A perfectly planned romantic longweekend trip gone bad.
Aug 23rd, 2006, 02:51 PM
#21
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Actually---it is sometimes possible to change the name on a ticket; it depends on the airline and how good your reason is. I have been the recipient of such a transfer. That was, however, about 10 years ago---they may be more strict now. But it's worth a try.
Aug 23rd, 2006, 03:04 PM
#22
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I'm sorry this happened. I've only had to cancel a trip once, and although circumstances were different, it's still very upsetting.
On the bright side, it shouldn't be too hard to get someone else to accompany you on this trip. I would volunteer, but darn the luck, I must take a pesky trip to Hawaii on October.
But on a serious note, this horrible feeling will pass. I'm glad you came here to vent, we are always happy to lend an ear....or in this case, we will lend a screen.
On the bright side, it shouldn't be too hard to get someone else to accompany you on this trip. I would volunteer, but darn the luck, I must take a pesky trip to Hawaii on October.
But on a serious note, this horrible feeling will pass. I'm glad you came here to vent, we are always happy to lend an ear....or in this case, we will lend a screen.
Aug 23rd, 2006, 06:07 PM
#23
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Too bad I didn't think ahead and name our son after his dad! Sure would have made this situation perhaps a little brighter.
I did beg the airline to let me change the name on the ticket, but there is no way they will do it.
Just going to have suck this one up.
I did beg the airline to let me change the name on the ticket, but there is no way they will do it.
Just going to have suck this one up.
Aug 23rd, 2006, 06:55 PM
#25
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Ralstonlan:
Your heart is defiantly in the right place and it was such a beautiful gesture. Your husband is a very lucky man to have you as a wife and if he deserves you, he will realize this, eventually.
I am so sorry your plans did not work out and I hope whatever financial loss you incur will be returned to you exponentially.
Regards Ger
Your heart is defiantly in the right place and it was such a beautiful gesture. Your husband is a very lucky man to have you as a wife and if he deserves you, he will realize this, eventually.
I am so sorry your plans did not work out and I hope whatever financial loss you incur will be returned to you exponentially.
Regards Ger
Aug 23rd, 2006, 07:20 PM
#26
Oh my, how will he ever plan anything as wonderful for your birthday? I think I would still be banging my head against the wall.
What if you call his partner and tell him/her what you have planned? Act like it is still a surprise for your husband.
What if you call his partner and tell him/her what you have planned? Act like it is still a surprise for your husband.
Aug 23rd, 2006, 08:07 PM
#27
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I'm so sorry for your predicament RalstonIan! How miserable for you on all fronts! 
I hope something good will come from this, but at least you tried to be spontaneous.
On the other hand, Cosmo magazine was right, being spontaneous does keep a little spark (never said good or bad) in your relationship...:-s
I hope something good will come from this, but at least you tried to be spontaneous.
On the other hand, Cosmo magazine was right, being spontaneous does keep a little spark (never said good or bad) in your relationship...:-s
Aug 24th, 2006, 12:12 AM
#28
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Hi R,
As Mr Dizzy once said to Mrs Dizzy, after she had waited up for him to return from Parliament and had provided a late supper of game pie and Champagne, "More like a mistress than a wife, my dear".
>...my husband called to tell me those dates I mentioned to him to take off from work in October were impossible for him.<
I shall not comment on a person for whom business affairs are more important than such a thoughtful and lovely birthday surprise.
As Mr Dizzy once said to Mrs Dizzy, after she had waited up for him to return from Parliament and had provided a late supper of game pie and Champagne, "More like a mistress than a wife, my dear".
>...my husband called to tell me those dates I mentioned to him to take off from work in October were impossible for him.<
I shall not comment on a person for whom business affairs are more important than such a thoughtful and lovely birthday surprise.
Aug 24th, 2006, 05:40 AM
#30
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Ralstonlan
I'm sorry to hear of your disappointment. But take heart, at least you and your H weren't "surprised" out of your getaway by something truly ghastly - an accident befalling either of you, for example - or worse yet, an accident or illness befalling your son.
Travel plans are always a gamble, for all of us, so don't be too hard on yourself. Although of course by now you might have revised how many 'chips' you plan to place before 'the dealer' next time.
I'm sorry to hear of your disappointment. But take heart, at least you and your H weren't "surprised" out of your getaway by something truly ghastly - an accident befalling either of you, for example - or worse yet, an accident or illness befalling your son.
Travel plans are always a gamble, for all of us, so don't be too hard on yourself. Although of course by now you might have revised how many 'chips' you plan to place before 'the dealer' next time.
Aug 24th, 2006, 05:57 AM
#31
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Hi Ralstonlan ~ I am so sorry, what good intentions you did indeed have for this special birthday. It was so thoughful and very romantic of you to plan such a lovely long weekend.
I am on board with the "still go to Paris by yourself or with someone else" people.
I hope it all works out for you. If it is any consulation, ANYONE on this board would love to have you as their wife! I really think it is very wonderful of you to plan something like that for your hubby.
Please keep us posted on what you decide.
Paris is never a bad idea.
Good luck.
I am on board with the "still go to Paris by yourself or with someone else" people.
I hope it all works out for you. If it is any consulation, ANYONE on this board would love to have you as their wife! I really think it is very wonderful of you to plan something like that for your hubby.
Please keep us posted on what you decide.
Paris is never a bad idea.
Good luck.
Aug 24th, 2006, 06:38 PM
#34
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Ralstonlan:
I side with all those above who are sympathetic to your dilemma...and a dilemma it is. However, knowing you're a frequent traveler who goes first class on hotel and dining arrangements, I feel strongly that you not go until H can once again join you, surprise or no surprise. It would be the right thing for you to do, IMO.
As to his partner, I fail to see why a man can't leave his blessed business to his freakin' partner for a long weekend. Good grief, is the business at stake? Will it go BK because H leaves for four dyas? Or what? I don't understand..and that's probably why I'm still a quasi-budget traveler...although a very frequent one to many parts of this troubled planet.
Perhaps we need a quick "soprano" visit to dear old partner!! Someone from the Beantown branch, of course.
I do wish you a satisfactory resolve and eventual "make-up" for the trip!!
Stu T.
I side with all those above who are sympathetic to your dilemma...and a dilemma it is. However, knowing you're a frequent traveler who goes first class on hotel and dining arrangements, I feel strongly that you not go until H can once again join you, surprise or no surprise. It would be the right thing for you to do, IMO.
As to his partner, I fail to see why a man can't leave his blessed business to his freakin' partner for a long weekend. Good grief, is the business at stake? Will it go BK because H leaves for four dyas? Or what? I don't understand..and that's probably why I'm still a quasi-budget traveler...although a very frequent one to many parts of this troubled planet.
Perhaps we need a quick "soprano" visit to dear old partner!! Someone from the Beantown branch, of course.
I do wish you a satisfactory resolve and eventual "make-up" for the trip!!
Stu T.
Aug 24th, 2006, 07:46 PM
#35
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Well then if you can't go with your hubby and you can't bring someone else on the ticket- is there any way you cna go alone??
Might be a grand time to see if their are other Fodorites going to Paris.
Might be a grand time to see if their are other Fodorites going to Paris.
Aug 24th, 2006, 08:01 PM
#36
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Ouch. Sorry, Ralstonian. I understand about the dates and times; if I tried to do something like that without checking with my husband's office first it would just blow up in my face. He practices with three other mds, and only two can be gone at a time. One person just can't cover two offices, so if I make reservations it had better be <i>after</i> I check with the office mgr/scheduler.
That said, there have been plenty of missed opportunities when we could have gone here or there---if we'd both been able to go. Last time he had a board retreat at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. and gave me only two weeks' notice--our son was appearing in a musical that weekend so I had to stay behind. Ditto a trip to Chicago last week.
Someday the stars will align and you'll both be free to go. It was an expensive mistake, but it was just that---a mistake.
That said, there have been plenty of missed opportunities when we could have gone here or there---if we'd both been able to go. Last time he had a board retreat at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. and gave me only two weeks' notice--our son was appearing in a musical that weekend so I had to stay behind. Ditto a trip to Chicago last week.
Someday the stars will align and you'll both be free to go. It was an expensive mistake, but it was just that---a mistake.
Aug 24th, 2006, 08:45 PM
#37
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Well, I think that is just rotten of American Airlines. Did you talk to someone other than a ticket agent? Have you written to anyone at American? You must fly a lot on American if you have enough miles for mileage tickets. Seems like keeping your goodwill should account for something.
Aug 24th, 2006, 09:31 PM
#38
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<b>Ronda</b>,
why are you blaming the airline just because they lived up to their part of the bargain. None of the fare rules, upgrade rules were hidden before this was all done. Sorry about the OP's luck and her husbands inability to disappear for 4 days , but if the airline started to listen to every hard case story and started to "adjust" accordingly, then why have the fare rules in a first place. The fare rules allow the cheap fares, but they come with many restrictions, and non-refundable is one of the main ones.
The first thing I did, some years back, when planning a surprise trip for my wife to Jamaica, was to contact her boss first. I made sure that no matter what, she, unknown to her, had 7 days vacation time penciled in. That's the easiest way to make sure that nothing can go wrong. It worked.
But if that was not possible, I would get fully refundable tickets and fully cancellable, up to the day of arrival, hotel reservations, just in case like what the OP described.
I'm sorry, but you get what you pay for....
Why blame the company for trying to make money? Imagine the stories they hear EVERY day?
why are you blaming the airline just because they lived up to their part of the bargain. None of the fare rules, upgrade rules were hidden before this was all done. Sorry about the OP's luck and her husbands inability to disappear for 4 days , but if the airline started to listen to every hard case story and started to "adjust" accordingly, then why have the fare rules in a first place. The fare rules allow the cheap fares, but they come with many restrictions, and non-refundable is one of the main ones.
The first thing I did, some years back, when planning a surprise trip for my wife to Jamaica, was to contact her boss first. I made sure that no matter what, she, unknown to her, had 7 days vacation time penciled in. That's the easiest way to make sure that nothing can go wrong. It worked.
But if that was not possible, I would get fully refundable tickets and fully cancellable, up to the day of arrival, hotel reservations, just in case like what the OP described.
I'm sorry, but you get what you pay for....
Why blame the company for trying to make money? Imagine the stories they hear EVERY day?
Aug 24th, 2006, 10:07 PM
#39
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I, too, would dispute that this excursion was "perfectly planned".
Whenever I plan to "surprise" for my husband, I first ensure that he can actually come along on the planned dates. You don't have to disclose the plans, only that he can actually be away from work, and accompany you, for those dates.
That your husband "called to tell me those dates I mentioned to him to take off from work in October were impossible for him" is a bit odd. This is something we would have worked out at home...
For us, anyway, the "surprise" is that I've done all the planning.
Whenever I plan to "surprise" for my husband, I first ensure that he can actually come along on the planned dates. You don't have to disclose the plans, only that he can actually be away from work, and accompany you, for those dates.
That your husband "called to tell me those dates I mentioned to him to take off from work in October were impossible for him" is a bit odd. This is something we would have worked out at home...
For us, anyway, the "surprise" is that I've done all the planning.
