A "What If" question....concerning missed connections
 

Have any of you missed connections to Africa. You have no cell phone either.

I've been thinking about this for a few days and wondered if this has happened to any of you.

First off, I've been told my cell won't work in Africa so I'm not taking it. I do have 3 tel. #'s, all in S.Africa, non are toll free. Two tel. #'s are for the Rangers, the other's for my tour company with a 24 hr. number.

My flite itinerary is....El Paso-Houston (2 hr. layover) Houston-Amsterdam (2.5 layover) Amsterdam-Africa. Just maybe there's a delay in Amsterdam and can't catch another flight for several hrs. or maybe the next day, preventing me with meeting up with a Ranger in Africa on time.

It's been suggested to me that perhaps an airport may have an Internet Cafe where I can e-mail my trip coordinator of a delay, maybe one's not available. I'm really not obsessing about delayed flights, just like to be prepared.............so, what would you do in this case ??

Good question. I'd call your tour company, you say they answer 24 hr. Tell them your situation and ask for their advice and help. They must have helped other clients with same problems, gotta have happened every so often.

regards - tom

ve
what you mean when you say your cell doesn't work in africa???
haven't you got a dual band?

as i understand you are going to work for or have been working for a safari company...is that right?

why do you pouint out the "toll free"? in emergency it shouldn't matter whether you pay roaming...

i am not exactly getting your point in view to the cell phones..........

regarding changing planes in AMS: AMS can be a mess and if a plane is delayed you might have to RUN (speed) in order get your connection. but your luggage might not going to make it on to the same flight.
so make sure you have ALL your very important stuff with you - means hand luggage!

AMS obviously has got a luggage problem. i hear it very often that luggage gets lost or delayed.

div

Thanks Tom. I'd certainly use that 24 hr. tel. # if I was delayed but not taking my cell...maybe a pay phone from AMS to S.Africa??? Don't think so.

Divine54...I really don't think my little TracFone has dual band, it's just a simple little cell. I did call the TracFone people to ask if it would work calling S.Africa from E.Africa and was told no, so just took their word for it. Wouldn't mind paying roaming fees in an emergency, but not taking my cell anyway. I don't, and never have, worked for a tour company, just using one for my trip. Glad you mentioned luggage problems with AMS, now that's one more thing to think about because I have lots of school supplies for the kids. I have put all my important paper/personal items already in my carry on and large purse, so no problem there.

You know what folks..........Here I'm traveling alone, 63 yrs. old and I'm not going to think about delayed flites/lost luggage anymore because I believe it's starting to get to me and I'm leaving on Monday. Whatever happens will happen, regardless. So far all I can see is finding an Internet Cafe to solve a potential problem and leaving it at that, unless someone else comes up with a solution.

Don't worry...go and have a good time. If you get delayed, it'll all work out.

Don't worry too much about this. As long as you take the phone numbers with you, you can use a phone at the airport (lots of them take credit cards). You might find that if the delay is the fault of the airline a friendly airline agent might let you use a phone if you go to their customer service desk.

Take a spare set of clothes in your hand luggage and anything you can't do without. At least if your luggage is delayed you have some things with you.

Good luck, you'll have a wonderful time. In the rare case when things go wrong, it will eventually work out.

If your flight is delayed or cancelled, the person waiting for you on the other end will probably know as well.

As Cary999 stated, I wouldn't hesitate to call the agent you booked with either if there are problems and you cannot easily contact the correct parties. That's what they are there for, when things don't go as planned.

What you are describing happen to me one time on a non-Africa trip and I used a pay phone and my calling card to place 2 calls to the company who would collect me. Only got their answering machine. I arrived late without luggage and somehow missed them at the airport, but took a taxi to my airport hotel instead. I was able to contact them the next day and from there all went smoothly.

I'd definitely seek out help from the airline if their delay causes you problems, even going into the special lounge whether or not you are entitled. I did that one time for some kind of problem that was the airline's doing and they were annoyed at my presence because I did not have lounge access status, but they helped me.

Another time, in a small airport in Africa, there was some kind of mixup and I couldn't get the phones to work or the employees to help me. I finally got an employee to make a phone call for me by giving them $10. That was a steep price, but it solved the problem that was the fault of the people I was calling, so I asked if I could get reimbursed the $10 when they did arrive and they obliged.

I've had people waiting for hours for me when a connection was late. They don't just leave. One time a charter pilot circled above our walking party, keeping us in his sights, when we were 2 hours late to an airstrip for a transfer, due to a communication error.

So, it all works out in the end. I've thought that the motto of reputable companies in Africa should be "They always get their man," meaning they will find you and they will wait for you and not just leave you behind.

The people that reimbursed me the $10 would not have just left me sitting at the airport if I didn't call them. I found out later that they would have come eventually whether I called or not. But I didn't know that at the time.

They thought I was on the next flight that was 5 hours later. So once again, "They always get their man." or woman.

I don't own a cell, so never have taken one when overseas. I do have all pertinent phone #s and credit card if I have to make a call. More importantly, I have an email address (most outfitters have their Blackberry with at all times), to send message if needed.

At AMS, on the upper level* there is a large Business Center where you can send an email of delay.

*there are probably more than one area; even spread around near phone banks

Generally I've found that while domestic flights can be delayed (equipment or weather problems), the control towers do their utmost to get the international flights off the ground first. If on time into AMS, the 2.5/hrs should be sufficient to change planes, often in the same terminal so you don't have to go far. If running late, advise Flight Attendent and they'll see to it you deplane first.

Now, with hurrican "Gustav" moving toward the Gulf, hope it doesn't aim towards Houston.

Be sure you have your trip insurance info - policy #, contact phone #, email address - should you have to advise them of flight or baggage delays.

VE
if i were in your shoes i would call KLM/northwest for support in amsterdam!
that arranged you don't have to worry at all in view to connecting times and rushing from A to B!

arrange for transfer by one of these airport-golfcarts (free of charge) and take it! if you are early: fine you get some more time to look forward to your africa-connection!
if the flight from the states has got a delay: your transmission is guaranteed!

just call die airline(s) and relax!

have a wonderful trip and enjoy every minute of it!

div

After reading many of these replies I've calmed down now and thanks for your help. My "What If's" aren't bothering me as much now and many of you gave me some great tips.

I've done my fair share of traveling over the years, mainly to Europe, but I've never had a trip like this with so many connecting flights.

At least I've packed correctly, no valuables in my suitcase, they're in my carry on, purse, neck pouch and fanny pack, divided it all up, so that part's OK.

Atravelynn....Thanks for your good stories and what you did to remedy the situation. Wrote some of your tips down to take with me.....just in case.

This trip I'm keeping a journal, something I've never done before, and hope I come back with some good stories to share. Also have a great 18 zoom digital camera, 3 memory chips and plenty of batteries so I hope to have plenty of photos to share........that is if I can figure how to put them on the Internet the way some of you do.

OK folks........Stick a fork in me, I'm done..............Thanks to you all and I'm leaving Monday and will just focus on having a great time.TTFN

Last year I flew Seattle-London, then London-Johannesburg. The second flight was delayed and I missed the Johannesburg-Victoria Falls connection. There wasn't another flight until the next morning. Which meant I would miss meeting up with transport arrangements for further travel, plus miss check-in time at the hotel in Vic Falls. My airline, BA, took care of putting me up for the night at JNB and getting me on the next morning flight to VFA. I telephoned my travel agent in Cape Town from the hotel at JNB and she took care of contacting the company handling ground transport and rescheduling the transfer. She also notified the Vic Falls hotel of my late arrival for me.

Just make sure you take the phone numbers for your travel agent with you. They're used to assisting their clients in these situations. I'm a 60-something woman and I also often travel alone. It will all work out fine in the long run and you'll have a wonderful trip.

When you get back, Ve, you can worry about posting pictures. Nothing to it.