Posts Tagged ‘Brett Snyder’

I’ve spent a lot of time here with tips and tricks about how to make your wedding travel go smoothly. But what happens when big things go wrong? Let’s say your airline goes on strike. (Spirit, I’m talking to you.) Sometimes it’s helpful to have someone else with deeper industry knowledge to help you out of a jam. That’s why we’re here at Cranky Concierge.

I started Cranky Concierge last year to effectively provide airline dork knowledge for any traveler who needs the help. We’ve helped hundreds of people so far, and there have been some pretty spectacular results. With the Spirit Air strike stranding all kinds of people heading to tropical Caribbean destinations, the Antibride herself thought this would be a worthwhile topic. Here are some fun-filled stories with happy endings.

Overnight in Boston? Nay
We had one client who was on his way back from Madrid. He had to connect in Boston and then get on a flight to Columbus where he would pick up his daughter from his parents’ and then fly home the next day. Unfortunately, this happened just after Christmas, right when the underwear-bomber-inspired rule ridiculousness was put into place.

As was the case for most flights facing TSA-imposed insanity, this flight was late getting out of Madrid and got in to Boston just in time for him to wave goodbye to his connection. Oh yeah, that was the last flight of the night.

We, of course, saw this coming a mile away and looked for options while he was in the air. There weren’t any through the usual connecting points, but I remembered that there was the possibility of flying through LaGuardia. Normally that’s not a good idea, but the weather was good and things were running on time.

Sure enough, there was a late flight through LaGuardia, and I had the information ready for him when he landed. He made it to Columbus that night even though the airline had told him when he arrived that they had nothing until the next day.

Into the Belly of the Volcano
Ah the Icelandic volcano. Was there any natural disaster that was more annoying? (Ok, maybe hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil pouring into the Gulf, but that isn’t impacting air travel.)

Our very first volcano client called before it was known to be a big issue. Airspace had closed, but it was looking like a day to day thing. He was scheduled to fly from Halifax to JFK and then back home to London, but he figured his flight wouldn’t go. It was still scheduled as he boarded his flight to JFK, but we were already looking for alternates.

Ultimately, his flight to London canceled, of course, and most other airlines had canceled their flights to northern Europe as well. It didn’t look like he would be getting out anytime soon, so he had resigned himself to staying in New York as long as necessary. (And we know that New York hotels aren’t cheap.)

We came up with another option. It sounds strange, but Icelandair had room on its flights. The volcano may have been in Iceland, but it blew away from Reykjavik, so that airport was open. At the time, Glasgow was open as well, so I snagged the last business class seat that would get him there. Then he could hop a train.

As it turns out, while he was in the air, Glasgow closed. You might think being stuck in Iceland would be awful, but it was far from it. Icelandair actually provided customers with the first hotel night free. They put our client up in a hotel with fast internet connectivity, and he was thrilled.

He spent a few days in Iceland, and then as soon as a small corner of the UK opened, they snuck some airplanes into Edinburgh and he was on one. He got home long before he would have been able to get out of New York.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Sometimes, our suggestions are slightly insane, but they do the job if you really need to be somewhere. Here’s another volcano story for you. We had a client in London who was supposed to come home from London to Atlanta but was canceled. He was only to be home for two days and then he had to be in Toronto for a meeting. Now, the goal became to just get him there in two days. Not easy.

After looking at several options, we came up with a doozy of a trip. He could take the Eurostar train from London to Paris. Then he would take the TGV train down to the Spanish frontier. Next, he would take an overnight train down to Lisbon. From there, he would board a flight on SATA, the airline of the Azores. After a brief stop in the Azores, his flight would get him to Toronto in time for the meeting.

In the end, he opted not to do it. Why? Well, though he wanted to be at the meeting, he was in the eighties and just didn’t think it was worth the hassle. I can’t say I blame him for that, but man, it would have been fun and yes, it would have gotten him there.

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Those are just a few of the people we’ve helped so far and more sign up every day. We offer travel assistance starting at just $25 per itinerary (not per person). We follow the flights of everyone who signs up in advance and make sure nothing goes wrong. You’ll get a personalized email with your flight information and the knowledge that we’ll be watching. For more information, you can visit us at crankyconcierge.com.

For most of us (or sadly, maybe half of us), getting married is something that happens only once in a lifetime. You spend plenty of time trying to get everything perfect for the wedding itself, but how much time do you spend on air travel? Not much, I know, but you should.

If you’re traveling by plane to your wedding, maybe think about splurging for First Class. It may seem excessive, but then again, the groom is going to think that all those absurd flowers and centerpieces are pretty ridiculous and excessive as well. Compared to the cost of the wedding, airfare in First Class is a drop in the bucket. Unless you’re flying around the globe – that may require selling your house.

Let’s say you really would rather spend your money on fruity drinks with umbrellas in them instead of on expensive airfare. Ok, fine, but that doesn’t mean you just have to sit back and take it. People love weddings, and you can try to work your magic on the flight crew.

When my brother got engaged in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, I called Delta and they generously gave him a gift basket on his flight home. They were thrilled. Now, could they have done this simply because I’m Cranky? Maybe, but it can never hurt to ask. Here are some tips.

1. Call reservations and ask them to note in your PNR (passenger name record, your reservation) that you’re traveling to your wedding, honeymoon, vows renewal, whatever. If they put it in the record, then others might see it and do something nice.
2. When you get to the airport, politely mention that it’s your wedding and ask if any upgrades are available. Airlines have tightened up on allowing their agents to upgrade people compared to the good old days, but it’s always possible and can never hurt to ask.
3. When you board, mention to the flight attendant that you’re getting married and you might find yourself with an embarrassing PA announcement and a complimentary glass of champagne. If there are empty seats, on rare occasions, you might find yourself bumped up front.

And remember, this isn’t limited to you getting married. In fact, you’ll have better luck if you’re calling for a friend (or an enemy who hates to be embarrassed).

A few years back, a friend got married in Toronto and then a whole group of us flew together to Paris for another friend’s wedding the next weekend. On the flight, we all conspired to have a champagne toast with the bride and groom. It was a small gesture, but they really appreciated it, especially since they were forced to share the first part of their honeymoon with us punks.

And remember, if you do get something special on your trip, let the airline know. If someone goes above and beyond, you should always make sure that they get recognition from above.