Re-booked flights! Yikes! Also, unused farewell poem

Last week I successfully re-booked J&E SG with Tauck for next year.

Despite the horror stories and Delta assurances that even if the flight date passed without hearing from customers, they would still sort it all out, I decided to attempt to cancel and re-book our flights now (we were originally scheduled to depart this coming Friday). My reasons were partly due to my distrust that everything would be done correctly after the fact, and, to no small degree, because new, lower airfares miraculously appeared for for my desired flights. However, it was quite an experience and took me almost all night to complete, so please give me some slack if there are typos or errors in my post. :o

One or possibly two legs had already been canceled but it really wasn't clear on the website nor was it clear that I would get a full refund, credit for the new flights, or have any cancellation fee waived, etc. The website would not let me cancel and re-book and a small footnote by the CDG to Amman leg said "call Delta," so I settled into my easy chair with laptop and phone.

Once I successfully navigated the various "Push #2 now" prompts, I ended up spending about 1.5 hours on hold before I finally got to speak to an agent. After taking my info and messing with her computer she said the "international desk" would need to handle this, so she transferred me- I gave up after another hour of elevator music :o I tried again- another 1.5 hr on hold. This time I decided to ask the agent if she could at least cancel my flights and issue a credit so I could book the new flights online myself. But I was too slow and was quickly transferred to broken, garbled elevator music this time. I quickly gave up and went to bed. I couldn't sleep, so got up to give it one more college try. This time I got through more quickly using Delta's "medallion member" phone number which I just found. Then, when a prompt told me it would only be 11 min. if I opted for a call back instead of being on hold, I took the big chance- it worked! :D In a comparatively short time an agent came on the line. I was again given the same bad news- I would need to be transferred to the "international desk" but, this time, I was told the wait time might be an hour and 45 minutes! At least I had an estimate of the wait time, I so decided, what the hey, I could sleep away the next day. I dozed while listening to the the music and was almost asleep when, after only about an hour, a wonderful agent came on with a cheery voice and did her magic. While waiting for her computer to do its thing we chatted about Jordan and Petra no less!!! She spent a few weeks touring there last year! Go figure! Bottom, line new flight reservations, same routing, cheaper than I expected, and no cancellation or change fee to pass along to Tauck. Except for having to wait another loooong year and an earlier (and likely chillier) tour departure, I'm a happy camper.

One last thing- when it looked like our trip this year might still go, I jotted down a few thoughts that turned into this little poem (It ain't Frost, Yeats, etc. :p ). I thought about reading it at the farewell dinner. (Did it jinx me? Who knows)

May we have noses that don't run and eyes clear and dry,
Except for a tear or two, as we say goodbye,
To new found friends and magical lands
And sights that amazed on these desert sands.
Tomorrow, may our planes safely whisk us away
Without hassle, discomfort or unexpected delay.
And, let us all hope that no agent sees
That our temperature is above 98 degrees.
Inshallah

Comments

  • Alan, you’re a poet and we didn’t know it! 😀

  • Excellent. So hoping not to have to deal with rebooking flights for Sep. Please please like this be over by then.

  • Alan - I cancelled my April Japan flights on delta.com. There was a button for "request refund." Got an email confirmation that refund would be issued to my CC within 7 days. Sure beats sitting on hold forever.

  • BKMD
    9:19PM

    Alan - I cancelled my April Japan flights on delta.com. There was a button for "request refund." Got an email confirmation that refund would be issued to my CC within 7 days. Sure beats sitting on hold forever.

    Their website wouldn't let me do it- I went through all the steps but when I tried to execute, a pop-up said it wasn't possible. The agent might have said why it wouldn't work, but at that point I didn't care, I was so tired. I should see it on my AMEX account after tonight's sweep. I've recovered, but will go to bed early tonight.

  • That happened to me the first time, then I tried calling and hung up after 15 minutes on hold. tried the web site again and it worked the second time. The credit showed up this morning on my online CC account.

  • edited March 2020

    We received a new Summary of Purchase that reflects the Tauck $500 re-booking credits. (I don't remember what the number was but I did the math and equates to a decent interest rate for leaving our money with Tauck for 10 more months :) ).

    Now we just need the World to get healthy!

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