#ThrowbackThursday with Norm Payne

‘’Why fly to Daytona Beach? It costs much less to fly to Orlando, and just take the inexpensive shuttle to Daytona Beach,” I once said to a client. Nevertheless, it is always my duty to serve and obligation to verify, and so I did.

‘’Whaddya know,’’ I exclaimed. “The price to Daytona Beach is far less than to Orlando. I’ve never seen it so low in all my career,’’ I proclaimed, and promptly completed the transaction - $395 plus change.

That was before the ubiquitous fuel surcharge.

Two weeks later she calls back. “My friend wants to come too,’’ she exclaimed.

“Well you can almost be sure that such a low price won’t be around anymore,’’ I intoned. 

Nevertheless, it is always my duty to serve and obligation to verify, and so I did.

“Whaddya know,” I exulted, “that low fare is still there!’’ I promptly issued another ticket for her friend - $395 plus change.

The trip was a month away; they got on with their lives and so did I.

Travel day came and the pair duly got on the plane in Ottawa, connecting in Syracuse to Daytona Beach. On arrival, they claimed their baggage and went to the curb waiting for Uncle to pick them up. They waited and waited. Uncle, alas it seemed, did not show up. But Uncle too, however, was waiting at the curb; waiting and waiting. Cell phones had just arrived on the scene, so Uncle was called.

“Where are you?” one said to the other. “At the curb too, but can’t see you either,” they each echoed.

That’s when it gradually dawned on them: they were at the wrong curb. Uncle was idling his engine in Daytona Beach, Florida and the girls were fretting in Dayton, Ohio.

Now that’s ten pounds of trouble in a five pound bag! They scooted back into the terminal to a Delta agent who had heard it all before and reprimanded, “it will cost you $850 – each!”  Guess whose bonus that was coming out of!?

They promptly called me. “Did you not check your tickets when you received them? How did you manage to get on the wrong flight instead of going to Daytona Beach?” I quizzed. A quick look at their file revealed the obvious: DAY -  that’s where I ticketed them too, not DAB! No wonder the fare was so incredibly low.

We all guffawed thorough our sheepishness: how could we all be so scatterbrained? Swift action and recompense was required and the agency credit card was readied for $1,700 - the best part of my bonus.

But wait! There must be a way out, I reflected, and promptly called Dean Tatro, the Delta rep who fell out of his chair laughing.  ‘’Not you, Norm.’’ he disparaged.

We quickly checked – lo and behold, within an hour there was a flight  to Daytona Beach. He promptly ‘’re-arranged the ticket’’ and the girls got to Daytona Beach in short order – Uncle, of course was there, waiting for them. Bless his soul, Dean also fixed their return from Daytona Beach back to Ottawa - all for no charge. “Fuhgeddaboudit!” he chortled.

When they returned, I went over to their home and profusely apologized, offering to commit hara-kiri on their exquisite Turkish carpet.  I even took my father-in-law’s ceremonial army sword along. They laughed their heads off.

“We wouldn’t want to clean up that mess,” chimed one; “That would ruin a beautiful rug,” said the other.

They invited me in for tea and cookies, all three of us eagerly vying to take responsibility for the mistake. We laughed hilariously – and I got my bonus!

And that’s how I learned never to mistake DAY for DAB!

Clients for years, they never fail to needle me every time they travel; recently they said, “we would like to go to Dubai - don’t get it mixed up with Dublin, or you’ll be my uncle’s monkey!”

Ever since then, every completed travel document goes out with this alert:

              YOU HAVE REVIEWED AND AUTHOURISED THE ISSUANCE OF THESE ARRANGEMENTS, BUT 

                             ERRORS AND MIS-COMMUNICATIONS CAN AND DO HAPPEN!

           PLEASE KINDLY REVIEW YOUR ITINERARY DETAILS PROMPTLY, THROUGHLY, AND REPORT

     ANY DISCREPANCIES IMMEDIATELY, TO MITIGATE PAYMENT OF PENALTIES TO CORRECT ERRORS.

 ANY COSTS WILL BE YOURS TO COVER. ARE THE DATES, FLIGHTS, ROUTING  AND DESTINATION CORRECT?

                              DO THE PASSPORT/ TICKET NAMES MATCH EXACTLY?

       PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW AN ERROR TO BE DETECTED LATER, ON THE WAY  TO THE AIRPORT

                            OR AT THE DESTINATION, IT WILL COST YOU A BUNDLE!  

Did I tell you about the time I got the Orlando, Maingate East Resort mixed up with the East Maingate Hotel, Orlando? One was a luxury hotel, the other a dump with a big plastic orange on the roof!  Or the time a couple thought they had RBC Deluxe Package Insurance, but didn’t, and one of them died a week before departure. But those are stories for another time....