A few weeks back, I wrote about the 7 Things Went Wrong During My Trip to Los Angeles International Airport. I covered a wide range in mishaps that occurred during my day trip. Of the things that went wrong, I could fix or be compensated for four. Here is what occurred the week after the trip.
Lost Debit Card. During my day in Los Angeles, I misplaced my debit card. I do not where I lost it, but it felt weird not having the card on me. The request for a replacement card was easy to do through USAA’s mobile app. The card arrived by FedEx two days later.
Car Accident. I discovered the damage after arriving at Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) after a long day of traveling. For reasons that escape me, I did not think to file a police report at the airport. This became an issue when I contacted USAA because a report number was needed to process the claim. I called the police, who asked me to return to the airport to complete the report. The entire roundtrip to the airport is just over four hours, so I asked if I could complete the report over the phone. The officer stated that he would have someone call me back in a few minutes. Less than five minutes later, my phone rang. It was the reports officer and he stated that he would allow me to file the report over the phone. Sweet! With the report number in hand, I contacted USAA and the claim was processed.
Rude Flight Attendant/Involuntarily Moved Seats. I try to be as polite and professional as I can be when flying because I know that flight attendants have a rough job. There are times when it does not matter how nice you are, some flight attendants are flat out rude. I encountered one on this trip who did not want to perform her job. Luckily, the flight from Dallas to Houston was over quickly.
@united we are delayed on UA6040 and your flight attendant turned down my request for coffee and water. She said, “sorry friend”, and went back to talking with the pilots. And no drinks for customers in first class. #UA6040 #unitedairlines #sorryfriend pic.twitter.com/3Kc73RfnRT
— Rob S. (@phillipsloopllc) January 19, 2019
After relaxing at Cadillac Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Bar, I knew that I needed to speak with someone about being involuntarily moved to a middle exit row when I specifically assigned myself an aisle. Long story short, there was not a phone or gate agent who could help me. Upon returning home, I submitted a claim to United’s Customer Care requesting compensation. Two days after submitting the claim, I received a phone call from United. One that I missed because I could not answer while I was at work. I received an email a few minutes after the call, which stated that my United account would be credited with 7,500 redeemable miles in less than 48 hours.
Final Word
This was a perfect example of a trip not going as planned. Was I frustrated about the entire situation? Yes. Did I complete my ultimate goal of visiting every Priority Pass lounge at LAX? No. However, I did come away with valuable lessons that will help me as I continue through life. Always be flexible and never, ever, take things too seriously that you miss something.
