My Air Canada FIASCO!

I still haven't told most of you about my crazy trip home from Calgary back in March. (Several posts here about the trip.) It had been a tiring week with sick boys, tired boys, travelling around the city and even an overnighter to see the Werdals. I'm really glad I went as it was great to get in on the everyday life of Chris, Kim and the girlies. They loved getting to know my boys, which is really important to me. When Kristen & Danica were the age my boys are now, they lived in our basement suite so I got to see them all the time. It's sad that they're so far away now, and almost all grown up! Well okay, not almost. But they're getting there.

My flight to Vancouver on Saturday afternoon was scheduled to leave Calgary at 4:00, arriving one hour later at 4:00 BC time. We had about 40 minutes to make the connection to the 5:00 flight to Rupert (the last one of the day). After we had to ditch the luggage cart, I had Marty in the Ergo and tried to keep Max close by while I dragged the carseat through the terminal. Shortly after arriving at the gate, I learned that our flight would be delayed and would not depart until at least 4:40. "Please see the attendant if you have connections to make in Vancouver as many of them will be missed." Or something like that. So I dragged my babies to the counter to talk to the man. Indeed, we would not be making our flight from Van - Rupert . The man seemed to feel sorry for me and agreed to keep the carseat behind his desk while I went to the Air Canada "Customer Service" desk. I remembered passing it on my way to the gate and had noticed that there were two staff there and no line up. When I arrived, WHEN I REALLY NEEDED THEM, there was no one in sight. And a line-up quickly formed with others who were missing their flights. Some people were going to miss a whole day of their vacation in Hawaii because of this missed connection. No one was coming. Marty was crying. Max was escaping. A lady finally came to see what we needed. She was rather hurried and had to go meet another flight but at least she started to try to help me. We knew there was no way I was getting out of Vancouver on Saturday, so she looked up the flights for Sunday. On her first check she found "no flights to Rupert on Sunday". I told her to check again. Oh yes, she did find one flight but it appeared to be full. Gasp, despair, almost a tear. But upon closer inspection she found there were, indeed, two seats available. Great! She then tells me that she has to go meed a plane at a gate but someone would come and book my seats. And so I waited. Marty fell asleep in the Ergo and I resorted to the chocolate cookies Kim had sent with me for Max. That kept him quiet and in one spot. I'm sure it was 10 minutes until someone FINALLY came. He moseyed down the corridor, finishing up his supper. By this time, it was nearly time to board my late flight to Vancouver. The man started to help SOMEONE ELSE first, who graciously noticed I was there first and had two babies and allowed me to go first. The agent asked what I needed and I explained the whole story again. He looked up the flight and told me that it was full. Those two seats the lady had promised me were now gone. He'd put me on standby for the flight, as well as the evening flight, just in case. That's when I lost it. So frustrating! He sent me on my way with instructions to see the "customer service" desk in Vancouver for my hotel voucher and flight documents. I left a message with my parents to let them know I'd be in Vancouver overnight if they would like to see us, and we made our way onto the plane. I have no recollection of the flight itself, other than the fact that the boys were tired and whiny. Perhaps they slept, most likely not very much. At some point, an announcement was made that there was a possibility that some connections could be made so passengers connecting on should exit the plane first and see the agent waiting at the gate. Great! Although I was looking forward to not having to go on another plane with my wiggly boys that night. So we rushed off the plane only to be told that "I'm sorry dear, tonight's flight to Rupert is long gone." Okay fine. I was still on stand-by for the Sunday morning flight. I should arrive by 7:15 to be sure to get any seats available. So she gave me vouchers for a hotel and $45.00 for dinner at Moxie's. (Also $21 for breakfast at Moxie's but that clearly wasn't going to happen.) I called my folks again and talked to Mom this time. Dad was on his way home from Kamloops but she would come out to see us herself. Dad might come if he made it home in time. We got to the hotel via shuttle van and checked in with all our luggage, including two carseats. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that a play pen would be available and brought to my room. (Did you know that hotels have them?) The one the man brought up was broken so he came back later with another one. It worked. I got it all set up and our bags figured out and headed downstairs for dinner with my two cranky, hungry boys and waited for Mom to meet us. I had called her from the hotel and we decided she would stay overnight with us as she wouldn't arrive till close to 9 pm. Max was his usual curious self about the goings on in the restaurant and Marty was tired, tired, and wanted to nurse. Our food arrived which kept Max occupied but Marty would have nothing of his snack food and was just so ready to crash. There was no comfortable way to nurse him in the booth, and I didn't even care about being discreet! A lady at the table across the way from me kept looking on with compassion and she offered to take Marty for me so I could eat. I highly doubted that he would settle with her but I was so tired and all done being clung to so I accepted her offer. He was asleep almost immediately. Max saw Mom before I did and I was SOOOOO happy she had arrived. She helped Max eat his food and finished mine off while I took a sleeping Marty back from the lady. We ordered desserts to go and went up to our room. Marty crashed in the playpen (although I was planning to use that for Max). Max finally settled by about 10:30 and Mom & I chatted for a while before going to sleep.

Good story so far, hey? I'm getting tired of typing and we want to get the house cleaned up tonight so check back soon for the rest of the story. You ain't heard nothin' yet! In case you missed it - my parents had a GREAT experience on Air Canada when coming home from Japan after Christmas.