Made any travel mistakes lately?

[Warks]

It happens more often than you think and largely due to rubbish UI on the websites.

Yes I could have turned up for my return flight and been told I had a month to wait! Would have been fun trying to buy a ticket there and then.

 

[VPS]

On my way to the airport to go to Melbourne I got my Myki card out earlier in the week and it’s still sitting on my desk at home

 

[SYD]

On my way to the airport to go to Melbourne I got my Myki card out earlier in the week and it’s still sitting on my desk at home

Been there done that.

Also, I have my original free Opal card from who knows how long but I’ve managed to lose two Myki cards in Melbourne . $5 ea or whatever it is…

 

[Flyfrequently]

On my way to the airport to go to Melbourne I got my Myki card out earlier in the week and it’s still sitting on my desk at home

Did similar @VPS
Have 2 myki cards (not sure why) and was heading up to Town for an appointment- took the one with no credit on it.
Held my breath that an inspector would not get on and check.
Luckily the tram passed a train station, got off and loaded $.
Now keep both cards together, gives me the opportunity to leave both at home!

 

[VPS]

FFS just realised my airpods were sitting on top of my Myki card. Grrr

 

[Must...Fly!]

FFS just realised my airpods were sitting on top of my Myki card. Grrr

If you have Android you can get a Myki on your phone through Google Wallet

 

[VPS]

If you have Android you can get a Myki on your phone through Google Wallet

Nope iPhone and I need a concession

Plus Virgin only had stairs to get off plan and then up a flight of stairs

 

[Must...Fly!]

Nope iPhone and I need a concession

Plus Virgin only had stairs to get off plan and then up a flight of stairs

The dreaded gate 10

 

[leadman]

Just made one that has already cost me over $1,000. Using J SQ as my "backbone leg" (my term for my main flight with all the other flights hanging off it) up to Siem Reap and return. Before the return going to China, then back to REP. Change of plans had to add a leg to Kuching out of SIN. Thought I would do some bird watching in Borneo, so the total change to SQ was 10 days to the final leg. I had made the assumption that would be easy to get J, but made an cough of myself, no J for a week either side of the day I wanted. Was expecting a $200 change but not a grand!!!!!

 

[AirportRail]

Was recently on holiday for a month so I have a few.

First, I got a ticket fine on the bus from Orly Airport to central Paris. I bought a ticket but I didn't validate it on board. Had to pay something like 30 euros on the spot (on top of the 15 euro ticket I bought). I've tried to fight it with the french bureaucracy to no avail.

Second, flew into Bangkok from Australia for just two nights. I hadn't really thought too much about it and hadn't organised any cash. Was planning to get the train from the airport to my hotel but my flight was delayed 4 hours so I missed the last train and had to get a taxi. The taxi kiosk at the airport was pretty modern so I (incorrectly) presumed taxis would accept card payments. Anyway, ended up having to be driven to a random ATM by my taxi driver at around 12:30am to get cash out to pay for my fare.

Third, getting a taxi to Athens airport at 5am I was determined to not fall foul of the same mistake I made in Bangkok. The night before I left I asked my hotel front desk if they'd be able to call a taxi in the morning. I also asked if I needed to pay using cash or could use card. They assured me they could specify for a taxi with a card machine to pick me up in the morning. I repeated my request the next morning. When we got to the airport I asked the driver to confirm he took card, he gave me a resounding no. Leaving me in a mad rush to find an ATM in the terminal while the taxi driver had my bag.

It does seem that my weakness is transfers to and from the airport which is a bit embarrassing given my username and line of work.

 

[I love to travel]

Was recently on holiday for a month so I have a few.

First, I got a ticket fine on the bus from Orly Airport to central Paris. I bought a ticket but I didn't validate it on board. Had to pay something like 30 euros on the spot (on top of the 15 euro ticket I bought). I've tried to fight it with the french bureaucracy to no avail.

Second, flew into Bangkok from Australia for just two nights. I hadn't really thought too much about it and hadn't organised any cash. Was planning to get the train from the airport to my hotel but my flight was delayed 4 hours so I missed the last train and had to get a taxi. The taxi kiosk at the airport was pretty modern so I (incorrectly) presumed taxis would accept card payments. Anyway, ended up having to be driven to a random ATM by my taxi driver at around 12:30am to get cash out to pay for my fare.

Third, getting a taxi to Athens airport at 5am I was determined to not fall foul of the same mistake I made in Bangkok. The night before I left I asked my hotel front desk if they'd be able to call a taxi in the morning. I also asked if I needed to pay using cash or could use card. They assured me they could specify for a taxi with a card machine to pick me up in the morning. I repeated my request the next morning. When we got to the airport I asked the driver to confirm he took card, he gave me a resounding no. Leaving me in a mad rush to find an ATM in the terminal while the taxi driver had my bag.

It does seem that my weakness is transfers to and from the airport which is a bit embarrassing given my username and line of work.

But at least you seem to have a sense of humour about it.

 

[cove]

Mrscove insists that I look back at the seat to see I have not left anything behind. Years ago I left my tri-band phone in a taxi in the US and it really messed up my business trip. It was goodbye Nokia 6210.

 

[Warks]

There was a big battery pack sitting plugged into power in the OOL VA Lounge when I got in on Friday to wait hours with others for a delayed flight. I thought it belonged to the bloke opposite but he said it wasn't his. It was still there when I left. Not my mistake but it can happen, more likely than losing a phone.

 

[Gremlin]

There was a big battery pack sitting plugged into power in the OOL VA Lounge when I got in on Friday to wait hours with others for a delayed flight. I thought it belonged to the bloke opposite but he said it wasn't his. It was still there when I left. Not my mistake but it can happen, more likely than losing a phone.

That reminds me of a few years back. I was in 3D on a SYD-BNE commuter. DYKWIA-type was in 3F being generally belligerent and rude to the flight crew. We arrived and just before the seat belt sign extinguished, DYKWIA got up, stepped over me whilst I was still seated, pushed past the cabin crew member and straight to the front of the plane so he could exit first.

Both myself and the cabin crew member saw his iPad still sitting in the seat pocket. She looked at me, I looked at her, but neither of us felt the need to alert DYKWIAnker to this fact...

 

[only4tehlulz]

When we got to the airport I asked the driver to confirm he took card, he gave me a resounding no. Leaving me in a mad rush to find an ATM in the terminal while the taxi driver had my bag.

They most likely have the terminal but they prefer to avoid paying taxes. Was the printer for the receipt also broken by any chance??

 

[Must...Fly!]

Not my mistake but 4 people paid for economy X on row 13/14 and can't speak any English whatsoever. So frustrating that a completely full flight is likely to be delayed due to people like these and all the seat shuffling required to accommodate them.

 

[AirportRail]

They most likely have the terminal but they prefer to avoid paying taxes. Was the printer for the receipt also broken by any chance??

Good question. Very possibly he was avoiding taxes but surely in a situation when a passenger has no cash to pay the fare you'd be okay with pulling the car machine out. Gotta show the tax office some income surely?

Annoyingly he also quoted a fare that was slightly higher than what was shown on the timer. I had been wondering if I was meant to add a tip so I didn't mind paying a touch more.

The experience highlighted for me that getting a cheeper early flight can be a false economy particularly once you factor in having to get a taxi if the trains aren't running yet.

 

[kookaburra75]

Good question. Very possibly he was avoiding taxes but surely in a situation when a passenger has no cash to pay the fare you'd be okay with pulling the car machine out. Gotta show the tax office some income surely?

Avoiding tax is a national sport in Greece.

And yes, I too have been caught out in the same way you have, even after double checking with the hotel desk that I could use a credit card.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

How many times, at an airport, have you heard, "could mr so and so please return to the security screening point", and you wonder why?
Or, "could the person who left an iphone please return to the security screening point".
Heard that 3 times when I was at AKL airport in July this year.
Lost property at airports must make a lot of money for charity, due to the items left behind and are unclaimed.

 

[Warks]

How many times, at an airport, have you heard, "could mr so and so please return to the security screening point", and you wonder why?
Or, "could the person who left an iphone please return to the security screening point".
Heard that 3 times when I was at AKL airport in July this year.
Lost property at airports must make a lot of money for charity, due to the items left behind and are unclaimed.

Years ago I left my keys (including car fob) at security. (I never take keys any more as I always catch the train.) But anyway I realised I'd left them when I was away so when I got back to SYD I went to lost and found to ask if any keys had been handed in. The bloke behind the desk pulled out a shopping bag sized sack, pouring it out, said "this is the current week's worth". I found mine but he said lots never come back to get them.