. Delta.

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5406

Just received a post card from Paris from my daughter, I’m glad she had the best time, she wrote people were generally friendly, this is not her first time there, and there were lots of Americans. She walked everywhere, too lazy to take the train or bus, but she looked so happy on her recent photo sent to us, so that prompted me to book my tickets to Alhambra, I booked this place before in 2020 but the tickets were refunded because of the pandemic. Despite all the travel inconveniences I’ve read, I hope I get that big of a smile when I get back.

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5407

We just returned from domestic trip on Alaska. No problem at all. Interesting observation that on return flight flight attendants were in their 60th. I wonder if they were called back from retirement due to the shortage

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5408

We experienced an amusing example of “Canada Nice” vs. “US brusqueness”:

On our Canadian Rockies tour we crossed from Canada to US to visit Glacier NP. US Border Control agent boarded our bus and was asked if rest rooms were available, answered “No”. Inside, signs stated rest rooms were for detainees only–so someone joked that to use a bathroom one had to get arrested!!!

Returning back to Alberta we passed through Canadian Border Control. HUGE signs on side of building showing way to the public restrooms!!!

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5409

Very unlikely. Alaska Air flight attendants are unionized, they can’t come back after retirement. But many people took long leaves during Covid, and some are finally returning. Most likely it was a senior and desirable route you were flying, with senior flight attendants. There is no maximum age restriction, they can fly till they die.

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5410

A couple of pointers from someone who used to work in “Lost Luggage” a long time ago

-Be normal. You will be in the 5% of people who don’t start their sentence with, " You lost my $#%## luggage".
-People in Lost Luggage can actually do a lot to find your bag. Most bags are just delayed and have been put on a later flight or are in the baggage area and were misplaced for some reason. They’ll show up soon.
-Leave a contact where your bag can be sent. Not a place where you will be for 4 hours, but a place where it can be sent in the next couple of days.
-Don’t bring large and unwieldy items like baby carriages on a plane to check at the gate. Better to check things in with the flight.
-Put a tag on the outside of all your bags ( the kind you buy that’s sturdy), put an airline tag for the flight on the bag and put name and email and phone number INSIDE the bag.
-Check the outside area where bags are often unloaded, check the other carousels just to see if your bag is there as well.

If you get delayed/the flight is canceled/you are bumped.

-Most of the same rules apply. Modulate your voice into a kind tone. Ask how can we solve this issue. Do not accuse the person at the gate of the issue, they did not create it. But they have a lot of power to resolve it, if you are in the 5% of people who behave very well. Manners will get you a lot.
-If you are bumped and need to get a hotel, don’t bother waiting in a line unless they are giving out vouchers. IF they aren’t then go to the home and save all the receipts.
-If a flight is cancelled call the airline directly or use an app to rebook before everyone in that long line does.

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5411

We put AirTags in any checked bags. Haven’t lost any bags recently, but it’s nice knowing if your bag made the flight or not. Also H & S usually check golf bags and, depending on the airport, they can come out in a different place than the main luggage.

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5412

Great advice. I will always put my contact info on the inside on top of everything from now on. Ever since we lost every bag on a trip to Europe, we have just checked ski equipment. Only carry on for us, no matter how long the trip, especially if it is not a direct flight.

Yes, they do keep a record of what you say-especially on the phone. By day 9 the gloves were off and DH lost it. When we went back through Heathrow 14 days later, he went down to search and talked with the guys- he said, I got mad at some point- and they said, yes, we can see that.

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5413

I’m sheltered I guess, I never heard of AirTags!

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