Travel tilt
So I book LAS-YVR and YVR-SFO, because S. is graduating from high school on Thursday. For the SFO-LAS return leg I am planning on using Southwest because my parents have some extraneous flights they want to cancel and some of those funds are going to expire in October.
Southwest web site won't let me modify their itinerary online. Call SW. "Expected wait time is 15-20 minutes." Sigh. I put on the speakerphone and start sorting through ~2 weeks worth of accumulated mail that finally got delivered*. 40+ minutes later, an agent comes on the phone and helps me cancel the relevant flight segments.
I then go to book my flight using one of the canceled itineraries, except, it complains that the passenger names don't match. WTF? This never used to be an issue before. And I realize it means I have to call them again. This time the estimate is "21-33 minutes." It again takes upwards of 40. Agent comes on and explains this is a new policy that took effect back in April -- only the named passenger can reuse unused funds from a previous reservation, no matter who paid for the ticket.
Dear Southwest: please stop fucking with everything that made you better than other airlines.
In the middle of all of this, terrencechan asks if my YVR flights are in fact being operated by Air Canada or by a partner on a codeshare, because AC is going on strike. SERENITY NOW!!!! Fortunately their strike FAQ says that it only affects call center/centre employees and airport customer service agents, and if you check-in online and don't check any bags (yes, and yes) then you won't be affected: "our full flight schedule will remain in operation during the strike." Fingers crossed.
*when I fill out a form that says start vacation hold on date X, and resume delivery on date Y, I think I am reasonably entitled to expect that when I return on date Y, there will be mail in my mailbox. Instead, on the last few trips, I have gotten a blue card that says "VACATION HOLD - Please turn card over when you return" and on the reverse it says "BEGIN REDELIVERY." I don't see why I have to go through this extra step, delaying my accumulated mail by a day, when I already said when I wanted delivery to resume.
Southwest web site won't let me modify their itinerary online. Call SW. "Expected wait time is 15-20 minutes." Sigh. I put on the speakerphone and start sorting through ~2 weeks worth of accumulated mail that finally got delivered*. 40+ minutes later, an agent comes on the phone and helps me cancel the relevant flight segments.
I then go to book my flight using one of the canceled itineraries, except, it complains that the passenger names don't match. WTF? This never used to be an issue before. And I realize it means I have to call them again. This time the estimate is "21-33 minutes." It again takes upwards of 40. Agent comes on and explains this is a new policy that took effect back in April -- only the named passenger can reuse unused funds from a previous reservation, no matter who paid for the ticket.
Dear Southwest: please stop fucking with everything that made you better than other airlines.
In the middle of all of this, terrencechan asks if my YVR flights are in fact being operated by Air Canada or by a partner on a codeshare, because AC is going on strike. SERENITY NOW!!!! Fortunately their strike FAQ says that it only affects call center/centre employees and airport customer service agents, and if you check-in online and don't check any bags (yes, and yes) then you won't be affected: "our full flight schedule will remain in operation during the strike." Fingers crossed.
*when I fill out a form that says start vacation hold on date X, and resume delivery on date Y, I think I am reasonably entitled to expect that when I return on date Y, there will be mail in my mailbox. Instead, on the last few trips, I have gotten a blue card that says "VACATION HOLD - Please turn card over when you return" and on the reverse it says "BEGIN REDELIVERY." I don't see why I have to go through this extra step, delaying my accumulated mail by a day, when I already said when I wanted delivery to resume.