Nothing like starting a trip with a gate agent saying, “are there two Kevins traveling or did you buy two tickets?” After explaining the clerical error snafu and Priceline’s insistence on my buying another ticket at an inflated price to resolve the matter so they would refund the first ticket, the agent told me both tickets were still active… so if, oddly enough, a “Kevn Hanna” could travel for free.
Ravy, the agent, though said more likely would be if it didn’t get corrected before boarding, per their terms and conditions of carriage, the ticket would be forfeit and I’d get no refund.
My heart skipped a beat. I was having chest pains. The floor underneath me opened up and I fell through a portal of despair.
He advised me to call Priceline and get it fixed once I got to the gate. I thought I already had this in hand courtesy of the other day. Apparently not.
And so I dial. And the automated system wants to know if this is in regards to a failed rental car bid for May 20th? No? How about a different failed rental car bid for May 20th? No? How about a third failed rental car bid for May 20th? No. Finally after asking about a rental car from April 2017, I was transferred to a person. It took a bit of review of the notes but he had to transfer me to an escalated specialist.
And so I waited. And I chatted with Jack, a CSR who kinda understood the problem. Sorta. Because it’s batshit screwy what I’m doing to get this done. But he puts me on hold to see what he can find out.
The generic funk Muzak while holding takes me through the Kübler-Ross five stages, stages which apply to grief and to musical appreciation:
Denial – oh my god, I can’t believe this hold liop is les than a minute long!
Anger – if I have to hear that candy-ass bass funk beat one more time I’m gonna scream!
Bargaining – ok, one more rotation and he has to come back on the line… I’ll give it two more rotations, maybe but then…
Depression – will this interminable beating of the soul of music into pablum submission never end?
Acceptance – ya know what? Dooh-dog-DOOH-Daaaaaah… that’s a beat you can dance to!
Ultimately, Jack comes on to tell me he can cancel the first ticket and get me a refund. He confirms that’s what I want to do. I’m unclear what happens if I say, “No… I’d like the full refund in the bogus second ticket you made me buy at the higher price.” But a bird in the hand is worth two in KFC bucket so I cross my fingers and agree in the hopes that the refund goes through.
Amongst the pre-departure emails there was a word of advice from Marathon Tours – this is an adventure. Bring your sense of humor and patience. Things are going to go wrong.
So here’s me celebrating a partial refund. Maybe. I don’t know. Nobody knows. But I’m at acceptance… I’ve done all I can do from here. If it’s wrong, I’ll try and sort it out when I get back.
Time to board. Adventure awaits.
