Dec 18, 2010
Now that we’re FINALLY better, we have a little beef to pick (is that a saying?) with COPA Airlines.
Me: I feel so much better this morning! I think I’m finally, oh, operating at about 90% now.
Gilberto: Do you think you have your yelling voice back?
Me: My yelling voice? You mean so I can yell at Gabi to stop playing with the water in the bathroom? I did that last night and my voice totally cooperated.
Gilberto: I mean for calling COPA.
Me: OH YEAH! Game on!
When we arrived at the Sao Paulo airport for our return trip home, we were told that our flight was overbooked and offered a sweet deal. A direct flight (DIRECT!!) on Korean (KOREAN!!) the next day, $350 per person, and hotel and meals covered in the interim. They had me at Korean, with their fully reclining seats and 24/7 buffet, so we agreed to the deal. Sometimes it’s nice when you have more time than money.
We were ushered over to the Customer Service desk, and by the time it was our turn to be helped, the offer had turned from $350 in cash to vouchers that had to be used in a year, and a flight out that night on American Airlines with a layover at JFK. Since we wouldn’t be flying in the next year, especially on a Panamanian airlines, and the evening flight would mean even more time without sleeping, and the JFK stopover would add 4 and half hours of travel time, we told them sorry, we’ll stick with the original itinerary.
Only we’d already been booted from the original itinerary. We had no choice but to take what they were giving us. So we left for the hotel STEAMING. There’s really not much you can do in Brazil when things don’t go your way. And Gilberto didn’t want to damage our return any more than it already was by causing a scene and getting carted away. Though we were so mad we considered it.
We thought we’d try to get some sleep at the hotel and eat a LOT of free food. But our hotel room was a disaster. The AC was broken, and we couldn’t open the window because hurricane like wind whipped rain throughout the entire room. The TV turned on and off at will. In the bathroom, the light wouldn’t work and, AND, the toilet wouldn’t flush. (Yes, we left them a present.)
So the seven hours we spent in the hotel with two kids was pretty miserable. We were so happy when it was finally time to head back to the airport. We only had two flights, a layover and a 2 hour shuttle ride left to contend with.
Gilberto and I can’t sleep on planes, and the kids really didn’t do much better. So 37 hours after leaving Santos on a bus, we arrived at our front door, total disheveled, exhausted messes. It’s probably why we weren’t able to fight of The Croup, which we’re pretty sure we caught from the guy sitting next to Gilberto on the first flight who kept coughing saliva all over Gilberto’s face.
So I have my yelling voice back. And I just added Call COPA to my To Do list. All I want is cash at this point. Or to have all the credit put in Gilberto’s name so he can head home for a random trip. I have a feeling it’s not going to go all that great, but I’m not beyond hopping in my car and driving 2 hours to LAX to descend on their corporate office. I’m not afraid of getting carted off in the good ol’ USA.
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