The downside to travelling

Everytime I fly with Air Canada I vow I am going to boycott them. Then it's booking time and it's difficult sometimes to find economical tickets from Winnipeg without using the pathetic excuse for an airline.

Now part of what happened today was out of their control. I got to the airport this am for my 9:00 flight to Vancouver around 7:40 and was informed it was cancelled. The plane was stuck in Toronto because of the storm in the east.

But here's the frustrating part. They hand me piece of paper with a phone number to call. After finally finding a payphone (times like this make consider a cell phone)and on hold for 20 minutes I talk to people that have been on hold for 1 hour. I then find out there is a line for customer service. Why didn't they tell us this in the first place? I get in line and finally left the airport around 12:00!!! Of course everyone in the line was very frustrated. I however have stopped being surprised by Air Canada's poor customer service. It's just part of flying with them.

Now it would be unfair to complain with out giving praise where due. When I did finally get to talk to an agent he was very helpful (although dreadfully slow ... I spent about 20-30 minutes at the counter and this was average some people were at the counter for an hour). For over an hour there was ONE AGENT for a line of around 100 people. He arranged for me to fly to Vancouer this evening, stay the night, and then catch the same flight to Osaka and then to Hanoi as before (just a day later). Early in the conversation he mentioned they would cover the hotel in Vancouver and cab ride to home and back to airport (as it was 7 hours until my flights). You would think this should be standard, but I assume nothing. It's all part of the package when travelling. Being flexible is a necessity!!!

Well that is my story. Hopefully I will get to Vancouver tonight and be one step closer to Vietnam!!!