Made any travel mistakes lately?

[jxv]

Bankwest also has QF earning Mastercards without FX fees.

 

[Ktan89]

No this is just another example of DCC where you are overseas and the vendor kindly presents you with the payment already converted into AUD. Never, ever accept this option.

This is totally noted for next time!

Sounds like it is well past time to apply for one of the totally free zero FX fee (& outrageous spreads that are not fees of course) ccs like 28 Degrees or similar. No points earnt is a small sacrifice for no FX ripoffs.

Worth doing some research...

I normally use an ANZ adventures CC (no fees) to pay for all my overseas spending.
Not sure what happened this time... It was late (1.15am) and I think I was trying too hard to get the best deal. Thinking since it is priced as AUD, I might as well get more FF points using my NAB card but ended up costing me more.

I could have used my AMEX card to pay in PHP and paid the 3% FX FEE and gotten a better outcome. AMEX: $820AUD + 3% = $845AUD but instead I paid $877AUD + NAB FX fee


Don't ever:
- use google currency converter..
- book anything late at night.. HAHA

 

[RAM]

Don't ever:
- use google currency converter..
- book anything late at night.. HAHA

doubly so if alcohol has been enjoyed.

 

[Flashback]

Ok almost made. For some years now I have Regularly renewed my ESTA. Kinda an automatical type thing. Last week contemplated having a quick trip to USA. However I havnt yet organised travel insurance. Covid test would be needed etc. So with a big sigh and a grump I decided to not try and fly. Now five days later I realised !! I no longer have a current ESTA. A random comment in Facebook forum happen to mention a few things for travel to USA . Which included ESTA. Oh my gosh that would have been so so disappointing and expensive to have done lol the bookings and unable to leave
My contribution this thread and I havnt even travelled OS since early 2020

We applied for 2x ESTA on the weekend and both authorised within an hour

 

[serfty]

...
We show up at our gate 20min before the flight to find that we were bumped off flight because we weren’t there earlier. Apparently, that’s the way it works. With all flights sold out for the day, we join the standby list and just managed to squash into the last row of economy on the next flight. I’ve never been so happy to be in Y before!

In the USA, 30 minutes is the MINIMUM time to get to your gate before a flight. Forget any published 15 minutes.

 

[RAM]

In the USA, 30 minutes is the MINIMUM time to get to your gate before a flight. Forget any published 15 minutes.

Don't you just love the open outcry auctions that happen at the gates from time to time?

One time at HNL, the impending international flight next gate was very over-booked and those who were entertaining 'volunteering' for a price started standing within earshot of each other (about 9 or 10 people). Airlines officials were not happy at this possible 'collusion'.

Shame!

Auction began (calls for volunteers) around 25 minutes before flight scheduled.

 

[Scarlett]

Hopefully my recent travel mistake is about to conclude.

We (family Scarlett) are sitting in the TK Lounge Istanbul awaiting our flight out at 0200. It was supposed to have occurred three days ago...

After enjoying the sights and sounds of Cyprus, northern Cyprus and Turkey, we'd completed what was likely the riskiest part of the trip and had crossed back from Turkish occupied northern Cyprus into the country proper. I'd been a little 'calculating' might be the best word in nesting a trip to Turkey into the Cyprus time. We'd crossed into the north with no issues (no passport stamps) and then flew out of the airport in the north (Ercan - ECN), direct to Turkey and had spent some time along the southern med coast. On arrival back at ECN, the immigration officer did stamp our passports as entering the 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus', which I knew could be a problem when heading back south. As it was, no issues with this particular quirk of travel in Cyprus.

So, we flew back out of Cyprus (LCA) to ATH and because we were heading for Indonesia, still had to prove covid negative to be allowed to recheck in at ATH (separate tickets - we flew A3 LCA-ATH (Y) and were connecting to TK for ATH-IST-CGK in J) I'd checked Timatic and will swear before any court, that I checked and rechecked the requirements and they said neg PCR within 48hrs of commencing travel, or neg Rapid Test within 24hrs. So at ATH three hours before the TK flight we went and got rapid tests done and all negative. Checked in with the TK desk no problems, showing our vax and recently completed tests. Bags checked all the way through and two boarding passes in hand for the two legs. ATH-IST was fine for the quick one hour leg and then we had about seven hours in the IST lounge in transit. At the appointed boarding time we made our way through the massive IST to our gate to much shouting and apparent chaos. After five minutes in the imaginatively titled 'line' we get, "Do you have your vax certificates and PCR results", asked the ground services agent as we reached the scanner. I handed over the vax sheets and the screenshots of the rapid test results and told her they were rapid tests (MISTAKE ONE). That's where the problem started as we apparently needed PCR as the only acceptable test. I protested that I'd checked this on Timatic, but on her screen it did indeed say PCR only (MISTAKE TWO).

As there were standby pax I'd suggest our seats were probably already being reassigned at that point. The result was denied boarding, which was great fun at 0200 with a child in tow. Gate staff are contractors and couldn't help with anything other than that we weren't getting on the plane. So, we trudged forlornly back up to the TK J lounge and with heart in mouth asked the staff there what we could do, thinking that at worst I'd be up for three new short notice tickets to get home. However, I certainly wasn't shy about mentioning that TK had checked us in at ATH after reviewing all the necessary documents. We were on discount J tix so I'm not sure what they entered into their system but the lounge staff said they'd rebook us, no problem. Flights to Indonesia from IST (both to CGK and DPS) were full for the next two days, so we were to have an enforced three day stay in Istanbul. They wouldn't rebook via SIN, KUL or BKK. They also wouldn't cover a hotel for the stay as it was longer than 24hrs and at that point I wasn't going to argue. So we had a quick look at 'airport' hotels using the lounge wifi and booked something nearby (MISTAKE THREE) in Arnavutkoy.

Next was collecting our offloaded bags, which meant enduring more chaos in the TK baggage services office (much shouting, no lines, many unhappy pax missing bags) before eventually someone called someone else out the back and eventually a staff member turned up and led us to our bags at the other end of the hall in a side room. This took over an hour. Taxi to hotel, check in, quick shower and heads hit the pillow at 0500 after 23 hours of travel. We slept to midday and then had to reorganise our lives back at home to cope with the delay.

The upside, yesterday we did a full day tour of Istanbul and saw all the main tourist sites, and at other times we walked around the local area, ate doner kebabs from local shops (~AUD2 each and tasty!) got a haircut (AUD4) and saw a bit of real life Turkey. (not overly dissimilar to Indonesia really, with the interesting interpretations of road rules, rubbish thrown everywhere, mostly plastic, and again that word chaos, but organised chaos!). The hotel was fine, but was a local hotel catering probably to overnight airport-transit guests only.

The downsides: had to use extra time off, extra cost for hotel, taxis, meals and plenty of unnecessary stress.

How should I have fixed the mistakes:
1. Kept my damn mouth shut! I reckon after process probably about a hundred other boarding pax, if I'd just given her the covid vax papers and shown her the test results on my phone, highlighting all negative, she might well have missed the Rapid test wording as I guess the ATH check in desk did?
2. Not sure how I fix this as I was CERTAIN I had everything correct and I knew I'd checked it and rechecked it. But it was my mistake and it nearly cost us new flight tickets.
3. Should have booked somewhere closer to the better tourist action. Hotels close to the airport are fine for a quick layover, but are more problematic for filling in three days. We had a couple of shops close, but the town centre was a 25-30 minute walk away.

Oh, and the extra dirk in the ribs... yesterday about three hours after we got PCR tested for this second attempt to fly out, the Indonesian Govt scrapped entry testing requirements (and not bloody before time too - for a country of 300 million people they have been averaging 250-300 positive cases a day - but still had entry testing requirements AND still had outdoor mask mandates!) So, we're all PCR negative, but it wasn't checked at check-in, so another wasted EUR60.

Boarding time...again. Fingers crossed.

 

[straitman]

Best wishes going forward. If you have any ongoing issues give me a yell as my daughter and family are currently living in Turkey and know their way around things there. I am not sure if they are currently in or near Istanbul but I am sure they would be happy to help with things if necessary.

 

[sudoer]

Travel insurance cover expenses????

Surely insurance wouldn't provide cover given the mistake on type of test?

TK was wrong to permit check-in/boarding on the first leg, but ultimately the RAT was the cause of the delay.

 

[PLANT]

Yep no go after reread for insurance

 

[Scarlett]

@sudoer is right and every day is a school day boys and girls. Let’s hope I never make that/those mistakes again.
Nearly home

 

[marki]

Travelling unvaccinated is an anathema

You attract pain more pain than is normal. Oh Cancun Southern border here I come.

 

[robinsparkles]

Paying for a Qantas flight with Poli, something glitched on the payment processing screen but seemed to go through ok, funds taken from my bank account, Qantas claims no funds received, my bank stated that Poli is not an authorised payment method from their perspective so chances of recovering funds are low. This might be well known to others but I never had a problem previously using Poli so I didn't think through the implications of a payment problem compared to a credit card chargeback which the bank would happily process in this scenario.

 

[Denali]

Im an idiot and made a hire car return date error on my booking. In the meantime, airline changed flights so thought I would update car hire.

I was told I could not return my car 22hrs earlier than original booking because my car choice was not available. Huh? If I keep original booking, car choice available, if I return 22hrs earlier, no longer available. I dont get it and will cop the 1 day hire as an idiot fee to get the SUV I want.

 

[Quickstatus]

I was told I could not return my car 22hrs earlier than original booking

Just take the booking, and return the car early. Might have to forfeit the balance but likely better than all the hooha

Maye its a minimum duration booking for the vehicle rental class.

 

[ellen10]

Paying for a Qantas flight with Poli, something glitched on the payment processing screen but seemed to go through ok, funds taken from my bank account, Qantas claims no funds received, my bank stated that Poli is not an authorised payment method from their perspective so chances of recovering funds are low. This might be well known to others but I never had a problem previously using Poli so I didn't think through the implications of a payment problem compared to a credit card chargeback which the bank would happily process in this scenario.

@robinsparkles , someone else recently mentioned they paid for a flight by Poli. Seemed to have a glitch and then did the transaction again. No record by Qantas but two payments now taken. Maybe if you search here or google, you may find some information.

Good luck

 

[marki]

Im an idiot and made a hire car return date error on my booking. In the meantime, airline changed flights so thought I would update car hire.

I was told I could not return my car 22hrs earlier than original booking because my car choice was not available. Huh? If I keep original booking, car choice available, if I return 22hrs earlier, no longer available. I dont get it and will cop the 1 day hire as an idiot fee to get the SUV I want.

I get the same. They want your cash, that's why pure and simple an extra day cash.

 

[JohnK]

I've just bought a power bank. Never used it. I had it in my carry-on on way to Thailand but in hotel put it in my luggage as I wasn't using it.

Checked in to Air Asia flight at DMK yesterday morning. I thought I waited for luggage to be screened and no issues. Went through security and walked to furthest gate 55.

As we approached the gate hear my wife's named paged. Went to gate and they say there's a power bank in luggage. Totally forgot about it.

They were about to start boarding. Rushed back out through security, went to check-in, they opened bag, took power bank into hand luggage, rushed back through express security and ran to gate.

Luckily they were waiting for us. Quite a few stares. The next flight and possibly one after were cancelled. The flight we were on had light load.

Power bank was a dumb idea as I dont use phone that often. Understand its my fault but why would they not page us as we left check-in and before security rather than page us at the gate.

 

[robinsparkles]

@robinsparkles , someone else recently mentioned they paid for a flight by Poli. Seemed to have a glitch and then did the transaction again. No record by Qantas but two payments now taken. Maybe if you search here or google, you may find some information.

Good luck

Sadly I think the person you mean is me as I posted seperatly about it in the Qantas forum. I've had a search around but can't find any definitive information.

 

[RAM]

Im an idiot and made a hire car return date error on my booking. In the meantime, airline changed flights so thought I would update car hire.

I was told I could not return my car 22hrs earlier than original booking because my car choice was not available. Huh? If I keep original booking, car choice available, if I return 22hrs earlier, no longer available. I dont get it and will cop the 1 day hire as an idiot fee to get the SUV I want.

Almost as stupid as car rental rates in some US locations/cities currently.

Hire/return at airport for 21 days = AUD 4,000+
Hire/return at nearest off-airport location for same companies (about USD 20 taxi ride away x 2) = AUD $1,375.

This is the first time I've ever thought to check the nearest off-airport location due to rate being so high initially. Makes me wonder how much I could have saved previously on typically AUD 2,000 or so rentals from airport. After all, typically kept waiting 10-20 minutes for shuttle to rental car park, so getting in a taxi instead for a 10 minute ride is faster in comparison anyway.

Never too old to learn from your mistakes (just poorer).