Friday afternoon I found myself back at Schipol airport, planning to fly home and be with friends and family by that evening. As I was checking in, my boarding pass was printed without a seat number. Curious, I asked a KLM representative and they said, "Oh, that's no problem, it says you are flying standby, but you will get your seat arranged at the gate." As I was bringing my luggage to the check in counter, there were other people around me chatting about how they didn't have an assigned seat either, so I was starting to be convinced that I would get a seat when I arrived at the gate.
Clearing customs and security, I went to the counter at my gate and there I was informed that the airline had overbooked the flight by 16 people. An hour and a half later, the doors to the gate shut without 9 of us finding a seat on board the flight to Toronto. An airline agent quickly came to us and apologized and told us of all our perks for being bumped until the next day:
2000 airline miles
15 Euros to spend on food while waiting for our new tickets for 40 minutes
A phone card to inform friends or family of the change in plans
A night at the Marriott Hotel, with dinner and breakfast provided
an overnight bag with a t-shirt, toothpaste, etc (so my baggage could stay checked)
50 Euros of the next KLM or partner flight purchased
and 600 Euros in cash
The 9 of us who were bumped together became the bumped bunch... we started sharing names and snacks at the airport. Then all of us decided to stay at the same hotel and have dinner together that evening. It was so strange not having the sun go down until 11 pm, so I was up late.
At 6:45 am I hopped on the hotel shuttle back to the airport for my 8 am flight to Paris... yep, no longer a direct flight. An hour in Paris provided just enough time to fly to Toronto.
Waiting at the luggage carousel until no more baggage was being offloaded, I decided to make my way over to the baggage claims counter. Oh yes, sorry mam, your baggage is still in Paris, it will come tomorrow. Filled out some forms, then had to clear customs where the lady inspected my laptop bag and teddy bear like they were something truly suspicious. It took me an hour and a half to finally get out of the airport to find my brother Rick and his girlfriend waiting for me.
Of to the parents house to surprise them!!
And now, it's too days later and all of my baggage is still missing! I'm glad I have two pairs of underwear.
Clearing customs and security, I went to the counter at my gate and there I was informed that the airline had overbooked the flight by 16 people. An hour and a half later, the doors to the gate shut without 9 of us finding a seat on board the flight to Toronto. An airline agent quickly came to us and apologized and told us of all our perks for being bumped until the next day:
2000 airline miles
15 Euros to spend on food while waiting for our new tickets for 40 minutes
A phone card to inform friends or family of the change in plans
A night at the Marriott Hotel, with dinner and breakfast provided
an overnight bag with a t-shirt, toothpaste, etc (so my baggage could stay checked)
50 Euros of the next KLM or partner flight purchased
and 600 Euros in cash
The 9 of us who were bumped together became the bumped bunch... we started sharing names and snacks at the airport. Then all of us decided to stay at the same hotel and have dinner together that evening. It was so strange not having the sun go down until 11 pm, so I was up late.
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| If KLM wants to pay, Escargot and Pavlova it is! |
Waiting at the luggage carousel until no more baggage was being offloaded, I decided to make my way over to the baggage claims counter. Oh yes, sorry mam, your baggage is still in Paris, it will come tomorrow. Filled out some forms, then had to clear customs where the lady inspected my laptop bag and teddy bear like they were something truly suspicious. It took me an hour and a half to finally get out of the airport to find my brother Rick and his girlfriend waiting for me.
Of to the parents house to surprise them!!
And now, it's too days later and all of my baggage is still missing! I'm glad I have two pairs of underwear.
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