My odyssey from Milan to Hawaii, Apollo 11 took less time to reach the moon
First Lufthansa flight delayed, no chance for re-routing, and two flights canceled by United and vacation start ruined
United Airlines
Lufthansa
American Airlines
MXP
Apollo 11 took three days (exactly 73 hours) to reach the Sea of Tranquility from Cape Canaveral.
In this article:
It took me and my family as many days to reach Hawaii from Milan. A trip that usually takes a day and a half (with a stopover in New York or the West Coast of the United States).
First flight delayed, missed connection
The odyssey began at Milan Malpensa airport. on a beautiful morning in late July. Arriving at Terminal 1, we learned with horror that our Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt was two hours late and that, as a result, we would surely miss our connecting flight to Los Angeles (LH450), scheduled 80 minutes after the scheduled arrival time of our flight from Milan (LH249).
At the check-in desk, we pointed out that we would be boarding an American Airlines flight from LA to Maui on the afternoon of the following day, so it would be crucial for us to be able to reach the California city by the evening of the day of departure.
Unfortunately, we were traveling on two separate reservations. From Italy to Los Angeles with one ticket issued by Lufthansa, and then a second PNR for the AA flight to Hawaii. In this case. the companies involved in the route are not responsible for the problems and the passenger travels at his or her own "risk" between the two tickets
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The check-in clerk (not an LH employee), who was, moreover, very helpful, told us that the only way to reach LA in the evening would have been with United via Newark in Economy. We, however, had booked in Premium Economy and asked to be rebooked in the same class of travel or with a possible upgrade.
Zero alternatives
After more than twenty minutes of waiting, we were answered that That day there were no seats on any Lufthansa Group flights to Los Angeles in premium economy and that the only option would be to fly to Chicago and then continue the next morning to Los Angeles on United Airlines. At that point, I asked to speak with Lufthansa's head of layover, who was put through to me on the phone being located not at Malpensa but at Linate. Who explained to me that company policy does not allow class upgrades in the event of reprotecting a passenger (which Air France and British had allowed me to do in the past) for a blurred connection.
Disconsolate, we agreed to go to Chicago (LH432). In the end, the flight to Frankfurt left a full three hours late (due to replacement of the aircraft due to a failure of the scheduled one), but upon arriving at the German hub we still managed to board for the United States.
The transatlantic flight went smoothly: Lufthansa's Premium Economy is an unexceptional but solid product, both in terms of personal space and food, drinks, and amenities. On landing in Chicago we turned, along with other passengers who had been 'diverted' there, to the United Airlines transit counters, where we were put on the flight leaving the next morning for Los Angeles at 10:50 a.m. and arriving scheduled for 12:30 p.m. In short, with a good margin to board the American flight (taken with Avios Executive Club) to Maui.
After the damage comes the mockery
We spent the night, on Lufthansa's dime, in a Marriott near O'Hare Airport. and the next morning at 9 a.m. we showed up at United's Terminal. Where, to our renewed horror, we discovered that both the 10:50 a.m. flight and the next flight had been canceled. First available departure at 1:55 p.m. That is, too late to be in LA in time for the flight to Hawaii.
Award ticket changed on the fly
While waiting, we went to American's terminal to ask if there was any possibility of moving that afternoon's flight to Maui to the next day. The very efficient customer relations officer fumbled for about ten minutes at the terminal and 'transferred' us to the next day's flight. The seats we had chosen on American's A321neo to Maui, along with the 75 euros spent to lock them in, went out the window, of course.
American's own staffer (at United no one had told us this). suggested that we ask United for a 'letter of delay', thanks to which we could have gotten a free night in a hotel in Los Angeles.
Around 2 p.m., exhausted, bitter (for the day of vacation lost in a paradise like Hawaii, not, with all due respect, in Riccione) and with the 'letter of delay' in our pocket, we finally took off for Los Angeles: brand new plane (Boeing 737MAX), Economy Comfort seats with drinks and IFE included, nothing to say.
Three and a half hours later, when it was minutes to 5 p.m., we picked up our luggage at the United terminal at Los Angeles International Airport, transferred to the adjoining American terminal where we got confirmation of our 'presence' on the next day's 5 p.m. flight to Maui. Then, we returned to United's terminal where, presenting the 'letter of delay,' the terminal manager did not bat an eye and booked us a room with breakfast at the Sheraton LAX.
Disruptions and chain cancellations
Meagre consolation, since the room we had booked for the previous night at the Fairfield Inn and Suites (260 euros) was lost (while we had managed in extremis to cancel the reservation at the Courtyard by Marriott taken with Bonvoy points in Kahului, where Maui's airport is located, and to move the start of the car rental on the island by one day-obviously all extra effort and stress).
End of the journey
The odyssey came to an end when around 7:30 p.m. on the third day of travel we got off American's A321neo and picked up our luggage in Maui. Our vacation could begin (24 hours late), after the most exhausting and stressful trip I have ever taken in my life, and one that I would not wish on anyone. My good fortune that I am a frequent flyer and aviation enthusiast., and that when faced with unforeseen and unpredictable situations I knew how to move, what to ask and from whom to make sure that the journey continued and that, one way or another, we arrived at our destination containing the damage.
Damage caused by Lufthansa and theabsurd diktat that prevented us from being reprojected in our best and first interest as customers, which was to arrive (but not at travel conditions inferior to those booked and paid for months in advance) at our destination on time. At the cost of flying us in business.
So the costs (money, effort and stress on what should be, instead, a vacation) we paid for. Now, the Germans may know how to make ends meet..., but as far as customer service goes, they suck, to say the least.
