In my experience, when the Travel Gods speak, they do so in a clear, firm voice. Best to listen.
As my Alaska Air flight touched down in LAX, my first email was one saying that my connecting flight from LA to Inchon, Korea, had been delay from 10:30 AM until after 4 PM. I hoped it was a mistake, or perhaps some misinformation.
After a lovely stroll from terminal 6 to Tom Bradley international, I found the Korean Air counter. The smiling face of Miss Jane Kyung Do turned to an expression of sympathy as she informed me that, indeed, weather in Narita had buggered the system and my flight was at least six hours late.
I smiled my best "Veteran of Adversity" smile and said, "But I will miss all my connecting flights onward." With a miraculous return of perkiness, Miss Do beamed, looked up at me with radiance, and said she would speak to her manager. Within minutes she popped back to here kiosk, perkiness now supplemented with a smiling and steely determination. As her fingers flew around the keyboard and my passport was repeatedly swiped through the magic machine, Miss Do explained that the manager had agreed I should be put on the direct flight (read: faster, less airtime) and that ir would take a few minutes.
As my Alaska Air flight touched down in LAX, my first email was one saying that my connecting flight from LA to Inchon, Korea, had been delay from 10:30 AM until after 4 PM. I hoped it was a mistake, or perhaps some misinformation.
After a lovely stroll from terminal 6 to Tom Bradley international, I found the Korean Air counter. The smiling face of Miss Jane Kyung Do turned to an expression of sympathy as she informed me that, indeed, weather in Narita had buggered the system and my flight was at least six hours late.
I smiled my best "Veteran of Adversity" smile and said, "But I will miss all my connecting flights onward." With a miraculous return of perkiness, Miss Do beamed, looked up at me with radiance, and said she would speak to her manager. Within minutes she popped back to here kiosk, perkiness now supplemented with a smiling and steely determination. As her fingers flew around the keyboard and my passport was repeatedly swiped through the magic machine, Miss Do explained that the manager had agreed I should be put on the direct flight (read: faster, less airtime) and that ir would take a few minutes.
Miss Do apologized for not having my same seat on the new flight, moving me instead to a window on the upper deck. (No need to apologize Miss Do) and she apologized for not being absolutely certain that I would get my vegetarian meal on such short notice (It did, no need to apologize Miss Do). Her mission accomplished, she beamed even more, if this is possible.
I asked Miss Do if I could speak to her manager, who promptly appeared. I told the manager waht a great job KAL was doing in general and then, in the presence of our Miss Do, made sure the manager knew what a fantastic job the young woman was doing.
Now, as I loll around the KAL Prestige Class lounge, getting jacked up on free espresso, I want to tell you, Friends and Neighbors, that we loves Miss Do, we loves her precious, we does, and we wishes her well.
The Big Mango is five hours flight time away, give or take a few more shots of espresso and free grub. And, thanks to the Miss Do, an agent of the Travel Deities if ever there was one, I will make it there as planned.
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