TR Provence, Israel, Switzerland, Italy..April 16 a day of AA infamy
May 16th, 2013, 01:28 PM
#1
Original Poster
TR Provence, Israel, Switzerland, Italy..April 16 a day of AA infamy
Sometimes things happen that makes one wonder if fate is conspiring against a trip. April 16 dawned, a lovely day in MD and perfect for a flight. Our shuttle to the airport arrived at our home exactly on time and we learned we would be the only passengers - our private airport limo in van form - how good is that!? On the way to the airport I noticed the driver moving to the lane that would take us north on I95. Strange, since our airport was south. Uh-oh, the driver had the wrong airport, he was taking us to BWI rather than DCA. I had him pull over and found the dispatcher gave him the wrong info. I thought the fare was awfully low for a ride to DCA, but who was I to argue? We worked it out and turned to the south. All was well, or so I thought, innocent of knowledge of what fate had in store. Had I known....well, who knows.
To backtrack a bit, some of you reading this may remember a post that I had a real health scare just a couple of days before the flight but was cleared to go. I recently retired and this was to be the first time we were able to get away for a full month, the trip of a lifetime to celebrate becoming a pensioner and a new phase in our lives.
We get to DCA and our flight is on time. We were flying FF miles with AA and the first leg was to Paris via Chicago. We were to get to CDG the next morning at 9 and then a day and dinner in Paris, maybe an evening bateaux on the river before our early morning train
to Avignon. I had it all planned out - it sounds good, right?
Arriving at the airport with plenty of time to spare- I had built in extra time just in case, things still looked good other than DW losing her boarding pass somewhere between security and the gate. At the gate, things still looked good, The agent said there would be no problem about the lost boarding pass - she would just issue another. The flight was still on time, that is, until it was not. The AA agents developed a look of concern with lots of hush hush serious talk among themselves and shaking of heads. Finally, when it was well past the time for the flight to leave, we, the assembled passengers, were told there was some sort of computer glitch that would delay boarding, and indeed there was. I called my son who told us that AA's computers were down throughout the US if not the world. The agents were professional and tried to figure out work-arounds so we could at least board and be ready when they got the go ahead,. They made a passenger list the old fashioned way, with pen on paper and we boarded awaiting the "starting gun" and watched our once ample 3 hour connection time tick away. After about 40 minutes we were told that we would have to de-plane and wait in the boarding area. Amid groans and maybe a few curses we started to leave the plane only to have the Captain announce that MIRACLE he has a window to leave and stay on the plane. Those who had already left were gathered up and reseated and the flight attendants made four or five trips up and down the aisles trying to reconcile the hand written passenger lists with those on board, and of course at least one person was missing. Our departure window passed, or maybe it was never even there and after another half hour, we were told to de-plane once again and did.
Would we get to Chicago that day? Would we get to Paris the next morning? Would we have our planned grand dinner in Paris the following evening? Could we re-route? I called AA and was told they were overwhelmed with calls and would call me back in an hour and fifteen minutes.
Next: To err is human but to really screw things up, you need a computer.
To backtrack a bit, some of you reading this may remember a post that I had a real health scare just a couple of days before the flight but was cleared to go. I recently retired and this was to be the first time we were able to get away for a full month, the trip of a lifetime to celebrate becoming a pensioner and a new phase in our lives.
We get to DCA and our flight is on time. We were flying FF miles with AA and the first leg was to Paris via Chicago. We were to get to CDG the next morning at 9 and then a day and dinner in Paris, maybe an evening bateaux on the river before our early morning train
to Avignon. I had it all planned out - it sounds good, right?
Arriving at the airport with plenty of time to spare- I had built in extra time just in case, things still looked good other than DW losing her boarding pass somewhere between security and the gate. At the gate, things still looked good, The agent said there would be no problem about the lost boarding pass - she would just issue another. The flight was still on time, that is, until it was not. The AA agents developed a look of concern with lots of hush hush serious talk among themselves and shaking of heads. Finally, when it was well past the time for the flight to leave, we, the assembled passengers, were told there was some sort of computer glitch that would delay boarding, and indeed there was. I called my son who told us that AA's computers were down throughout the US if not the world. The agents were professional and tried to figure out work-arounds so we could at least board and be ready when they got the go ahead,. They made a passenger list the old fashioned way, with pen on paper and we boarded awaiting the "starting gun" and watched our once ample 3 hour connection time tick away. After about 40 minutes we were told that we would have to de-plane and wait in the boarding area. Amid groans and maybe a few curses we started to leave the plane only to have the Captain announce that MIRACLE he has a window to leave and stay on the plane. Those who had already left were gathered up and reseated and the flight attendants made four or five trips up and down the aisles trying to reconcile the hand written passenger lists with those on board, and of course at least one person was missing. Our departure window passed, or maybe it was never even there and after another half hour, we were told to de-plane once again and did.
Would we get to Chicago that day? Would we get to Paris the next morning? Would we have our planned grand dinner in Paris the following evening? Could we re-route? I called AA and was told they were overwhelmed with calls and would call me back in an hour and fifteen minutes.
Next: To err is human but to really screw things up, you need a computer.
May 17th, 2013, 02:58 AM
#4
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Oh my, basie! I sent you an email which bounced back because it was to your work edress. I asked how you and DW were doing and said how we missed you at the DC GTG. Very glad to read that you were on the road! Looking forward to your TR and hope things improved.
May 17th, 2013, 06:28 AM
#6
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Thanks for the kind words VC and kja. TD, there was a GTG? Since the one at Santa's place? Darn, I like those things. annhig, it does get better, but not for awhile since....
It is not encouraging when the Captain, FAs, and gate agents all admit that they have no clue as to what is going on other than "a computer problem." We were told to get back on the plane and the FAs went through the manual count again a half dozen times and then we were told to deplane once again - this time for real. An hour and a quarter passed and true to their word, AA called back. At the same time we were told to get back on the plane and I told that to the folks at AA - it was news to them, but they said if the flight gets off to Chicago, chances are that our connecting flight was delayed as well so it should be OK. This time, the flight took off and arrived in ORD well after the departure time for our connecting flight. It seems that while we ere in the air, they made progress on the computer problem so that when we got to ORD, our flight to CDG was gone. The transfer desk told us that while we were in the air, they booked us on a much later flight to London where we were to change to a BA flight to Paris getting us there in the evening, around time for dinner. Well, that is something at least a dinner in Paris. I asked about luggage and they said there was plenty of time to make the transfer, which there was. Yeah, sure!
A husband's prayer: If luggage is to be missing, please Lord make it mine.
It is not encouraging when the Captain, FAs, and gate agents all admit that they have no clue as to what is going on other than "a computer problem." We were told to get back on the plane and the FAs went through the manual count again a half dozen times and then we were told to deplane once again - this time for real. An hour and a quarter passed and true to their word, AA called back. At the same time we were told to get back on the plane and I told that to the folks at AA - it was news to them, but they said if the flight gets off to Chicago, chances are that our connecting flight was delayed as well so it should be OK. This time, the flight took off and arrived in ORD well after the departure time for our connecting flight. It seems that while we ere in the air, they made progress on the computer problem so that when we got to ORD, our flight to CDG was gone. The transfer desk told us that while we were in the air, they booked us on a much later flight to London where we were to change to a BA flight to Paris getting us there in the evening, around time for dinner. Well, that is something at least a dinner in Paris. I asked about luggage and they said there was plenty of time to make the transfer, which there was. Yeah, sure!
A husband's prayer: If luggage is to be missing, please Lord make it mine.
May 17th, 2013, 07:20 AM
#7
A husband's prayer: If luggage is to be missing, please Lord make it mine.>>
what a nice husband you are/have, basingstoke.
I'm really rooting for you getting that dinner in Paris.
will they, won't they?
what a nice husband you are/have, basingstoke.
I'm really rooting for you getting that dinner in Paris.
will they, won't they?
May 17th, 2013, 10:13 AM
#8
Original Poster
Well, we made it to Paris after all and after the usual hassle of changing terminals at Heathrow, going through security again and such. We went down to the luggage carousel and after awhile, my bag came along. DW's however, did not. That seemed to be a pattern - lots of people received half of what was checked. By that time DW was ready to give it up and would have returned home if there were flights then and there, or so she said. Know that this was not the first time AA did this to us - we were once 3.5 days in January in Verona before our luggage could be delivered.
annhig, thanks for the thought, but there is nothing altruistic about it - I just don't need the aggravation.
Now we had a decision point. The nice luggage lady, who we were to become old pals with before the evening was out, said that most likely DW's bag would be on the next flight from London due to arrive just after 9PM. The problem was that is about the time the guy who delivers late luggage to hotels goes of duty, so it was entirely possible we would not get it that night. Since we were booked on an early morning train to Avignon and then a drive to St Remy, it did not bode well - the best choice would be to hang around the terminal for yet more hours in the hope that the bag would arrive. Our dinner in Paris was a couple of Cliff bars that I had in my carry on. Chocolate mint - they were tasty, but just not the same.
This time, we were lucky and DW's bag came around the carousel corner and we were off to our Les Cars Air France ride into Paris, arriving near midnight.
Next: A midnight Parisian "dinner" and a weird hotel.
annhig, thanks for the thought, but there is nothing altruistic about it - I just don't need the aggravation.
Now we had a decision point. The nice luggage lady, who we were to become old pals with before the evening was out, said that most likely DW's bag would be on the next flight from London due to arrive just after 9PM. The problem was that is about the time the guy who delivers late luggage to hotels goes of duty, so it was entirely possible we would not get it that night. Since we were booked on an early morning train to Avignon and then a drive to St Remy, it did not bode well - the best choice would be to hang around the terminal for yet more hours in the hope that the bag would arrive. Our dinner in Paris was a couple of Cliff bars that I had in my carry on. Chocolate mint - they were tasty, but just not the same.
This time, we were lucky and DW's bag came around the carousel corner and we were off to our Les Cars Air France ride into Paris, arriving near midnight.
Next: A midnight Parisian "dinner" and a weird hotel.
May 17th, 2013, 10:22 AM
#9
Our dinner in Paris was a couple of Cliff bars that I had in my carry on. Chocolate mint - they were tasty, but just not the same.>>
what a let down! I'm glad that your non-altruism was not put to the test any further.
<<Next: A midnight Parisian "dinner" and a weird hotel.>>
I love a cliff-hanger.
what a let down! I'm glad that your non-altruism was not put to the test any further.
<<Next: A midnight Parisian "dinner" and a weird hotel.>>
I love a cliff-hanger.
May 17th, 2013, 05:45 PM
#10
Original Poster
We chose the Helvetia Hotel mainly because it was very close to the Gare de Lyon where we had a morning train and frankly, since it was for only one night, inexpensive at 90 Euros, keeping in mind we were embarking on a month long journey. Reviews were decent, describing it as basic but clean and an OK place to stay to catch an early train. Our email contacts were promising. The hotel was pretty much as described -i.e. basic and clean and very close to the station. A bonus was that it turned out to be about a half block from where the Air France bus stopped. The room was small as expected and reasonably clean but not "white glove." The shower was OK and it seemed to have double or triple glazing so traffic noise was kept in check as long as the windows were closed of course. What the hotel is not is a place where one can easily exit the elevator to get to the room. The elevator is the common 2 people and one suitcase size but it is what happens when the doors open that makes it unique. This elevator is designed to let you off between the floors - really! For example, it will let you off in the same place whether on the 4th or 5th floor - same deal for other floors. How does it do that? the floors are connected with a tightly circular staircase, the kind where the stairs are very narrow at one end, sort of a V shaped tread. The doors open to the middle of the staircase on the narrowest end of the stair. It is quite a struggle to get off the elevator and to your floor either up or down even with the smallest of luggage. The staff was pleasant though.
At that time of night, there were places open to eat, but we opted for the Lebanese fast food place adjacent to the hotel because we were exhausted by that time and just wanted to get something to eat and get to sleep. That was a mistake. Let me just say that it would have been better to go hungry.
Morning dawned and a night's sleep of the dead and shower gave us a fresh start on the trip and new perspective even though we had lost our only day in Paris. We managed to get our luggage down in only three trips and without developing a hernia on the stairs or falling down to the next floor and had a a typical train station breakfast that was not bad at all. The train to Avignon was comfortable, fast and scenic. The day was beautiful and as fellow fodorites promised, the car rental places were obvious and easy to find, really you can't miss them. The fellow at EuropCar was helpful and we were put into a nearly new Renault Clio for our trip to St Remy for the real beginning of our trip.
Next: Battle of the GPSs.
At that time of night, there were places open to eat, but we opted for the Lebanese fast food place adjacent to the hotel because we were exhausted by that time and just wanted to get something to eat and get to sleep. That was a mistake. Let me just say that it would have been better to go hungry.
Morning dawned and a night's sleep of the dead and shower gave us a fresh start on the trip and new perspective even though we had lost our only day in Paris. We managed to get our luggage down in only three trips and without developing a hernia on the stairs or falling down to the next floor and had a a typical train station breakfast that was not bad at all. The train to Avignon was comfortable, fast and scenic. The day was beautiful and as fellow fodorites promised, the car rental places were obvious and easy to find, really you can't miss them. The fellow at EuropCar was helpful and we were put into a nearly new Renault Clio for our trip to St Remy for the real beginning of our trip.
Next: Battle of the GPSs.
May 18th, 2013, 02:52 AM
#14
Original Poster
This wil be short. DD has her engagement picnic today so we are setting up between the projected raindrops.
DW likes her electronics so we were traveling with 3, count them, 3 GPSs. Actually it does make some sense in that our new Tom Tom was set up for Europe, our semi old Garmin was the only one that would take a card for Israel, and our ancient Garmin with a Europe map was supposed to be giving up the ghost according to the Garmin tech folks, but not so according to #1 son who used to program communication satellites and knows about such things, so of course we had see who was right (it was #1 son). In St Remy we chose Hotel l'Amendiere, a hotel just outside of town and said to be a 10 minute walk. We set up both the ancient Garmin and the new Tom Tom and were on our way in our very pleasant, slick shifting Renault Clio- a very nice smaller car. Both GPSs agreed on the route, that is until we were supposedly near the hotel and then did not agree at all. We followed each and after quite a bit of driving around the local area found the place - neither was quite right but our ancient Garmin came the closest. The hotel looked very nice, and it was.
Next: About the hotel and St Remy being rebuilt on our watch.
DW likes her electronics so we were traveling with 3, count them, 3 GPSs. Actually it does make some sense in that our new Tom Tom was set up for Europe, our semi old Garmin was the only one that would take a card for Israel, and our ancient Garmin with a Europe map was supposed to be giving up the ghost according to the Garmin tech folks, but not so according to #1 son who used to program communication satellites and knows about such things, so of course we had see who was right (it was #1 son). In St Remy we chose Hotel l'Amendiere, a hotel just outside of town and said to be a 10 minute walk. We set up both the ancient Garmin and the new Tom Tom and were on our way in our very pleasant, slick shifting Renault Clio- a very nice smaller car. Both GPSs agreed on the route, that is until we were supposedly near the hotel and then did not agree at all. We followed each and after quite a bit of driving around the local area found the place - neither was quite right but our ancient Garmin came the closest. The hotel looked very nice, and it was.
Next: About the hotel and St Remy being rebuilt on our watch.
May 18th, 2013, 03:21 AM
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What a treat! I haven't been on fodors for a while & decided to check it out this morning. I'm thoroughly enjoying your report and your style of writing. What a start to a month long sojourn! I'm hoping the worst is out of the way & it's smooth sailing for you both. I will eagerly following your report as I'll be in Provence next month AND staying at Hotel l'Amendiere for 4 nights until I move into my rental.
Hmmmm..... 3 GPS's! Your DW sure does like her electronics. I just got a new Tom Tom for the trip. Sounds like I should have found an ancient Garmin on Ebay instead.
I hope the engagement party goes well today and the raindrops stay away.
Looking forward to reading more of your adventures.
Hmmmm..... 3 GPS's! Your DW sure does like her electronics. I just got a new Tom Tom for the trip. Sounds like I should have found an ancient Garmin on Ebay instead.
I hope the engagement party goes well today and the raindrops stay away.
Looking forward to reading more of your adventures.
May 18th, 2013, 04:52 AM
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Enjoying reading this TR!
For future reference - we never have his and her luggage. We split our things between our 2 bags, even when we do carry on only. That way, we each will have some clothes should that worst happen to one of the bags.
We found our GPS to be less than reliable/useful on both of our rent trips to Provence,especially for villages. They were "ok" for the bigger roads, but a paper map was never far from our side.
For future reference - we never have his and her luggage. We split our things between our 2 bags, even when we do carry on only. That way, we each will have some clothes should that worst happen to one of the bags.
We found our GPS to be less than reliable/useful on both of our rent trips to Provence,especially for villages. They were "ok" for the bigger roads, but a paper map was never far from our side.
May 18th, 2013, 06:07 AM
#17
Original Poster
I can squeeze in a few more minutes while waiting for DW to get ready. Dee Dee, I think that you will like l'Amendiere. We certainly did and the breakfast space, breakfasts, and gardens are especially nice. The only downside is that for us at least, the 10 minute walk to town was more like 15+ minutes (but then we are not kids anymore) and it is not an interesting route.
When we it figured out, we much preferred the Tom Tom. The directions were far more clear than any Garmin we have owned but THAT was only when we figured out that Tom Tom has a worse than useless feature that lowers the voice volume when the car slows down. That means that when you are going slow looking for something or just slowing down for a turn, the voice pretty much cuts out. Once DW figured out the problem, she was able to turn the feature off and after that it worked very well. Be sure you do that too before you leave.
When we it figured out, we much preferred the Tom Tom. The directions were far more clear than any Garmin we have owned but THAT was only when we figured out that Tom Tom has a worse than useless feature that lowers the voice volume when the car slows down. That means that when you are going slow looking for something or just slowing down for a turn, the voice pretty much cuts out. Once DW figured out the problem, she was able to turn the feature off and after that it worked very well. Be sure you do that too before you leave.
May 18th, 2013, 06:26 AM
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Basing...suggest you clip out all of the little "disasters" and Chevy Chase will be sure use them in his next slap-sticky European travel movie. The elevator scene will be a howl.
We'll be following this report, and hopefully it will get a smoother for you as you go on. Hope so. At least we know that you got back home safely!
Most importanly, congrats and mazel on your daughter's engagement.
stu.
We'll be following this report, and hopefully it will get a smoother for you as you go on. Hope so. At least we know that you got back home safely!
Most importanly, congrats and mazel on your daughter's engagement.
stu.
