More customer disservice

[ariannawyn]

Nine days from now my kids and I are going to visit my father. I made my flight reservations through Orbitz back in November, including some good seat selections near the front of each plane and with window views for the kids.

Today I went to look at my itinerary, and my seat selections were gone. I tried to make new ones, and discovered that there

Comments

[almondroy]

That's what those pesky Gameboy-type devices are for ;)

[ariannawyn]

Oh, they'll have their Gameboys along, never fear. But they won't play them for 7 hours straight. Which is why there will also be Uno cards (because there isn't enough room on an airplane tray table to play Magic), a small magnetic chess/checkers set, a variety of other small games, a portable CD player and my laptop with a few kid CDs/DVDs and some headphone sets.

As you can probably tell, I've done this before.

But it only works if we're all sitting together. Sigh.

[almondroy]

That's why I was thinking the Gameboy if everyone was segregated-I thought that with sufficient game variety, that and books might tide them over.

[ariannawyn]

I can tell you don't have children. :-)

[almondroy]

It's not I mentioned the FIRST thing that came to mind (tranquilizing them like pets) :p

[ariannawyn]

You know, I tried tranquilizing a cat for a 12-hour car ride once. It worked like a charm - except every four hours when the meds wore off and he woke up and totally freaked out.

I'd rather not have my kids in such a stupor that they can't get off the plane at the other end under their own power. Otherwise the drug option would be tempting. As it is, the flight back is a red-eye which is always a wearing experience.

[ariannawyn]

And it's not just one 7 hour flight. It's a 4 hour flight, change planes, a 7 hour flight, change planes, and then a 40 minute flight. Or the reverse on the way home. Plus arriving 2 hours early, layovers and delays, of course.

But, of course, *I* am the one who will be mortified if my kids don't behave themselves. Last time they did really well - enough so a couple of other passengers even commented favorably - but if we are separated then at a minimum they will be traipsing up and down the aisle most of the flight.

[cvirtue]

May I suggest custom T-shirts which say "Orbitz messed up my seat assignment" for the kids to wear?

[wanderingpixie]

That sounds like a _fabulous_ idea!!!

[cellio]

Oh, that's excellent!

[ariannawyn]

And I thought you were a nice person. :-)

[cvirtue]

And I *am* a nice person, but not to Orbitz.

Seriously, having Tshirts like that would save you from all kinds of exasperation on the part of other passengers, and make your travel a bit less annoying.

I'd be happy to send you iron-ons that you can put on Tshirts. I could make them tonight. Really, truly.

[ariannawyn]

Thanks. I have the technology to do the T shirts myself, though I don't know if I have the time - between prepping for the trip, going to Buffalo this weekend for Ice Dragon, getting ready to close on my house and trying to finish my taxes before I go...

[almondroy]

...and FSM willing, I never will. :p

[briony530]

Well, you can rotate the items, if you aren't sitting together...one gets the laptop, one the gameboy. Sadly you're right about the group games. Maybe borrow another laptop or portable DVD player?

Any chance they will sleep on at least one of the flights?