Made any travel mistakes lately?

[SomeRando]

I had the absolutely mortifying experience of taking the wrong suitcase when I came back from Japan on Sunday night.

The suitcase was exactly the same and I gave a cursory look at the tag but evidently didn't actually read it. I was already on the train when my phone rang and someone from ANA told me they thought I had the wrong bag. After putting my combo into the lock and seeing it didn't open my heart immediately sank.

Luckily I was only two stops away so I jumped off the train and went back to the airport to meet the airline staff. Just as I got back they rang again to ask for the combo for my suitcase as Customs had seen something on the scanner and wanted to open my bag. In the end it was nothing, which I knew it should be, but I was starting to panic lol.

Shortly after one of the airline staff came out with my suitcase and I apologised profusely and asked that she pass on my complete embarrassment. Her only repsones was, "I think it's best if you don;t meet them." From that I could assume that the other person was completely apoplectic with rage and I am honestly in complete agreement. I wasted probably an hour of their time and caused a lot of stress.

I have well and truly learned my lesson that I should properly check my bag tags though.

 

[DejaBrew]

From that I could assume that the other person was completely apoplectic with rage and I am honestly in complete agreement. I wasted probably an hour of their time and caused a lot of stress.

I can definitely sympathise with your situation, but at the same time had to chuckle over your story given your username clearly checks out -: “What the?!?! @SomeRando has just taken off with my bag!!”

 

[ellen10]

I flew in to a domestic airport the other day. I was collecting both my bag and husbands.
Got mine and then saw husbands on the other side of the conveyor belt.
A lady plucked it off the belt and headed out the door, I had to run after her as she was headed out the door.
She looked at me strangely when I said I think you have my bag, didn’t believe me at first , so I asked her to check to bag tag.
Shrugged her shoulders and didn’t really apologise.

 

[andye]

Letting my VA status drop and not going HLO. Standing in the standard bag drop queue now for my sins

 

[Dmac59]

I flew in to a domestic airport the other day. I was collecting both my bag and husbands.
Got mine and then saw husbands on the other side of the conveyor belt.
A lady plucked it off the belt and headed out the door, I had to run after her as she was headed out the door.
She looked at me strangely when I said I think you have my bag, didn’t believe me at first , so I asked her to check to bag tag.
Shrugged her shoulders and didn’t really apologise.

Did you notice whether she returned to the carousel to retrieve her bag, or did she just continue on her way?

 

[ellen10]

Did you notice whether she returned to the carousel to retrieve her bag, or did she just continue on her way?

Yes she returned to the carousel. I assumed to get her bag.
I grabbed my bag and headed for the door. So I didn’t see what she did next. I just assumed she made a mistake.

 

[Happy Dude]

Forgot to take a photo of full fuel gauge on rental car return to Budget/Avis Toulouse. Now fighting a €160 ($275) frais de carburant charge. Let me say Budget and Avis in France are awful to deal with and my last hope is trying to reverse the AMEX charge.

Do you have a receipt or card transaction record from the petrol station maybe?

 

[jonboixxx]

Do you have a receipt or card transaction record from the petrol station maybe?

I used 28 degrees card. Online, there is no detail on the charge visible and 28 degrees said I have to wait until the statement issues to be able to see the details of location, euro amount etc.

 

[jase05]

Stupid me did my Indonesian eVOA, tourist tax, customs declaration, health pass plus my Indian visa but forgot to do my Malaysian electronic arrival card
No matter, the line up for the shuttle bus took around 15 minutes so able to do whilst airing in line

 

[leadman]

First time on RAM, Milan > Casablanca. Taking weekend off for birding down Agadir so not going to pay the 1,200 euro for J. In 9A and 8A seat is broken and in permanent recline. Had my laptop out to do some work but impossible with the seat in from so I put it down the side and forgot it when I got off. Remember it as I was transferring to domestic, and went into the typical panic. RAM were brilliant! I had it back in my hands within 5 minutes of reporting it. I was very impressed, but feeling the idiot. Came in handy as using it as I'm sitting in the RAM Dom lounge typing this. Of course could not celebrate with a wine or beer!

I did it AGAIN!!!!!! Leg 14 of this trip from Thessaloniki to FRA on Aegean! Did some work on the flight and put the laptop under that middle seat table in J. It was far more stressful this time, 4 hours in total and running back from department to department. I joked with a few that I've seen places here in FRA that not even they see! Four times back through the baggage areas isn't a bad effort!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

so stupid!! Looked at the credit card terminal and thought ‘of *course* I want to pay in Aussie dollars’

Except I was in Canadia!! For a transaction that should have been AUD180 I got pinged $193.

That’s a hefty commission being split between the merchant and bank

First time caught out. I suppose it was only $180 instead of the hotel bill or something at $1800!

It really is bordering on criminal behaviour. There’s no explicable advantage… even accounting for currency movements, that could justify that level of difference.

 

[Flashback]

For the first time ever I saw DCC at a servo, when fuelling up just before returning the car. Fortunately clocked it, and select to pay in RON.

 

[leadman]

I did it AGAIN!!!!!! Leg 14 of this trip from Thessaloniki to FRA on Aegean! Did some work on the flight and put the laptop under that middle seat table in J. It was far more stressful this time, 4 hours in total and running back from department to department. I joked with a few that I've seen places here in FRA that not even they see! Four times back through the baggage areas isn't a bad effort!

I flew out yesterday, and before I did, I went back to thank a few of the staff. They told me I was lucky, as there were two other passengers who "lost" their carry-on. It seems that they put their bags down the front, and seats were at the back. The security guy said this is becoming more common, and there is not much they can do at the moment. I've heard of theft from carry-on, luggage and the carousel, but not the whole carry-on. Pax had to file a police report, which made them miss connections.

 

[n7of9]

Using forward overhead bins when sitting at the back is on most US travel tips listicles...so lame

 

[GDSman]

Sadly I can now join this thread as an active participant. On my HBA-MEL-DXB-DUB last weekend I got to MEL and realised my wallet was sitting on the kitchen bench back at home. No credit cards, so reliant on Apple Pay working everywhere, which fortunately it has. Had to borrow GBP10 from our UK distributor to use a laundrette for my mid-trip (HLO) wash. Refused car hire in spite of me begging and showing the proof on Tas Govt website. Required physical credit card too that matched to license...so 2 strikes. Distributor to rescue again and, because I have hired from that location before and had my details on file, they agreed to put me on as 2nd driver. I have never been more paranoid of having my phone stolen...over-reacted dramatically the other day in Dublin when I guy was walking closer then needed to me while I was looking at a map. Just a few days left and hopefully I'll get through it unscathed.
All up the dumbest travel mistake I've made in 50 yrs....

 

[DejaBrew]

Hang in there @GDSman

 

[GDSman]

Hang in there @GDSman

Thanks @DejaBrew . I'm back in HBA now and can confirm that Apple Pay worked 100% of the time. I used my Wise Debit Card throughout as I had recently been issued a new 28 Degree Card and it wasn't linked to iPhone yet. Everywhere seemed to accept Apple Pay, even a very basic cafe in a Cardiff suburb were ok (minimum spend required). Car Hire went smoothly in the end and apart from me choosing the wrong lane and nearly pranging it just outside LHR, I got it back full of fuel and intact. Have I learned my lesson - I certainly hope so!
On a side note, QF2 11 Oct LHR-SIN and QF36 12 Oct SIN-MEL were totally packed - no chance of a points upgrade happening on either

 

[BrianQQ]

Was flying in from LGA, partied too hard in NYC and did an all nighter. Had a 6am flight to IAH with a layover at CLT. Slept at the CLT Admiral Club lounge and missed my layover to IAH by 5 minutes.

Waited an extra 4 hours for the next flight, and was first on standby due to my OW status.

Experienced multiple heart attacks when they said the flight was overbooked and they had to deplane 4 passengers (and that the next flight was the next day at 7am), only for them to upgrade passengers to First and move us standby-ers into the plane.

 

[Mattg]

I almost missed my flight out of VTE (Vientiane, Laos) the other day. Checked in with time to spare, but I had some leftover Lao kip cash that I wanted to exchange, as I think it’s quite difficult to do that outside of the country.

The scheduled departure time of my flight was 09:20 but the currency exchange office, located landside, only opened at 08:30. I thought that should be enough time, so I waited in line and got my kip changed into USD. Unfortunately this process took quite a while with the various forms that needed to be filled out and documents that needed stamping.

At around 08:40, I headed upstairs and cleared security - only to discover a huge line for immigration with only two counters open. Turns out there were two flights to Kunming leaving after my flight, and checkin for those flights must have opened while I was waiting at the exchange office.

The line was moving pretty slowly and I was getting pretty stressed out as they called boarding, final call and then personally paged me while I was still stuck in the passport control queue. I tried alerting the guy managing the queue to my predicament but he took no interest (and fair enough, too).

In the end I did just make the flight. But in hindsight, it wasn’t worth it for the measly USD8 I’d got back!

Sincere apologies to @WilsonM who was travelling with me and was probably at least as stressed out as I was.

 

[Seat0B]

Nearly a travel mistake.

I booked accommodation at Pullman Dubai Jumeirah Lakes Towers for part of our visit to Seat Son in Nov/Dec this year. As per usual I selected a fully refundable rate and pay later and secured the booking with my Amex. A bit later, I realised that we were arriving really late (early?) at about 0200 (on 21st) technically therefore the day after my booking for the night of 20th, and that they would therefore charge the first night when we had not checked in by 1800. But I did not want to use my Amex for this, want to use my Macquarie debit card because no fees and better exchange rate. Tried to change payment card in booking but could not do so. So I emailed the hotel, and they said no problem, they would send a payment link and I could prepay the first night now with card of choice (it can still be refunded if things change), but I had to use the payment link. I know, bear with me, the complications of all this contributed to my almost mistake....

I went through the link and only after completing it all did I notice that they were billing me in AUD, not AED - negating a lot of the benefits of using my Macquarie debit card. No worries, I will just change that - when bam! the whole thing disappeared off the screen and I got a message "technical difficulties, try again later." Next thing, the hotel emailed me saying my payment failed. And Macquarie emailed me saying fraud attempt on your card, and we have blocked your card and locked your internet banking.

30 mins on hold to Macquarie and problem quickly sorted. Hotel sent new link and all paid. Phew. Exhausted just writing this