Traffic for 2011 September 9

So. Today I got an email from Expedia. Kingfisher cancelled our flights to Kerala next week. I called Expedia and asked my options. Apparently the new flight they want me on leaves a mere 20 minutes earlier than the previous one, which is fine. The return flight leaves some 11 hours later, which is the next day. I asked if Kingfisher was going to pay for another night's stay for me. They are not. The new flight is at 7 am, which is too early for kids.

So I asked about other flights. We can leave the same day as previously, about 3 hours earlier. That sounds great. Let's do it. Waits patiently while Expedia calls Kingfisher. Expedia informs me Kingfisher needs four hours to complete the change. Forget it then. TII and all that means it will NEVER happen so I might as well move on with my life.

I came to work and re-booked the hotel for an extra day, which was also an ordeal, but not terribly, since it's a Ramada property.

Then I get an email from Expedia saying my new return flight is cancelled. WTH? So I call them, and wait patiently while they call Kingfisher. Apparently Kingfisher approved me to leave on the 4:30 pm flight the day before, in record time of an hour only instead of 4 (or 40, or 400) hours as instructed.

So went back to the Ramada site, re-booked to the original reservation and voila, we're set to go. Net-net this is actually better, as getting back to Bangalore at 6 pm beats getting back at 10 pm. For short flights, I like day flying so I can look out the window anyway.

Crisis diverted, and I was calm throughout. If anything, India has taught me how NOT to sweat the small stuff. I suppose for that I am grateful.