Alan's away! - AND Qantass are plonkers

Thought I'd let you know that Alan finally got away this evening although it was touch and go there for a while. It turns out that Qantass are complete plonkers.

We were all set to go to the airport as a family to wave the boy off. Barry was flying to Sweden about two hours before Alan's flight so it fitted that we all head out together - but! Then one of Barry's work boys couldn't fly so that creaed an issue with work cars. In the end Wayne picked up Barry and Doc and took them to the airport early. Caitlin was too sick to come to the airport so Mother and Son headed off alone...

We made it to the airport safely and then tried to head through to check-in for the first leg of the flight with British Airways to Heathrow. Gran and Anna will remember that this is in a separate part of the airport - usually guarded by young guys with sub-machine guns. The rules at Malpensa have changed again - and now only passengers can go through to check-in at BA... Poor Alan had to go through alone... and then the clever mother remembered that we had forgotten to 'security wrap' his suitcase. This is where they run the suitace through a miniature bailing machine and strangle it with giant, florescent yellow gladwrap. I rang the lad and back he came - past the guns... We get the bag safely gladwrapped and back he goes past the hired guns again... only to reappear 15 minutes later, still with the suitcase. You've guessed by now that this is not going well...

Although Alan's ticket was booked (using Gran's airpoints) and the taxes etc paid for (by Mum and Dad) Qantas 'forgot' to charge the credit card... this mean't that they didn't 'issue' a ticket. They DID email confirmation of the booking, they DID telephone to advise of a change in departure times for the return flight, we DID find and check the booking online and NOWHERE and at NO TIME was there any mention of an issue - Until he tried to check-in...

We raced through Malpensa airport to the BA ticket counter where they had "Lee" from Qantass on the phone for us. He was sorry that the booking had 'slipped through the cracks'. However, he needed the taxes to be paid so that he could issue the tickets... No, cash was no good. A credit card was the only way. Problem. Our NZ credit card was compromised a few weeks ago - and the bank suspended it. New cards are on their way but have yet to arrive. Our Italian credit card was in Barry's wallet and you'll remember that he was somewhere in the air already - on his way to Sweden... Thankfully I had a copy of the card details at home so a quick phone call home to Caitlin and she was able to supply the number... Lee put us on hold whilst he went off to get this all sorted from his end... the time was ticking... there was now less than an hour until takeoff and check in closes 60 minutes before the departure time... (picking up on my stress levels rising here?)... Finally Lee came back on the line and assured us it was all go...

No, of course that is not the end of the story...

Alan goes back through to check-in at BA... for the third time - the hired guns don't even ask to see his passpor this time. Out he comes - boarding pass in hand. Yahoo! All is well - Or is it???

No!

Alan only has a boarding pass to Heathrow... NOT for his onward flight on Qantass to Sydney and Wellington... Back we go to the BA counter... Assurances all round. It will be fine. They are still working on the Qantass flight but the bags are definitely checked al the way through... He just has to go to the Qantass departure Gate and there will be his boarding pass waiting for him...

I get home to find an email from Qantass - the Plonkers - with the e-ticket details for Alan. I forward these to his email address and - for good measure - text the e-ticket number to his mobile. This turned out to be a very good plan as when he arrived at the Qantass departure gate in Heathrow - you'll never guess - they didn't have any boarding pass for him - or any idea about one. After running through the whole sorry tale... and giving them the e-ticket number they finally issued the boarding passes for the rest of the trip....

Will Alan get to board the flight to Sydney?
Will his luggage make it to Wellignton with him??
Will Qantass reply to the complaints email sent to them by Alan's very annoyed mother???

Stay tuned for more exciting updates!