Frustration

I just have to vent the vile distaste I have for the ENTIRE airline industry!!!

My sweet sister is marrying her Prince Charming next month, and our whole family was excited to attend the joyous event and spend our spring break with extended family. However, Leonard couldn't take off work the entire time and I will be 7 1/2 months pregnant then, so we worked out a little solution. My brother Kristopher, was going to fly out to Taiwan on March 13th to spend his spring break with us, then he would fly back with the kids and I on the 20th. Len would join us on the 26th, then our little family would fly home on April 3rd. Everything sounded perfect. After Mandy & Coleman set their date, I just wanted to confirm with my Obstetrician that it would still be safe for me to fly at that stage of my pregnancy. I saw her last week and she said everything would be fine and she would write me a letter to give to the airlines.

Now comes the frustrating part, trying to actually book the tickets for everyone to be on the same flights even though it is technically 3 different trips. Len and I have been on the phone and on-line with every travel agent and airline that flies from Taiwan to the US and nobody has been able to help us! The best they say is for us to book it on-line and hope that as we're booking the 3 separate trips that the seats don't get sold out, so Kris can be on the flight with the kids & I going there, and Len can be on the flight with us coming back. Are you kidding me? How can we gamble that much money? Because you know if they are sold out, we can't "cancel" our order- we're just screwed!

Speaking of money, it is so frustrating to see all of the double-standards in business. You can get great deals on flights from the US to Taiwan, but try getting those same deals from Taiwan to the US- no way! The prices are all at least DOUBLE! Trying to coordinate all of us on the same flights for the 3 different trips and some of the prices TRIPLE!!!

Why is there no customer service anymore, where we can just say these are the trips we'd like to book, the agent could get us all on the same flight, and the price would be the same for all of us?!? I seriously don't get it. No wonder so many airlines are going bankrupt! I'm ready to throw the towel in as well and start travelling by ship and train. (Or does any scientist out there want to invent teleporting?)

One more thing, Canada and America need to become friends. I'm not saying we have to have a North American version of the Euro, but it would be nice if we could use our Canadian credit cards with American airlines. Remember, we're not going to Canada this trip, but to the States, do they seriously not want our money? A lot of airlines wouldn't let us book directly from their sites, so we have to use expedia.ca. After all the headaches we had last summer after I broke my toe, I never wanted to use them again. Unfortunately, it appears they are the only agent who will work with us! Aren't there supposed to be monopoly laws? I think I just need to start my own travel agency!

So the sad/happy news is that I will be attending my sister's wedding solo. I am thrilled that I'll get to be at their special occasion, but I'm heartbroken too. I have the most supportive husband, I just really want him to be there with me. My kids will be devastated when I tell them the news- they were so looking forward to the trip too. My extended family understands but they are really upset also. Living in Taiwan we get certain financial "perks" but being half-way around the world they don't seem to do us any good. This summer we'll be back in North America, but we won't have the same benefits, so we'll still be stuck. I am so grateful for my husband's job but it just thoroughly stinks that we are so far away from our loved ones!

Hopefully this summer as we move from Taipei back to Ottawa, we'll be able to make a pit stop in the Western US somewhere and get to see all 3 of our families. Life is just NOT fair sometimes and it's hard to stay positive in these situations.