What cheeses me off

[RooFlyer]

Cruises are a good example, the 'cost' of the airfare is close enough to free anyway, so not really losing much if you wouldn't fly with the option they provide anyway.

Silver Sea have pricing for 'door to door (including airport transfers and international flights) and 'port to port' (just the cruise but with charters if required). The door to door seems really bad value and Cruise Critic is full of stories of how badly the flights are managed.

But its good when there is a charter flight included where needed - for the Arctic cruise I'm doing, its charter from Paris to Longyearbyan & return. Very civilised.

If you join an Exodus tour from the UK, they price both with commercial flights ex London & back, & no flights. Personally I've not struck a tour with no option to not take the airfare but they are obviously out there.

 

[prozac]

Schtop it, schtop it. The schtupid Verschtappen newsreader is on Ch.7 again tonight.
For clarity: (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈmɑks vɛrˈstɑ.pə(n)]
I don't even like Max.

 

[Lynda2475]

There is an easy option, you just purchase your own airfare.

Nope, some operators will not allow you to book your own flights (where I always prefer to book my own); i.e you are not permitted to join unless on their specified flight (start and end), so they have been eliminated from consideration. They want to escort you as if you are a child all the way from Aus and cant get yourself to a starting point (and yes I did email them for clarification).

Zero interest in cruises

One I looked at today that does allow you to remove the included international flights gives a measly $500 saving, so you know the flights they would have put you on could only be a LCC and indirect route. At least you can opt out on that one.

 

[Lost Redditor]

Here's a minor annoyance. App developers who insist of prefixing the app name with "My".
With apps in alphanumeric order, I don't expect the "Boost", "7-Eleven", "NRMA" apps to be clumbed together after the "Music" app.

 

[RooFlyer]

Nope, some operators will not allow you to book your own flights (where I always prefer to book my own);

Could you let us know which? Not doubting you at all, just curious.

 

[Katie]

When my mother (apparently) is told that a funeral will be in Roma, Qld, and she trusts that because the person telling her is the adult child of the recently deceased woman. Despite this woman's husband being buried in Winton. And all of her children know fury would rain (reign?) upon them if they ever considered burying their mother somewhere that was not next to their father.
(I did suggest at the odd notion of a funeral in Roma that they might have a funeral service there and a private burial later in Winton)

So, I make plans to take 1.5 days off work, book a motel in Roma for one night, and get the car cleaned.

Then two days' later, around 7:30 on Friday night as Mr Katie and I are watching the last 10 minutes of the final episode of The Bear season 2, Mother sees a social post from another daughter of the recently deceased, and oh no - the funeral is in Winton.
That's not driveable in 5-6hrs from BNE.

Stop watching TV, go down to the study and start googling ...
Can we get accommodation, preferably three beds so no-one has to share (Teen wants to come to the funeral as she remembers this lady's kindness to her when we would visit her in Winton)? Yes!
Can we get a hire car to drive to/from LRE or will we have to get the bus? Yes, we can get a hire car!
Last, can we get three seats BNE-LRE-BNE? Yes! Though flying home Thursday because to make the Weds flight, we'd have to leave straight after the burial and what's the point of travelling all that way to do that.

Arrangements made within an hour of that text message. PHEW.

Then I find out some relatives asked if I tried to use points for the flights (because they are shocked at ~$1100 rtn flights).
Did I try to use points??!!

 

[Flyfrequently]

Arrangements made within an hour of that text message. PHEW.

Then I find out some relatives asked if I tried to use points for the flights (because they are shocked at ~$1100 rtn flights).
Did I try to use points??!!

Oh dear @Katie
Should this also go in the Travel mistakes thread?

 

[anat0l]

An oldie but still CMO: Delivery drivers (couriers, food delivery) who do not read the delivery instructions.

Do you honestly think I add those instructions in for fun? I know my workplace is rather large, Google Maps does not lead one to a reception area (of which there are principally three of them), so I add instructions for all of our benefit. AND THEN YOU IGNORE IT.

I realise some delivery drivers, English is not their first language. The instructions are written quite simply, no complicated words.

Even if you don't get the instructions, how hard is it to realise (a) you're delivering to a school, and (b) there are signs that point to Reception? (No, that's not the delivery area, but they can either take it or at least point you in the right direction based on the instructions).

If the Uber drivers think they deserve a tip, they are way off receiving a single extra cent.

 

[Katie]

Oh dear @Katie
Should this also go in the Travel mistakes thread?

No.
I checked for points fares, not available.
Peeved at the non-flying family members who think points can be used anytime, even T-4 days before on a Dash 8 route with what 70? 80? seats available.

 

[Quickstatus]

so you know the flights they would have put you on could only be a LCC and indirect route

Could be but not necessarily. How they price the flights will be different to what you can buy at retail.

 

[Flyfrequently]

I checked for points fares, not available.

I should have known better that an experienced AFF 'er would have done that in the first instance - my humble apologies @Katie

 

[MARTINE]

Trying to contact a hotel you have booked directly to communicate. You can ring or send email to Customer Care who then forward onto hotel.

 

[Katie]

I should have known better that an experienced AFF 'er would have done that in the first instance - my humble apologies @Katie

Thanks, but no need to apologise!!

 

[yachty]

Trying to contact a hotel you have booked directly to communicate. You can ring or send email to Customer Care who then forward onto hotel.

I hate hate hate this too. During COVID I wanted to email a hotel to find out about nearby PCR tests, absolutely no way to email them. And this was a major city Hilton! And so often calling the advertised number will take you to a call centre somewhere.

 

[Flashback]

I hate hate hate this too. During COVID I wanted to email a hotel to find out about nearby PCR tests, absolutely no way to email them. And this was a major city Hilton! And so often calling the advertised number will take you to a call centre somewhere.

That's why I rarely use chain hotels these days.

 

[JohnK]

I should have known better that an experienced AFF 'er would have done that in the first instance - my humble apologies @Katie

I've been having dilemmas for upcoming end of year trip to Thailand and I've been watching airfares go up and up and not once did I even bother wasting time checking for classic rewards on QF or SQ. I think it's a waste of time and I don't want to compromise travel dates.

 

[drron]

Well I have SQ award flights for BKK - SIN - BNE booked via VA in late March for the first week in January next year. At their best rate as well.

 

[RooFlyer]

Well I have SQ award flights for BKK - SIN - BNE booked via VA in late March for the first week in January next year. At their best rate as well.

Just looked at SIN-MEL/SYD J reward availability on KF and QFF in May next year.

KF heaps of availability at Saver levels, 4 or 5 flights on every day for a week on SQ.

QFF - not a single flight on QF metal; most days single departure on EK with Classic Reward, other choices MH via KUL, UL via Colombo and even JL via Tokyo (most of these economy only).

WCMO is that SQ can offer so many Award seats on their own metal, on so many flights, but QFF offer none on their own metal, and very limited choice over its partner and alliance. This search includes the first few days of availability sighting for a WP.

 

[JohnK]

Well I have SQ award flights for BKK - SIN - BNE booked via VA in late March for the first week in January next year. At their best rate as well.

Isn't it great when you're retired and don't have a 7 year old going to school and a wife that works casual and need to be careful when taking time off?

Outbound 26 Dec, inbound 21 Jan. Any other combination is not suitable. When I checked late January the cash airfares were ~$1300 each return. Now there is very limited availability on those dates and airfares $2200+ if you can find any. This appears to be the new normal.

Not easy to book that early with no flexibility to change/cancel.

 

[drron]

Isn't it great when you're retired and don't have a 7 year old going to school and a wife that works casual and need to be careful when taking time off?

Outbound 26 Dec, inbound 21 Jan. Any other combination is not suitable. When I checked late January the cash airfares were ~$1300 each return. Now there is very limited availability on those dates and airfares $2200+ if you can find any. This appears to be the new normal.

Not easy to book that early with no flexibility to change/cancel.

Though my award for myself and Mrsdrron is for January7th. Don't no why that could not fit into your plans. It was the day we had to fly having spent 30 days in Thailand. at that time at least half the SQ flights to BNE had saver awards available. Our awards are for our preferred daylight flight.