Goldfinch Hotel, Bangalore
Saturday 2/1/14
Bless the Moms and their Mrs. Butt--n-ski friends. Mom and her friend Ann Chandler (who proudly wears the Mrs. Butt-in-ski moniker because "we're only trying to help") are outraged over the hassle Expedia and Philippine Airlines are giving us.
Andy says Philippine Airlines is the main problem; Expedia tells him they are only following Philippine Airlines' restrictions and that he should talk to the airline. He's tried in vain to explain the situation to them.
There is only one flight out of Bangalore to Hong Kong and it arrives at 11:20 a.m., five minutes AFTER my Philippine Airlines flight leaves for Manila. All we're asking is to let me get on the next flight which leaves two hours later. That way I can make the connection. Philippine Airlines responds that the fare is unchangeable and nonrefundable, and they insist that I have to cancel my whole Hong Kong-Manila roundtrip and buy a new ticket.
Not only that, but even if we find a different way for me to get to Manila, Philippine Airlines won't honor my ticket for the Manila-Hong Kong return flight, because if I don't get on the first leg of the trip, they will cancel the whole trip.
Andy even offered to pay a penalty or fee to change the flight and they refused.
This is beyond unreasonable. The way they're responding, you'd think Pnilippine Airlines actually likes the idea of a deafblind woman stuck at the Hong Kong airport with no traveling companion to help her get around or find another flight to Manila.
As it is, we will still have to pay a penalty to Singapore Airlines to move my flight date from the 12th to the 14th, but at least they will do it.
Anyway, Mom's friend Ann (the proud "Mrs. Butt-in-ski") Cnandler had the excellent idea of contacting a New York Times reporter who specializes in going to bat for consumers who are struggling with unreasonable bureaucracies, policies and other inequities. His "The Haggler" column is highly popular and widely read. Andy's going to contact him, too.
Who knows, it might help and it can't hurt. At this point we can use all the help we can get.
Stay tuned.
Saturday 2/1/14
Bless the Moms and their Mrs. Butt--n-ski friends. Mom and her friend Ann Chandler (who proudly wears the Mrs. Butt-in-ski moniker because "we're only trying to help") are outraged over the hassle Expedia and Philippine Airlines are giving us.
Andy says Philippine Airlines is the main problem; Expedia tells him they are only following Philippine Airlines' restrictions and that he should talk to the airline. He's tried in vain to explain the situation to them.
There is only one flight out of Bangalore to Hong Kong and it arrives at 11:20 a.m., five minutes AFTER my Philippine Airlines flight leaves for Manila. All we're asking is to let me get on the next flight which leaves two hours later. That way I can make the connection. Philippine Airlines responds that the fare is unchangeable and nonrefundable, and they insist that I have to cancel my whole Hong Kong-Manila roundtrip and buy a new ticket.
Not only that, but even if we find a different way for me to get to Manila, Philippine Airlines won't honor my ticket for the Manila-Hong Kong return flight, because if I don't get on the first leg of the trip, they will cancel the whole trip.
Andy even offered to pay a penalty or fee to change the flight and they refused.
This is beyond unreasonable. The way they're responding, you'd think Pnilippine Airlines actually likes the idea of a deafblind woman stuck at the Hong Kong airport with no traveling companion to help her get around or find another flight to Manila.
As it is, we will still have to pay a penalty to Singapore Airlines to move my flight date from the 12th to the 14th, but at least they will do it.
Anyway, Mom's friend Ann (the proud "Mrs. Butt-in-ski") Cnandler had the excellent idea of contacting a New York Times reporter who specializes in going to bat for consumers who are struggling with unreasonable bureaucracies, policies and other inequities. His "The Haggler" column is highly popular and widely read. Andy's going to contact him, too.
Who knows, it might help and it can't hurt. At this point we can use all the help we can get.
Stay tuned.