Scarlett
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- Jun 27, 2011
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Earlier this month finishing up a holiday in Europe, we (family Scarlett) were booked to fly NCE-IST-CGK with TK in J (paid tix). Day time flight to IST and then the overnight to Indonesia.
Arrived at NCE for the ~1030 departure my standard two hours early. Normally I check the status of the inbound flight on FR24 but for whatever reason didn’t that morning. Monitors at the airport were showing at least an hour delay, but when I checked the inbound TK flight, the aircraft was only just taxiing at IST so was guaranteed to be over two hours late.
J check-in agent acknowledges that there’s a delay and looking at our 1:45 connection in IST agrees we’ll misconnect. I mention that I know there’s a second flight to CGK about 8 hours later than our scheduled flight. He then tries to see what his system will allow. Eventually his options to me are:
- no J seats left on the later TK flight; go in whY for the long overnight flight and TK will refund an element of the fare plus pay us something else in compensation. (I don’t recall he had specific amounts as he was a local contract agent rather than TK staff)
- couldn’t confirm us on one of the other flights to SE Asia (SIN, KUL, BKK) from IST, but suggested we go to IST on the delayed flight and sort it out there.
He had called the TK office behind us (about 100m away) to see what could be done during this period. I spent the time looking for options myself.
I didn’t want to take the whY option, because, whY… and didn’t want to go to IST without some sort of plan as bags would be tagged there, so we’d have to get visas, enter Turkey, collect bags and then be at the mercy of whatever they came up with.
My research on Google flights indicated there were two viable star alliance options for sale with the second option via BKK using TG double the price of the first option. I don’t know how airlines sort out INVOL REROUTE costs in the background but had a feeling that TK wouldn’t like that expensive option. But that was by the by as I did like the first option anyway and gave that to the agent to see if he could reroute us:
NCE-FRA-SIN-CGK. First two flights on LH and final on SQ. The bonus was that the FRA-SIN leg was scheduled as a B747-800.
He tried and couldn’t make it happen, even with phone help from the airline office so I suggested I’d go over and talk to them direct. Although he was being helpful he seemed happy that I was taking the problem out of his hands.
So over to the actual TK desk we go. Lady there was just finishing up with someone else so I explained the issue and she already knew about it as had already been on the phone with the check in agent trying to help him. I feed the flights to her to see if she can make it happen and she’s showing me her screen as she searches for ‘C’ availability on whatever the direct old school program is she was using. (monochrome green text only and used specific abbreviation strings to query the system). Lots of roadblocks… computer kept saying no for one reason or another (not enough J seats; she was searching different fare buckets; searching wrong airline etc) but we worked at it.
I noted that she searched Z fares, C fares, some other letter and also J, as the different searches came up on the screen. The system was also defaulting to using SQ for the FRA-SIN leg and that wasn’t being allowed. It was also defaulting to using GA for the SIN-CGK leg and that was also not being allowed. Eventually the system gave the green light using the exact same flights I could see for sale on Google flights, but the process to get there was labour intensive (for the TK agent). Then it took another 20 minutes to get the ticket transferred over and to give us a print out of the new confirmed flights with the key words INVOL REROUTE.
First problem, we’re now on an LH flight leaving in six hours time. We go to a cafe, have a (decent!) coffee, rearrange our collection in CGK for the new time and figure we’ll take the opportunity to go into Nice, but, second problem, LH won’t accept our bags that early. There also no left luggage facility in the NCE terminal we’re in.
(as an aside, because we were at NCE, I had been trying to contact LX agents that morning about Mrs Scarlett’s missing suitcase: it hadn’t arrived on our ZRH-NCE flight three days earlier and the website said it still wasn’t located… spoke to a guy out the back in baggage services and he seemed completely disinterested, “you’ll get an email” was all of it - amazingly an hour later they’ve located it in ZRH, without its tag, and have started loading it onto a flight to CGK via SIN!)
Nice city tourism folk in the terminal confirmed that there was a left luggage facility in the other terminal (catch tram over there) so dropped bags there (€10 per bag for three hours - steep, but paid up - plus then they wanted €20 extra for my golf clubs because they’re oversized. I just carried my clubs with me over my shoulder…)
Couple of hours in the nice late spring Nice sunshine later and we headed back to the airport.
For those who haven’t died of old age or boredom yet, wait, there’s more…
Checked in for the quick LH trip over the Alps to FRA and headed up to the NCE contract lounge. It was now late afternoon. Check FR24 and wouldn’t you know it, that flight is going to be delayed as well. Our one and a half hour connection in FRA had started looking shaky. I’d begun to wonder how FRA agents would deal with the tale if we’d had another mis-connection. On descent into FRA the crew read out connecting gates and paid special attention to a couple of tight connections: SIN pax would be met at the gate and transferred directly to their new gate. That was a good sign.
On arrival we see the sign for the Singapore flight before exiting the jet bridge and are directed down a stairwell. At the bottom a guy confirms we’re on the Singapore Airlines flight to which we said no and we’re told to go back up the stairs because this was for SQ only… aarggghhh.
Found a monitor, “Final Call”, 
and set off to the other end of the pier for our gate. Mstr Scarlett running, me moving quickly to sort of be in the middle and Mrs Scarlett walking briskly so as not to aggravate her knees.
We were boarded okay; not even the last to arrive! As a bonus, Mstr Scarlett and I had seats allocated upstairs (allocated apart at NCE), but a German chap reluctantly gave up his seat so that I could be beside the young’un and make sure he actually got some sleep. (if given freedom to choose I’m certain he would have asked for a never ending supply of cola drinks from the crew and watched movies for 12 hours straight through the night). When it came time to sleep, my bed wouldn’t recline properly (not just a QF feature!) and the senior cabin chap came and did it manually.
We connected in SIN with a couple of hours in the KrisFlyer lounge (T2 I recall - perfunctory at best, but that was a first world problem) then the short hop down to CGK on a B773.
Still not finished… we got to the baggage carousel and there was a silver hard shell bag going around with our name on it and a message to contact the ground agents. Of course Mstr Scarlett and my bags hadn’t made the tight connection in FRA so off we go to report yet more missing luggage. The very helpful Indonesian guy there confirmed two bags would be sent on the same flights we had taken but with 24 hours delay. Two bags, hmmm, we had checked in three pieces of luggage: two suitcases and my golf clubs, but he couldn’t tell us which was which. So we waited for the luggage to come out and my golf clubs eventually appeared at oversize! Went back and reported the suitcases.
Once outside we had a laugh about departing Indonesia with four pieces of luggage but returning with only one!
As it was, the two bags delayed by LH turned up to our house after 48 hours, but we had no further info from LX about Mrs Scarlett’s bag. It should have arrived into CGK before us, but we’d checked at the luggage office whilst there and they had no info. LX had no further info either, just that as they’d already advised us, it’ll be delivered to us. After another 48 hours the same helpful guy at SQ baggage services helped find that suitcase (communications via WhatsApp were excellent) and hooked me up with the delivery company they used to get it delivered. LX hadn’t given authorisation for it to be delivered.
So I paid and added that to the claim for Mrs Scarlett’s essential needs purchased in Europe whilst waiting for her bag. It was reunited with her after nine days!
Thanks for hanging in there… the INVOL REROUTE that had more first world problems than you could shake a mixed metaphor at. Still got home safely and took a trip upstairs in a 747 again!
Arrived at NCE for the ~1030 departure my standard two hours early. Normally I check the status of the inbound flight on FR24 but for whatever reason didn’t that morning. Monitors at the airport were showing at least an hour delay, but when I checked the inbound TK flight, the aircraft was only just taxiing at IST so was guaranteed to be over two hours late.
J check-in agent acknowledges that there’s a delay and looking at our 1:45 connection in IST agrees we’ll misconnect. I mention that I know there’s a second flight to CGK about 8 hours later than our scheduled flight. He then tries to see what his system will allow. Eventually his options to me are:
- no J seats left on the later TK flight; go in whY for the long overnight flight and TK will refund an element of the fare plus pay us something else in compensation. (I don’t recall he had specific amounts as he was a local contract agent rather than TK staff)
- couldn’t confirm us on one of the other flights to SE Asia (SIN, KUL, BKK) from IST, but suggested we go to IST on the delayed flight and sort it out there.
He had called the TK office behind us (about 100m away) to see what could be done during this period. I spent the time looking for options myself.
I didn’t want to take the whY option, because, whY… and didn’t want to go to IST without some sort of plan as bags would be tagged there, so we’d have to get visas, enter Turkey, collect bags and then be at the mercy of whatever they came up with.
My research on Google flights indicated there were two viable star alliance options for sale with the second option via BKK using TG double the price of the first option. I don’t know how airlines sort out INVOL REROUTE costs in the background but had a feeling that TK wouldn’t like that expensive option. But that was by the by as I did like the first option anyway and gave that to the agent to see if he could reroute us:
NCE-FRA-SIN-CGK. First two flights on LH and final on SQ. The bonus was that the FRA-SIN leg was scheduled as a B747-800.
He tried and couldn’t make it happen, even with phone help from the airline office so I suggested I’d go over and talk to them direct. Although he was being helpful he seemed happy that I was taking the problem out of his hands.
So over to the actual TK desk we go. Lady there was just finishing up with someone else so I explained the issue and she already knew about it as had already been on the phone with the check in agent trying to help him. I feed the flights to her to see if she can make it happen and she’s showing me her screen as she searches for ‘C’ availability on whatever the direct old school program is she was using. (monochrome green text only and used specific abbreviation strings to query the system). Lots of roadblocks… computer kept saying no for one reason or another (not enough J seats; she was searching different fare buckets; searching wrong airline etc) but we worked at it.
I noted that she searched Z fares, C fares, some other letter and also J, as the different searches came up on the screen. The system was also defaulting to using SQ for the FRA-SIN leg and that wasn’t being allowed. It was also defaulting to using GA for the SIN-CGK leg and that was also not being allowed. Eventually the system gave the green light using the exact same flights I could see for sale on Google flights, but the process to get there was labour intensive (for the TK agent). Then it took another 20 minutes to get the ticket transferred over and to give us a print out of the new confirmed flights with the key words INVOL REROUTE.
First problem, we’re now on an LH flight leaving in six hours time. We go to a cafe, have a (decent!) coffee, rearrange our collection in CGK for the new time and figure we’ll take the opportunity to go into Nice, but, second problem, LH won’t accept our bags that early. There also no left luggage facility in the NCE terminal we’re in.
(as an aside, because we were at NCE, I had been trying to contact LX agents that morning about Mrs Scarlett’s missing suitcase: it hadn’t arrived on our ZRH-NCE flight three days earlier and the website said it still wasn’t located… spoke to a guy out the back in baggage services and he seemed completely disinterested, “you’ll get an email” was all of it - amazingly an hour later they’ve located it in ZRH, without its tag, and have started loading it onto a flight to CGK via SIN!)
Nice city tourism folk in the terminal confirmed that there was a left luggage facility in the other terminal (catch tram over there) so dropped bags there (€10 per bag for three hours - steep, but paid up - plus then they wanted €20 extra for my golf clubs because they’re oversized. I just carried my clubs with me over my shoulder…)
Couple of hours in the nice late spring Nice sunshine later and we headed back to the airport.
For those who haven’t died of old age or boredom yet, wait, there’s more…
Checked in for the quick LH trip over the Alps to FRA and headed up to the NCE contract lounge. It was now late afternoon. Check FR24 and wouldn’t you know it, that flight is going to be delayed as well. Our one and a half hour connection in FRA had started looking shaky. I’d begun to wonder how FRA agents would deal with the tale if we’d had another mis-connection. On descent into FRA the crew read out connecting gates and paid special attention to a couple of tight connections: SIN pax would be met at the gate and transferred directly to their new gate. That was a good sign.
On arrival we see the sign for the Singapore flight before exiting the jet bridge and are directed down a stairwell. At the bottom a guy confirms we’re on the Singapore Airlines flight to which we said no and we’re told to go back up the stairs because this was for SQ only… aarggghhh.
Found a monitor, “Final Call”, and set off to the other end of the pier for our gate. Mstr Scarlett running, me moving quickly to sort of be in the middle and Mrs Scarlett walking briskly so as not to aggravate her knees. We were boarded okay; not even the last to arrive! As a bonus, Mstr Scarlett and I had seats allocated upstairs (allocated apart at NCE), but a German chap reluctantly gave up his seat so that I could be beside the young’un and make sure he actually got some sleep. (if given freedom to choose I’m certain he would have asked for a never ending supply of cola drinks from the crew and watched movies for 12 hours straight through the night). When it came time to sleep, my bed wouldn’t recline properly (not just a QF feature!) and the senior cabin chap came and did it manually.
We connected in SIN with a couple of hours in the KrisFlyer lounge (T2 I recall - perfunctory at best, but that was a first world problem) then the short hop down to CGK on a B773.
Still not finished… we got to the baggage carousel and there was a silver hard shell bag going around with our name on it and a message to contact the ground agents. Of course Mstr Scarlett and my bags hadn’t made the tight connection in FRA so off we go to report yet more missing luggage. The very helpful Indonesian guy there confirmed two bags would be sent on the same flights we had taken but with 24 hours delay. Two bags, hmmm, we had checked in three pieces of luggage: two suitcases and my golf clubs, but he couldn’t tell us which was which. So we waited for the luggage to come out and my golf clubs eventually appeared at oversize! Went back and reported the suitcases.
Once outside we had a laugh about departing Indonesia with four pieces of luggage but returning with only one!
As it was, the two bags delayed by LH turned up to our house after 48 hours, but we had no further info from LX about Mrs Scarlett’s bag. It should have arrived into CGK before us, but we’d checked at the luggage office whilst there and they had no info. LX had no further info either, just that as they’d already advised us, it’ll be delivered to us. After another 48 hours the same helpful guy at SQ baggage services helped find that suitcase (communications via WhatsApp were excellent) and hooked me up with the delivery company they used to get it delivered. LX hadn’t given authorisation for it to be delivered.
So I paid and added that to the claim for Mrs Scarlett’s essential needs purchased in Europe whilst waiting for her bag. It was reunited with her after nine days!Thanks for hanging in there… the INVOL REROUTE that had more first world problems than you could shake a mixed metaphor at. Still got home safely and took a trip upstairs in a 747 again!
)
I deliberately didn’t go into many of the issues because there were so many and I didn’t want to write any more of the essay!
Very happy result!
- maybe buy a lotto ticket while your luck is holding?
. Lots of learnings there as you summarised in your subsequent post
