Made any travel mistakes lately?

[Deleted member 29185]

Not so much a mistake as an 'ohhh' moment.
Only when I read the recent AFF homepage story, did it dawn on me that the name "Air Niugini" had any geographical association

u nogot tok pisin, em tasol brata

 

[JohnM]

u nogot tok pisin, em tasol brata

While I can basically figure out a bit of Pidgin, I popped that into Google Translate to see what would show up.

Language detected: Russian .

 

[Deleted member 29185]

That's right. I was asking directions to Red Square!

Try this then, u no save tok pisin?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

While I can basically figure out a bit of Pidgin, I popped that into Google Translate to see what would show up.

Language detected: Russian .

BTW, my translation of what I wrote (for better or for worse) is:

u nogot tok pisin, em tasol brata = you don't speak pidgin, that's all mate!
(the real pidgin speakers of this forum are likely horrified at much I can butcher the language )

 

[JohnM]

That's right. I was asking directions to Red Square!

Try this then, u no save tok pisin?

That comes up as 'English detected' .

BTW, here's a snip of the first one one:



The word that does have me stumped is 'tasol' .

 

[Hvr]

No gat moa mani, em tasol.
There is no more money, it is finished.

em tasol - Tok Pisin English Dictionary

 

[jch]

Found a great business fare from Jakarta CGK to Rome FCO for A$2k this easter with Etihad (booked mid-last year). I noticed a few months after booking my middle name wasn't on included as it asks for your first name when you book. If you look deep enough their official policy states "enter the family name in the last name field and the given names (first and middle) in the first name field followed by title". It looks like you can pay US$100 if you wish to correct it.

I looked back at my past international itineraries and only around 50% had middle names included and I've had no problems. I was surprised that this included China which is usually quite strict on naming conventions and with Air Asia who usually use any excuse to charge a fee.

My gut feeling is it will be fine but wanted to know if anyone had specific problems with EY or travelling through CGK/FCO. If the very worst that happens is they charge me the change fee at check-in ill probably be ok with it given the price I got for the flight. I'll still put up a fight though!

 

[Flashback]

Found a great business fare from Jakarta CGK to Rome FCO for A$2k this easter with Etihad (booked mid-last year). I noticed a few months after booking my middle name wasn't on included as it asks for your first name when you book. If you look deep enough their official policy states "enter the family name in the last name field and the given names (first and middle) in the first name field followed by title". It looks like you can pay US$100 if you wish to correct it.

I looked back at my past international itineraries and only around 50% had middle names included and I've had no problems. I was surprised that this included China which is usually quite strict on naming conventions and with Air Asia who usually use any excuse to charge a fee.

My gut feeling is it will be fine but wanted to know if anyone had specific problems with EY or travelling through CGK/FCO. If the very worst that happens is they charge me the change fee at check-in ill probably be ok with it given the price I got for the flight. I'll still put up a fight though!

I've never had any issues flying to FCO with just first + last name. In fact I've traveled to 70 countries and never used my middle name on a booking no issues.

 

[jch]

A few of my more consequential mistakes, most of which alcohol was involved. Luckily Asia seems more to be forgiving.

Missed
- Sleeping through alarms CA PEK-HND, CX PEK-HKG, AC SFO-YVR-PEK, was only charged a change fee for AC flight at ~A$1k, others were put on later flight same day for free.
- Mistook arrival time for departure time when heading to airport BKK-HKT resulting in a last minute sprint! Arrived 24h late or early in Koh Samui USM, put on a flight with another carrier at no charge.
- Being last to board an SQ flight in PER not realising how far the gate had become after the renovations and thinking I could sneak in one last beer.
- Fell asleep in a chair at the gate in HKG, when i opened my eyes the airbridge had been retracted.. nooooo....

Lost
- Lost passport in taxi in PEK, put through the washing machine in SHA. Thinking I must have accidentally thrown my passport in the bin with a pile of papers and going through the whole bin the night before an early flight. Turned out to be under a different stack of papers in my room (sorry mum).
- Left glasses on a table when taking off a jumper in LHR before going air-side and realising, not recovered.
- Realised I left a USB on a plane in PER containing an unreleased report once I had cleared customs (got it back).
- Left a suit at security in MEL when distracted by someone trying to take a gift-wrapped toy gun air-side.
- Countless phone/iPods/wallets, although in TPE I waited at the bus depot eating lunch with the drivers while the bus I had been on did a complete loop back to return my wallet.
- Passed out on Tokyo circle subway line after staying up all night, although had been drinking with the Kaiser Chiefs after their gig in an Irish bar which was pretty cool.
- Left my phone on charge in an SFO bar then forgot which bar... apparently all look the same.

Booked
- Booked a SQ flight on the old A380 SYD-SIN, was able to call up and change times slightly to go on new A380 both ways and they waived the $330 change fee... Thanks Cherry!
- Booked a room in Chungking Mansions thinking it sounded like a luxurious place to stay...


... and finally a few quick saved situations:
- Moving from PEK-SYD I booked two extra paid bags, but had a bike, backpacking style backpack, two regular backpacks, two wheelies and a satchel. I thought Air China might let me off with the one extra bag since I had paid for some, instead, the checkin guy just said just take it on board. There were some boxing gloves in my bag which I wasn't sure would get through security as they could be classed as a weapon. The security guy stopped the conveyor belt then asked the guy behind me if he had water in is bag. Phew! So I could hardly carry all my carry on with my two hands yet once on board in whY, they just took the backpacking backpack from me and put it at the back of the plane.
- Got fever/phenomena and was in an international hospital in PEK for three or four nights at A$2-3k per night! Luckily had taken out last minute travel insurance before leaving to work on a short contract, and absolutely everything was covered.
- After buying A$2k return business tix PEK-MEL with Hainan (including free airport transfers at both ends), I realised they were a partner of Velocity. Once I had credited the flights (400 SCs) I was super surprised I got an email saying I was gold! Then did it again to get platinum (with a couple of extra short routes) and status matched for 18 months of *A gold with United...

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Cruiserette only ever made ONE travel mistake - she booked a ‘Mystery Holiday’ (mystery to me that is) to Vanuatu years ago - we landed in Port Vila - collected luggage - jumped in taxi - she slid note to taxi driver with hotel name so I could not see it - taxi driver turned around with most stunned look on his face - ‘Lady - this resort is not on main Island - you have flown in to wrong airport’ - D’Oh!!!

Cruiserette no longer arranges travel / holidays!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

A few of my more consequential mistakes, most of which alcohol was involved.

Think of the money you'd save if you were a teetotaler? I've just decided not to travel with you!

 

[jch]

Thing of the money you'd save if you were a teetotaler? I've just decided not to travel with you!

Now wiser and more mature for it

 

[cove]

Time to suck it up today as we bought 2 economy seats and applied for an upgrade. Received a text around 1 am letting me know the points upgrade failed. Buying a ticket for a work trip was a mistake as I should have booked on points. Coming home We each have a Points booking and a paid ticket and the points one is an A330 business class seat.

 

[Flashback]

Time to suck it up today as we bought 2 economy seats and applied for an upgrade. Received a text around 1 am letting me know the points upgrade failed. Buying a ticket for a work trip was a mistake as I should have booked on points. Coming home We each have a Points booking and a paid ticket and the points one is an A330 business class seat.

Don't worry @cove, it happens to the best of us! At least it's only a short flight over the great sandy plains.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Time to suck it up today as we bought 2 economy seats and applied for an upgrade. Received a text around 1 am letting me know the points upgrade failed. Buying a ticket for a work trip was a mistake as I should have booked on points.

Good grief!!! How will you survive sitting amongst the commoners?

 

[cove]

I think I softened Mrscove up with an Easyjet flight from Gatwick to Madrid. I hope I don’t hear about this one too for a number of years........

 

[cove]

I think I will get the circulation back into my legs today from that ride to Sydney in economy. I did get a seat that kept doing an auto recline on the passenger behind me so I reported it for engineering to fix.
Lucky doers....we had Qantas iPads that worked as we were on an A330 so time passed quickly with 2 movies.

 

[Anna]

My recent mistake was when I was trying to book myself ADL MEL SIN LHR. QF9 is MEL to LHR I thought. Yes it is. I am now booked ADL MEL PER LHR (I couldn't be bothered changing it to ADL PER LHR even though I realised what I'd done as soon as I got the email confirmation).

 

[JohnK]

Time to suck it up today as we bought 2 economy seats and applied for an upgrade.

And you survived to tell the tale?

At least you didn't book the last flight of the night. Oh wait that was the only flight to fly BNE-SYD yesterday afternoon/evening after 6 cancellations. There goes that theory.

 

[Pushka]

Travelling to Egypt next Christmas on a Viking tour of Israel Egypt and Jordan. Viking posts the intinerary by day not night. Organised an awards flight out of Amman for the day the tour ends except it ended the night before. Viking is putting us up at the Hyatt in Amman so thought I’d stay an extra night rather than go elsewhere. Price came to $775 AUD a night.

So ended up booking Amman airport hotel at $235 which is apparently a flea pit but think those reviews come from people who are put up there when in overnight transit so they don’t pay.