Italy Random Notes

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

So what happened the next morning? You are leaving us in suspense. We want to hear the rest of the story.

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

Final Installment....

So what happened the next morning? You are leaving us in suspense. We want to hear the rest of the story.

Here it is, Emmy:



It was after 1 A.M., and we had heard the news with disbelief. My husband began to question her one more time, and I interrupted and stated in a firm but courteous manner:

"I am sorry that you are having this problem, but it is clearly something that can be fixed. It is not possible that he was allowed to fly part of the trip, if the ticket had been used." I reached over to her side of the counter and took the pages from her hands, "when was this person Claudio supposed to have used the ticket?"

"You can see it right here..." She points to the middle of the sheet.

August, 2004

2004!! 2004????

"So you will have to see the American Airlines desk....." she once again parroted herself...

I interrupted her briskly, "I am sorry, but no....American Airlines may be closed here in Madrid, but the American Airlines desk is open in America, and I will call them right now, if you will give me a telephone, and you and I will get them to explain this problem and how to fix it."

"You wait here." And again she disappears, emerging on the right, crossing the breach over to another counter, disappearing behind it, and then emerging inside the counter next to her colleague.

A few minutes passed, and she comes back, "I will give you a phone."

"American Airlines, This is Reuben J. how may I help you?"

"Hello, Reuben, we are stuck here in Madrid...." and I sketch out for him what I understand are the basic facts and the main problem.

"Well, Iberia is the airline that caused you to be late....they have to fix this problem...it is not us." Reuben responds.

"Reuben, in the best of all possible worlds, I would agree with you and go away peacefully...however, it is after 1 A.M. in the morning here in Madrid, and we have no hope of them fixing this, unless you help us....she claims American used my husband's ticket and American has to fix the problem....now won't you be kind enought to pull up the record and see what the devil is going on here?"

Reuben relaxed, I could feel the shift in his "company Policy" approach, and he began to work with me.

Ms. Iberia stood by, and heard my responses.

We worked together, the three of us, while my husband observed and interjected if he heard something misspoken or forgotten. He would run over to the counter to Raoul and update him.

One hour clicked by. Reuben said, "Listen, all they have to do is run the ticket the exact same way that they ran your ticket."

"Reuben, she has tried. She cannot get it. Reuben, she is telling me that she wants you to reissue the ticket."

"I cannot do that. All they have to do is what I am saying to do."

I repeat it, it becomes a mantra....she responds, "it comes up as no ticket."

Reuben gives another strategy, and this sends her out of the counter and heading over to the other counter for the umpteenth time.

I am beginning to lose balance, and lean into the counter, "Reuben," I say, "You sound too young to remember Maxwell Smart...."

"No, I remember Maxwell Smart, in fact they are bringing him back, and Steve Carrell is going to play him."

"Oh, that is good casting....but if you remember Maxwell, then you will understand this: 'We missed it by that much'....just one little itty bitty hour...."

"I understand," he sympathized. "You know, all they had to do was get you to London, they had time to do that....I don't understand why they are reissuing the whole itinerary thru Chicago to Phoenix....all they had to do was get you to London, Gatwick, first flight out tomorrow morning, you could have made your noon connection to Raleigh."

"Reuben, I tried to explain that, but to tell you the truth, the language barrier was just too much for this situation, and I don't think we have the most talented problem solvers on this....but thanks for hanging on this phone and trying to help."

Ms. Iberia comes back, shaking her head. She mutters something to me.

"Reuben, she wants you to give her the ticket number. She asks you to give her the ticket number."

It is nearly 2:40 in the morning.

"My boss is gonna kill me....hang on," and I hear him hit the keypad...."okay, write this down...."

I take the number, hand it to Ms. Iberia, and she springs into action....hitting the keyboard, shaking her head.....I am dreading this, my knees are weak and I am losing any feeling in my feet....I have been standing at this counter for hours...."please, please" ... I hear this in my head.

Ms. Iberia's colleague appears behind her, they put their heads together, they suddenly change the direction of their heads....they are nodding, the nods are stronger. Ms. Iberia looks up and smiles.

"We have a ticket."

"Reuben, we have it....I cannot thank you enough, I truly cannot thank you enough."

"Have a good day, and thank you for calling American Airlines."

By 3 A.M. we have a hotel voucher, we have tickets, we will be heading to Chicago from Madrid, and to Phoenix.

We are ushered to a bus, and driven to a beautiful hotel just outside of the airport.....by 4 A.M. we have eaten some food, and fall onto clean sheets in a luxurious bed. Our wakeup call is for 7 A.M., we plan to be at the airport by 10 A. M.

We awaken, shower, eat breakfast and are in the airport by 9:40 A.M.....once we begin the walk thru security and following the signs to Terminal 4S, a series of escalators up and down, halls, twists, and turns, and about 20 minutes later we are on a line for Passport Control.

We begin to understand why Raoul kept telling us that we couldn't make the flight the night earlier, we see that the labyrinth was too much, too far, too long.

We pass thru the screening, and find our way to the Iberia Business Lounge....once we enter thru the doors, we realize the worst of the last 24 hours behind us, are now history. We will be home soon.

Of course, you know that we arrived in Phx, and there were no bags on the luggage carousel for us, and we spent over an hour in the luggage claim office filing our claim.

On another thread, I will share some of the highlights of our time in Venice, Florence and Sicily.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

Katiemack, a big sigh of relieve that you finally got on the plane the next morning, etc. Not speaking the language is a real problem away from home unless everyone else speaks English.

You don't know how spoiled we are. Don't expect that if you speak Dutch or another unimportant language. You have to speak English when you leave the country or you are out of luck.

[kennyw Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close kennyw]

Katiemack,

Thanks for a great story. I feel like I was standing next to you through it all. Can hardly wait for your Italy highlights.

Kenny

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Wow and I thought I had problems. Glad all is OK now.