My 46-hour flight from hell: 3 cancellations, 4 airlines and financial losses

Despite flying hundreds of times during my decade as a travel journalist, I still found myself on a journey that was turbulent from beginning to end.

Desperate to book a seat on its next flight out of Perth, I called the various hotlines of Philippine Airlines, but received no answer. At this point, I would have aborted the trip had it not been so hugely important, both personally and professionally. So I paid $640 out of my own pocket to fly AirAsia from Perth to Manila, via Kuala Lumpur, on Sept 1.Once I arrived at my departure gate, fresh bad news arrived: My AirAsia flight to Kuala Lumpur was delayed by several hours. I would miss my connecting Air Asia flight from Kuala Lumpur to Manila.

AirAsia staff offered me a refund. I accepted, retreated through the security gates, and out into the departure hall at Perth Airport, feeling defeated and distressed.But before I left the airport, he reminded me of something that had slipped my mind, and which all travellers should be mindful of when they find themselves inconvenienced by a flight cancellation.

All the while, very helpful staff from Dnata, the company which represents Philippine Airlines in Perth, tried to negotiate with the airline’s head office in Manila to transfer me to a Singapore Airlines flight to LA that was scheduled to fly on Sept 1. From arriving at Perth airport to touching down in the City of Angels, 46 hours had elapsed. Combined with the effect of a 15-hour time difference, it took me a full week to recover from this debacle.

First, they deserve such respect. Second, treating them in this manner can work in your favour, as I believe it probably did for me at the Perth airport when the staff got me the crucial Singapore Airlines flight.The Dnata staff trying to find me a new flight to Los Angeles kept at their task for at least three hours. They could easily have given up after 90 minutes or so.

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