English version below
Nu stiu cum e la voi, dar la mine timpul de la cumpararea biletelor de avion pana la momentul plecarii trece foarte greu. Si vorbim, de cele mai multe ori, de cateva luni. Evident ca il mai umplu cu documentari despre destinatie, ma interesez despre ce este de facut si de vazut,” rup” youtube-ul cautand videoclipuri, incerc sa fac ceva munca de organizare logistica (transport local, cazari, planificare trasee etc ). Incerc sa simulez traseul de la ultima statie a transportului in comun pana la hotel folosind street view . 🙂
Zilele trec si … iata-ne in aeroport. Nu! Iata-ne in avion asezati la locurile noastre, plini de entuziasm asteptand decolarea. Aeronava primeste permisiunea de la turnul de control, se pozitioneaza in capatul pistei, accelereaza si… in locul senzatiei de desprindere simtim o incetinire a vitezei si un viraj pe o cale de acces care ne scoate de pe pista si ne intoarcem la locul de parking. “Probleme la motoare” asta a fost explicatia. “facem verificarile sistemelor si decolam in cel mai scurt timp posibil. Ne cerem scuze….” Stiti povestea!
Instinctual ma uit la ceas. Aveam escala vreo 4 ore in orasul european in care isi are cartierul general compania aeriana de la care cumparasem biletele. Urma un zbor foarte lung transcontinental cu aceeasi companie. Ok zic. Avem timp suficient pentru transfer.
Urmeaza tentativa numarul doi de decolare – acelasi rezultat. Doar ca de data asta comandatul aeronavei ne anunta ca va incerca ceva in genul a ceea ce ne sugereaza noua in prima faza departamentul IT cand avem o problema la computer: restart. Asta a si facut: a oprit toate sistemele pentru cateva minute si le-a repornit. Ceea ce a urmat banuiti, presupun. Avionul nu a reusit sa decoleze si am fost anuntati oficial ca se anuleaza. Nu aveam in minte decat gandul ca ratam excursia la care visam de cateva luni. Urmeaza debarcarea, preluarea bagajelor de cala, o multime de oameni suparati si nervosi. In starea de agitatie generala incercam sa gasesc o solutie. Una ar fi fost sa plecam a doua zi in speranta ca mai sunt locuri.. Alta ar fi fost o rerutare la o alta companie aeriana pana la destinatia finala. Imi aduc aminte de una care avea zbor in aceeasi zi mai tarziu dar pe care nu o alesesem din cauza pretului mai ridicat. Intru pe site, simulez rezervare si .. DA, mai aveau locuri. Decolarea e programata peste 2 ore si ceva.
Ajungem la biroul din aeroport al companiei care anulase zborul, cer permisiunea oamenilor care stateau deja la rand sa “intru in fata” explicandu-le despre ce este vorba (le mai multumesc si pe calea asta pentru intelegere) si intreb direct: “Imi dati bilete la compania X?” Vine si raspunsul: “Daca mai au locuri, va dam.” “Au ca am verificat eu acum 15 minute!” spun eu precipitat.
Din acest moment am reintrat pe fagasul normal al unei vacante pe care o astepti cu nerabdare cateva luni.. imbarcare, decolare, experientele minunate oferite de o destinatie noua, revenirea acasa fara alte peripetii.
De ce v-am povestit asta? ! Pentru ca eu am invatat un lucru: niciodata nu o sa cumpar bilete de avion la zboruri cu escala decat cu ambele segmente de zbor operate de aceeasi companie aeriana sau daca aleg companii diferite, in orasul in care am escala imi planific minim o zi intre zboruri cu o noapte de cazare.
When the holiday starts badly … but it goes on wonderful!
I do not know how it is for you, but for me the time from buying plane tickets to the time of departure is very difficult. And we talk, most of the time, for several months. Obviously I fill it with documentaries about the destination, I am interested in what to do and see, “breaking” the youtube looking for videos, trying to do some work of logistics organization (local transport, accommodations, route planning, etc.). I try to simulate the route from the last station of the public transport to the hotel using street view. 🙂
Days pass and … here we are at the airport. Not! Here we are on the plane, sitting in our seats, full of enthusiasm waiting for the departure. The aircraft receives permission from the control tower, is positioned at the end of the runway, accelerates and … instead of the sensation of detachment we feel a slow down of speed and a turn on an access road that takes us off the track and we return to the parking place. “Engine problems” was the explanation. “We do the system checks and take off as soon as possible. We apologize…. ”You know the story!
Instinctively I look at the clock. We were going to have a stop for about 4 hours in the European city where the headquarters of the airline from which we had bought the tickets is located; than a very long transcontinental flight with the same company. Okay. We have enough time for the transfer.
The number two take-off attempt follows – the same result. But this time the aircraft commander announces that he will try something like what the IT department suggests when we have a computer problem: restart. This he did: he stopped all the systems for a few minutes and restarted them. What followed, You guess, I suppose. The plane failed to take off and we have been officially announced that the flight is canceled. I only had in mind the thought of missing the trip that we had been dreaming of for several months. Next is the landing, the taking of the baggage, a lot of angry and nervous people. In the state of general agitation we are trying to find a solution. One would have been to leave the next day in the hope that there are more free seats. Another would have been a rerouting to another airline to the final destination. I remember one that was flying the same day later but I hadn’t chosen because of the higher price. Entering the site, I simulate reservation and .. YES, they still had free seats. Take-off is scheduled over 2 hours and something. We arrive at the airport office of the company that canceled the flight, request the permission of the people who were already in line to “get in front” explaining to them what I am talking about (I thank them further for understanding) and ask directly: “Can You give me tickets to company X? “The answer also comes:” If they still have seats, I’ll give you. “” They have! I checked 15 minutes ago! “I say hastily.
From this moment we went back to the normal course of a vacation that we look forward to a few months ..: boarding, taking off, the wonderful experiences offered by a new destination, returning home without other bad adventures.
Why did I tell you this? ! Because I learned one thing: I will never buy airline tickets on a flight with stopover except with both flight segments operated by the same airline or if I choose different companies, in the city where I have the stopover I plan at least one day between flights with one night accommodation.