Lufthansa Airlines (LH) cancelled our reservations to Tromsø, Norway due to a strike….48 hours before we were to depart on a photo tour of the northern lights. Obviously, when this happens everyone and their third cousin from Kentucky is trying to get in touch with LH to see what arrangements can be made to route them around Germany, which is where the strike was. Sounded like a job for Super Travel Agent Man.
Travel Agents
My immediate play was to email my travel agent, Klaus at Exito Travel, who booked the flight. The response was:” I am out of the office until Tuesday”. It was Monday. However, he gave me the link to someone in the office who could help.They were sending me emails from as late as 11 pm trying to figure it all out for me. Who does that? My travel agency, that’s who! When Klaus got back in the office at zero dark thirty the next day he was on it! LH was trying to book me a new business class seat when the strike was over in 4 days for an additional $9K! Right! Like I’m going to trust them with my travel plans again. Pay your employees what you should be paying them and these strikes wouldn’t happen!
Klaus has become superman to me. He got me new business seats thru Scandinavian Airlines with a similar schedule. AND the same price. Klaus also saved my ass 18 months ago when our flights were cancelled by KLM for a trip to Zimbabwe and Botswana. KLM said they would reschedule us but not until 2 days after our tour group had left Johannesburg. I don’t think so KLM! Klaus got us on Delta for the same price as our KLM. And Delta has a much better business class than KLM.
Business Class
Let me tell you about Business Class…..those of you who are lucky enough to be already using it can ignore this part.
I’m old. I turn 80 this year. Yikes! My partner Don is about the same age. (We are both blessed with a good gene pool.) We decided to start traveling business class a few years ago. When we first flew business, we got to our seats and said: Nice! Then they served dinner. We looked at each other and said “We are screwed!” How do you go back to Coach after THAT! And then there’s the lounge! Five hours plus between flights? No problem. Relax this tired, old body in the lounge with wine and WIFI. Plus, my wife in-law (my ex-husband’s wife whom I just adore) passed on a great saying to me: “if you don’t fly Business your kids will fly First Class!”
Exactly! My inheritance was a couch! My kids all earn much more money than I ever earned as a HS teacher. So travel for me has been two options: I either run out of money or I run out of health. Basically it’s a race to the bottom of my portfolio. When it’s gone it’s gone. I live off my pension. It’s nothing compared to what Elon Musk makes but it works for me.
Am I rambling yet?
That’s okay. I’m on vacation….in Norway. I get to do that. I just wanted to get this off before we started the tour and shooting tomorrow. Here’s what I have so far just walking around town with my iPhone: Click to get full gallery.
Before your next big trip, get yourself a great travel agent!
You’re welcome.
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