***UPDATE***
So...I'm still here. It's 1pm in the afternoon, and I'm still here. My flight was supposed to leave at 9:52am.
I had a nice little send off at the airport with my parents.
A good friend dropped by with my favorite breakfast sammie to start my trip off right. I got to hang out with all of them for a good hour before we parted ways and I went through security.
Frankie reminded me to make use of the United lounge (good call!) and I spent the remainder of the time prior to my departure relaxing in a leatherbound seat, eating free food and sipping free coffee. Felt a lot like Google! Haha!!
9:20a rolls around and I wrap up the call Frankie. A few more 'miss you's, 'love you's, and 'sending hugs' and I was finally ready to walk to the gate and step on the plane.
Except, United had other ideas.
Turns out my flight out of SF was now delayed 2 hours. This meant it would now arrive in Chicago at 5:57p. The problem? My connecting flight to Amsterdam was scheduled to depart at 5:50p. Only a minor inconvenience. The woman at the ticket desk directed me to customer service around the corner...me and about a hundred other people impacted by this change in flight schedule.
This was only half of the line. The other half extended behind me and on through a zig-zag maze making its way to the customer service desk.
Luckily, the line for 'Premiere Access' was much shorter. I KNEW it had been a good idea to book business class for this trip!
While waiting in line I also called United customer support, just in case that went more quickly. Turns out it did! By the time I got to the customer service agent in real life, I'd already spoken to one on the phone and gotten my flight rebooked.
The only challenge is that flights getting me to Amsterdam for the rest of the day were pretty full already. The only option was a 1p flight on Delta out of SFO connecting through Detroit (oh yay :-p) and traveling on to Amsterdam. Ok fine, I'll take it. I just want to get there already!
Rebooking on a different airline required several steps on my part. I had to go down to baggage claim and submit a request to reclaim my bags. I ended up packing 2 suitcases, with 2 backpacks as carry-on. I loaded everything onto a trolley and schlepped that all the way from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1. Nowhere near each other. Then I had to check in with Delta and recheck my bags.
Done and done and I'm on my way through security for the second time that morning when I noticed my tickets.
I was now sitting in the MIDDLE seat of the BACK ROW of both flights on Delta. Hold up! I went back to the ticket agent and asked about my previous business class tickets on United. Turns out, business class doesn't transfer when you're rebooked on another airline. You automatically get put in economy. Gee, thanks United agent for informing me of all the implications of changing my seat to a different airline. #customerservicefail
This was a special trip and there was no way I was going to fly in anything other than the business class I'd paid for. How do we fix this? Delta agent: we can't help you, you have to call United. At this point, I almost cried. I'd been awake for about 29 hours by then and just wanted this next chapter to start already. Exhaustion and frustration were competing for control of my tears.
On the phone for the second time that day with United customer service. After 20 minutes on hold, finally got an agent and explained the situation. He offered to rebook me on a flight the next day (same flight I was supposed to have left on that morning). Ok fine. Business class? Yes. Great! But now I had to reclaim my bags yet again, and schlep them BACK to Terminal 3 for United.
*sigh*
So now I have 6 boarding passes, I've checked my bags twice, reclaimed them twice, and been in 2 different terminals....and I still haven't left SF.
Called my mom to come pick me up. After a quick bite (I hadn't eaten since 8am), I completely crashed at 1:30p. I'd officially been awake for 31 hours at that point. Definitely needed the rest.
Let's try this again tomorrow!
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