Kafkaesque Airlines

I'm old enough to remember when air travel was a classy, big deal. My first trip was in 1969 --from NY to Israel. It was also my parents' first time on an airplane. The service was great -- folks dressed up to fly. These days, even transcontinental trips are essentially bus rides. First class is equivalent to coach travel 30 years ago. Coach travel is awful. We typically upgrade to Business when we fly overseas. One trip we couldn't; Wifey said I looked like Shrek sitting in a coach seat. D2 is experiencing the crappy state of travel first hand. She called me the other night to ask me to check why her flight from Valencia to Madrid, the first leg of her return, had been canceled. I called American Airlines, and they explained that since she missed her original flight from Madrid to Valencia, on Iberia's "Air Nostrum" (I keep calling them Air Nostradumus), the airline labeled D2 a "no show" and canceled her return flight. But, I protested, Air N had themselves put her on a later flight. The American agent understood, but explained that things are different in Spain. No big deal -- just re book her. No, came the answer after, no kidding, 3 hours on the phone: all flights out of Valencia are packed. So after many more hours on the phone, and D2 asking her professor to take her final early, so she could leave Wednesday night, we still weren't sure of her getting a flight. D2 came up with a solution: she'd take a train to Madrid, and then just catch the final flight leg to Miami. I called the American "manager" (I learned "supervisors" are just no discretion cogs -- you need to speak to a "manager") and said -- great news -- problem solved: my D2 will just get herself to Madrid, and then catch her flight across the ocean. Not so fast! The Manager said this was a "re routing" and there would be a change fee and fare increase -- of $2000!!!!!! I used all my self control to ask how absurd this was: they were penalizing us heavily for THEIR mistake! Luckily, the manager took pity, and noted I was an American Gold member -- and didn't charge extra for NOT taking a flight that the computer canceled D2 off of! Ay caramba! The good news is D2 appears to be properly booked -- on both the train and then flight home. She's due in tomorrow night,and will probably kiss the US ground when she returns... And I got the wild aggravation without having to actually pack and take the trip myself. No -- for me -- sitting at the restaurant 94th Aerosquadron, drinking a martini and watching the planes take off and land -- is plenty!