In this experience we look into the reasons why airports may get much busier than normal.

We start out the podcast with a trip review of Vinod who recently flew to London-Heathrow.

It was his virgin flight on an Airbus 350. There was no free seat selection with the ticket that he purchased. When Vinod flew out of Vancouver the British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Plaza Premium lounges were all under renovation. This led to an interesting temporary lounge in Vancouver’s International departures.

The flight was quiet and uneventful with a landing at Heathrow Terminal 3. It had been decades since Vinod had flown into Terminal 3.

Vinod had a chance to meet up with Paul from Layovers while in London.

On his return to Vancouver, Vinod had a bag that was at the weight limit. Thankfully there were friendly service staff to help him with the situation. Vinod used the Flighty app which performed very well. The flight had an empty seat beside him and was quick and efficient on the trip back to Canada.

If you're liking this episode experience, you may also enjoy Experience 35. "Beating the queue. Lining up strategies at the airport." It's available wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

We dive into events that take over an airport. Taylor Swift is a current example who has caused airlines to do incredible things.

• simpleflying.com article Taylor Swift, Like A Hurricane, Prompts Airline Change Fee Waivers 

Sometimes there are things that you're aware that some airports will be busy like holidays. Other times you may not be aware of things like sporting events, large conventions, trade shows or political events.

It can throw you for a loop if you don't know things that are happening at that airport.

Geoff remembers flying into Cairo during Hajj and it was a connection point for flights from all over Africa.

Finally, there are large international airshows with some beautiful aircraft that may or may not delay you when flying. But you could end up with a wonderful view from your window.

News Items:

• simpleflying.com article United Airlines Passengers Can Now Extend Their Trip With Deutsche Bahn Tickets 
• simpleflying.com article Vistara Airbus A320 Turns Back After Dog Spotted At Goa Airport Runway 

If you have a story about unexpectedly busy airports, or other experiences that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you wish to support the show financially, we are on Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/

In this experience we look into the world of customer service and examples when the experience goes sideways.

We review the situation of the passengers who were flying from Paris to Singapore with a farting and drooling dog in premium economy. Singapore airlines finally got the issue resolved and credited them for their experience.

In days gone by, your travel agent would have been your point of contact. Now you’re mostly on your own. Over the last four years, airlines lost many individuals who were extremely proficient in high-touch customer experience. Even more than ever, airline agents are working from home. Things that can be done virtually can be much different than in person.

A key is knowing how to be efficient and work with the people on the other side of the desk.

Geoff shares a story of a cancelled Porter Airlines flight to Newark, and the quick actions of a check-in agent to get him on another flight quicker than originally scheduled.

Vinod shares a story of remotely assisting a family member with a Cathay Pacific and WestJet check-in. He was even able to resolve some of it while sitting on his sofa!

Geoff shares a story of a flight with online information about waiving fees being much different than fees that needed to be paid in person.

If you're liking this episode experience, you may also enjoy Experience 60. "We Appreciate Your Patience. Wait Times and Customer Support." It's available wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

Vinod shares a story of helping a family re-locate to Ireland. The online system would not allow a check-in without paying but did the passenger need to pay?

Vinod also discusses a YVR vacuum cleaner retrieval request.

What happens online versus offline doesn’t always line up. If you are able to do things in person, you may have a better chance.

News Items:

• straitstimes.com article Couple seated next to ‘snorting, farting’ dog on long-haul flight get $1,600 refund from SIA 
• simpleflying.com article Honolulu Airport Closed Over Medical Emergency 
• simpleflying.com article Only 5% Of Allegiant’s October Flights Are On Tuesdays 

If you have a story about airline customer service, or other experiences that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you wish to support the show financially, we are on Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/

In this experience we take a trip into the show’s archives and review tickets and booking.

We start out with a review from Vinod about his flight in the summer with Porter from Toronto to Vancouver.

As people are looking for good fare prices, this is a good lead-in to a discussion about ticketing. We talked about ticketing in our very early experiences and are revisiting it in this experience.

The moment that you purchase the right to travel on an aircraft, you get a Passenger Name Record. Every airline has their own PNR. Make sure you don’t share pictures of your PNR online.

But airline ticketing systems are not as advanced as some would think. Sometimes an e-ticket does not get associated with the PNR. Sometimes a booking ends up only being a shell. When you need to fix it, you will need a specialized ticketing representative. This is why an airline representative can't fix it...they may simply not have the access. Vinod shares a story of checking in a passenger and somehow not noticing that there was no e-ticket associated with it.

One of the key aspects of any ticket booking is who is in control of the ticket. Is it the airline, the travel agent or someone else. An airline will do everything it can to keep the control of the ticket, including upgrades in certain circumstances. But sometimes things go sideways, and an airline needs to hand over control to another airline. In the days of paper tickets this Flight Interruption Manifest was almost like an I Owe You between airlines. Today, it all gets processed electronically.

Things can get a bit complicated when a travel agent is involved. Vinod shares a recent experience of helping with a ticket booked with a travel agent and some of the surprises involved.

We look at fare classes which are important when you have to make changes. Is your fare class available anymore when you change the ticket? What do you have to pay for cancellations and/or refunds?

We look at how much ticketing has changed with it now being much more transparent than in the past. We also answer that question asked so often "when is the best time to buy a cheap ticket?" We recommend having a budget and if your ticket is in that budget then book it and don't look back!

How much talking are airlines doing with each other? Vinod shares a story when he had two tickets flying from Toronto to London to Madrid.

If you're liking this episode experience, you may also enjoy Experience 1. "Maiden Flight." It's available wherever you listen to your podcasts.

When your Passenger Name Record is created, be very careful with entering the name and passport information because it could be very difficult to change the information.

News Items:

• simpleflying.com article British Airways Reportedly Offering Passengers Money To Avoid Heathrow Lounges 
• simpleflying.com article Singapore Airlines Passengers Demand Refund After Farting Dog Disrupts Their Flight

If you have a story about ticketing, or other experiences that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram. If you wish to support the show financially, we are on Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/