Day 484 Trying to get back to the 'jing

If you remember, my Christmas vacation got a three day jump due to the Red Smog Alert in Beijing. Once it was announced on Friday, December 18th, I spent the next 36 hours furiously trying to reach Orbitz to see if I could move my ticket up.  I wasn't supposed to fly out until an overnight flight on Tuesday, 12/22.  I didn't want to take a chance getting 'smogged in', or worse, having the trip cancelled altogether.  I never could reach a live person at Orbitz (remember I have to call internationally through Skype or Google mail with requires the VPN. Even at that, my lousy connection often gets disconnected- which is what happened over, and over, and over again).  I finally gave up, took a risk, and bought a one-way ticket leaving early on Sunday, 12/20.

I knew it was a gamble, so I arrived to PEK on Sunday, 12/20 over three hours early.  I wanted to get checked in with Cathay Pacific (my one-way flight), then to go see Air China and Sri Lanka Airlines to let them know I would not be traveling with them on 12/23. I intended to use my return ticket on 12/26, and I did not want it to get cancelled.  I went to the counter of both of these airlines, and I was turned away.  They said I must deal with my original booking agent (Orbitz).  I explained that I was not able to reach Orbitz, and could they please make a note on my reservation that I would not be traveling on 12/23. I said I was willing to 'eat' the cost of that fare, I just wanted them to be aware that I would be returning on 12/26.  No such luck.  Call Orbitz, they said.

While I waited at my gate that morning, I tried repeatedly.  Again, no live person.

I had a four-hour layover in Hong Kong.  I spent the better part of three hours trying to call them.  If I ever got to a live person, the connection was so garbled we could not hear one another. Most of the time the call would drop mid-sentence, or it disconnected while I was on hold listening to terribly garbled Christmas Muzak.  Ugh. I burned through all my Skype credit and had to buy more, and STILL I never could get through to Orbitz.  I boarded the plane in Hong Kong, bound for the Maldives and never gave it another thought....

...until I arrived at Male airport on my last evening, December 26th, after a glorious seven day vacation in the Maldives.  

I went to check in with Sri Lanka Airlines; I gave them my confirmation email.  I was told my reservation was cancelled.  I was directed to another counter, where I was told an agent would help me.  I waited over an hour, no one ever came.  Now folks are lined up at the original counter checking in, as it is about 1.5 hours before flight time- MY FLIGHT- to which I have no seat.

Multiple times Len or I would go back and bug the first agent to tell him that nobody was ever showing up at the other counter to help us.  It turns out, the person was coming from the main office in the capital city, Male. The airport is on another island, Hulhumale, which was two 15 minute taxi rides and a 20 minute ferry ride away. Meanwhile, my anxiety was beginning to go through the roof.  

In the end, Sri Lanka Airlines said my only option was to buy my seat back. It was still available. For only $770.00 ONE WAY.  I really had no other choice.  The only other planes to get me to Beijing had me on the Maldives for two more days, and I would miss going back to work that coming Monday which was not going to work. At all.  So I bought the ticket, figured I would sort it out with Orbitz, and hoped for the best.

I was the very last person to board the plane.
Thank goodness for 'have backpack, will travel.'
Len's flight was the following day, (we had made
our reservations separately) so I was flying solo.

Sri Lanka airlines cabin attendants wear some
very sexy outfits- and lots of make up!  Though it
was only a 1.5 hour flight to Colombo, Sri Lanka,
they served us a full meal of delicious Indian
food, and the drink cart passed by twice- nice!

...and then the strangest thing happened.  The
Captain made an announcement for everyone
to cover their eyes and mouth.  The attendants
came down the aisles, each holding two cans of
spray (Lysol?) as we made the final descent.
What the heck?! Cough! Cough! Gasp!
The guy sitting next to me says they always
do it before landing in Sri Lanka, because
apparently Sri Lanka is paranoid about
getting foreign insects, bacteria or viruses?!
I find it funny that they spray disinfectant when
LANDING in and around India; it seems to me
it should be the other way around!

More twirlygigs of a language I do not understand.
It took awhile to find my gate as it was not in the main concourse area.

I passed by a Buddha, where I could leave
monetary gifts or burn incense and pray
for traveling mercies.  

Then I passed about 20 monks who were also heading to
their gate. This just struck me funny seeing a gaggle of
monks in and 'amonkst' the Christmas decor ;)

I was able to stretch out over a couple seats
and promptly passed out from all the pre-travel
stress.  It was an overnight flight to Singapore. I
looked out my window as the sun was coming up
to see container ships lined up for miles and miles,
waiting their turn to get in to port. I was reminded
of the last time I saw a container ship with "SINGAPORE"
on it's stern. It was when we had our close encounter while
sailing Marquesa,on the overnight crossing in the Gulf Stream
 to the Bahamas in April of 2012.  Boy, that was a scary night.
To relive it, click here: The Crossing (to the Bahamas) Day One

Before landing, we were offered our choice for breakfast:
shrimp and rice, or chicken and noodles.  Clearly, I am back
to Chinese food- not the chicken and noodles I had in mind.
Wanetta, you may just starve in China next September!

I landed in Singapore, and it is a MASSIVE
airport, and oh, so modern.  I think I want to
come back for a visit to Singapore- drink a
Singapore Sling, and sit under one of the palm
trees I see outside. And it's HOT here, too!
This sign just struck me funny- I did not use one
of the "inter-terminal travellators"-  but try to say
that three times fast.  No, seriously, try it.
I was amused :))))

After three planes, two stops, and another fifteen hours of travel, I finally got back to the 'jing by the early afternoon on Sunday.  I no sooner started laundry, and began trying to reach Orbitz to start the process of requesting a refund on my cancelled flight.  My beef with them was two fold; I never received an email or text alert that my flight was cancelled since I did not show up for the outgoing flight.  The second issue was I tried REPEATEDLY to let them know I would not be on the outgoing flight, and what would they advise me to do??? I saved screen shots on my phone of the disconnected Skype calls- three pages of calls.

I spent the next 13 days upon my return, via Skype calls, Google mail phone calls, and emails too numerous to count, trying to get the matter resolved with Orbitz once and for all.  I kept my cool, for the most part, as I was passed from person to person, none of whom had the authority to issue my refund.  I finally sent a scathing email telling them they would not only lose a faithful and valued customer (just look how much world wide travel I book through you, and have done so for years), but I also threatened to blast them on my 'travel blog'.  Nearly two weeks later, I got this letter- finally.

So all's well and end's well.  Until the next big adventure...

Which is in less than four days....

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, here I come!!!!

G'nite, y'all!

Response By Email (Shalon) (01/07/2016 10:59 AM) Dear Ms. McDaniel, Thank you for your patience. Please know I have received a response from both Air China and Sri Lankan Airlines authorizing a full refund for your original reservation; therefore, we have processed a refund for the amount of $682.80. This amount will appear back to the original form of payment within 7 to 10 business days. Furthermore, as we do value you as a customer and and as a gesture of sincerity for your disappointing experience, Orbitz has added $100 in Orbucks to your account. They are valid until January 6, 2017 and are available to be used on your next qualifying prepaid hotel booking. If you have any further questions or concerns, please let me know. We appreciate your business and hope you will continue to use Orbitz in the future for your travel needs. Sincerely, Shalon Orbitz Customer Relations Chicago, IL