Just opened up my bigpond webmail – looking for something that I thought might be there. A couple pages in, I found this email from my Travel Agent:
Subject: Cancelled flights URGENT
Lesley,
When you did not take the flight on the 11th, and did not advise the airline
what you were doing, they assume you are not travelling!!!!!
What they do is cancel all the other flights on your booking. I have today
managed to get all the flights back for you, BUT I have had to rebook all
the tickets and the airlines have charged a fee of US$250 plus our ticket
fee of $22.00
I need your permission to take this money from your credit card. Can you
give me your card number, and expiry date.
Once done, I still have all the same flight numbers for you. If you miss
another flight please ring them or me so we don’t have to rebook again.
On another note, I hope you are enjoying the states. Are you getting the
interest in your Nana tales???
Regards
Debbie.
_________________________________
Debbie Nazzari
Manager
Harvey World Travel (Belmont)
Shop 63 Belmont Forum
BELMONT WA 6104
AUSTRALIA
Because I am having a little trouble with Outlook on the notebook, I didn’t get this email (sent four days ago)
Debbie sent a followup email:
Subject: FW: Cancelled flights URGENT
Lesley
Did you have any problem checking in for your flights??
As per my email below, I have rebooked all the flights for you, we did
manage to get them all back in the same classes. At one stage I thought you
were going to have to buy new Delta tickets at a cost of $900 but our people
at air tickets managed to have it only as a rebooking fee of $272.00
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Debbie.
Today, I sent her this response:
Hi Debbie
I only found this by accident – because I was looking for something else.  On the road, I am using xxxx@gmail.com – because my Outlook will not send while I am overseas.  No idea what the problem is, but am only using xxxxx@gmail.com The bigpond mail only comes to Outlook and I cannot reply.
No, I didn’t tell them I was not travelling – it turned out nothing was happening in Montreal; I stayed on for Mother’s Day in Toronto and bought a ticket online for myself from Toronto to Detroit. Â Cost about $350US – flew via Chicago.
I had no problems when I flew from Detroit to Cleveland and then Cleveland to New York. Â I am going down now to get my AMTRAK ticket for North Carolina.
My credit card number is xxxx  Expiry 0xxx and yes, please, recover your costs of $US272.00
If you need to message me, Facebook is also very good. I use it every day. Â Thank you for saving me from a huge expense and I really appreciate you taking care of me.
Cheers
LesleyPS Â Yes, the trip is going very well.
Do you really need a travel agent? Â Well, I don’t know about you, but I do! Â I can recommend my Travel Agent, too.
Debbie Nazzari
Manager
Harvey World Travel (Belmont)
Shop 63 Belmont Forum
BELMONT WA 6104
AUSTRALIA
https://www.facebook.com/pages/HARVEY-WORLD-TRAVEL-BELMONT/111745462191076 They are one of my favourite pages on Facebook.
Hi Lesley, I was expecting you to be saying “no, you don’t” and you’ve gone and surprised me. I don’t use travel agents. My partner and I managed to travel all over China without one. He’s even worked up the confidence to book his own hotels and flights now. Mind you, it sounds as though you have a great travel agent. 🙂
Kathy
Hi Kathy – my family and I all travel a lot doing our own bookings. I am booking my accommodation as I go, using last minute and hotels.com. That’s pretty easy. However, for a trip like this, I wouldn’t venture out without a travel agent and lots of insurance! Last time I came to the US and Canada, I got a frozen neck and came home from Toronto in a wheelchair – all the way back to Perth. My travel agent was my saviour and I got excellent service from Air Canada, Singapore Airlines and Qantas. This is a different travel agent – but her blood is worth bottling!
Great story Lesley! I’m glad it all worked out.
Do you really need a Travel Agent? To answer this question, YES. Without a Travel Agent, you are on your own!
Thanks, Kylie. I have had only good experiences with travel agents and there are things they can do for you, that no one else can. Would not have contemplated doing this on my own.