We did it! After talking about it since high school, we made our 30th birthday commitment. Leah, Shana, Ciara, Jenny, Amy and I spend 4 days in Puerto Vallarta. Thanks to the all inclusive resort we ate a lot, drank even more (virgin, please!) and laughed until our bellies hurt. Love these girls!!
By the end of the 4th day we were ready to get home. (with the exception of Leah who refused to get out of her bathing suit until the last second!) We missed our families and those of us with children couldn't wait any longer to hold them. We headed to the airport and I parted ways with the girls at their gate and headed over to mine. You can imagine how upset I was to hear that my flight was having some mechanical issues and what started as a 30 minute delay turned into a cancelled flight. I'm getting worked up just thinking about my ordeal. Zach though I should include my complaint to Alaska Air in this blog. I'll add it below for memories sake. One day I'll look back and laugh about it.
I could not wait to hold my baby girl. Once I landed in SD the following night I envisioned this grand reunion and when Zach pulled up to the curb I dropped my bags, flung open the back door and yanked Elle from her car seat. She screamed. And screamed some more. She didn't want me to hold her, to sit next to her or even talk to her!! Tears welled up in my eyes. I don't know if I scared her, if she was mad at me... did she forget who I was? Either way she was a daddy's girl and wanted nothing to do with me. Zach had this little twinkle in his eye but he knew it was a stab in the heart for me. By the next morning we were best buds again. Mommy's twinkle was back.
My letter to Alaska Air:
Hello.
I am writing to inform you of my recent travel from Puerto Vallarta to San Diego flight 237 on Dec. 12, 2010.
I thought you should be aware of the service, or lack thereof, from your staff at the Puerto Vallarta airport. I'm sure you have already received complaints from other travelers on this flight as it was the worst airline experience most of us have ever had to deal with. I'll try to sum up this incredibly long day/night/following day...
My flight was scheduled for a 3:55pm departure when we heard there would be a 30 minute delay.
Then another 30 minute delay.
They proceeded to board half of the passengers then stopped boarding and asked them to deboard and go back to the gate.
We were told the maintenance crew was looking at the problem and it would be another hour.
More then an hour went by and we were not updated with the situation.
Out of the blue we were asked to line up and begin boarding as the problem was fixed.
Once again half of the passengers boarded and once again they were asked to deboard.
We were told a part was being flown down and it should only be a couple more hours! Only?? I had already been at the airport for 6 hrs!
We waited and waited and waited and were finally told the flight had been cancelled.
We needed to follow an agent who would take us to get our bags. During this time I asked the agent what happens when a flight is cancelled. His response was "Usually Alaska Air will send a new plane down overnight and you guys will take the first flight out the next morning." Fine.
Once my bag came out on the carousel, I rounded the corner to see 70+ people in front of me all waiting to schedule a new flight, get a transfer voucher, dinner voucher and hotel voucher.
I stood in this line for over an hour. There was no one telling us where we were staying or what time our flight was going to leave the next morning. The communication between the Alaska Air staff was bad but the communication between the staff and the passengers was non existent.
I finally made it to the counter at around 11pm (now at the airport for over 9 hrs!!) and was told that there would not be a flight waiting for us in the morning and that I would need to fly into a different city (because the only flight the next day was full) and either rent a car to drive to San Diego, find another flight from there or wait until Tuesday to fly home as there is only 1 flight per day from PV to SD. Thank God my husband (who was in SD) had the smarts to call Alaska Air and book me a seat for Mondays flight at 3:55p.
I was given a transfer voucher and cannot tell you how uncomfortable I felt getting into a cab, not knowing where I was going, while in Mexico, alone and pregnant.
I was also given a dinner voucher for the cafe at Comfort Inn however the cafe closed at 10pm.
I couldn't wait for this day to end.
I made it back to the airport at 1p the next day for my 3:55p flight. The agent I spoke with on Sunday night said to get there extra early because it would be really crowded with all of these people needing a flight home. I walked through the doors only to see a massive line of 80+ people at the Alaska Air ticket counter with ONE agent working!!! Disappointment, anger and frustration don't even cover all that I was feeling. If the agents knew we would all be there then why the hell weren't they???
So I waited, again.
I finally get to the counter and was told the plane was going to be an hour late!
I make my way to the gate, look at the departure screen and see it will actually be an hour and a half late. I make it to the gate and the departure screen there says 2 hours late!!!
So again, I wait. Seems to be a reoccurring theme here.
I am writing you this for 3 reasons:
1. You should know how the staff of Alaska Air is representing you in Puerto Vallarta.
2. I would appreciate a full refund of my flight or a free round trip flight on future travel.
3. I would appreciate a reimbursement of the cost of my cell phone usage during this ordeal. You will see on my bill that I had not once used my cell phone while in Mexico and if i would have known I would need to, I would have set up a global plan instead of using roaming minutes.
Please respond to my email and let me know who to fax my phone record/bill to.
-Alison Pannier
