The O N L Y Way to Fly

When we booked our air travel, we used Delta miles for the flight from Salt Lake City to Paris, and then from Paris to New Delhi.  Because we booked to fly out on January 1st, our reservation was upgraded to business class the whole way there.  (Coming back from Paris, we will be in the cheap seats.)

We have done 15 hour flights in the cheap seats a couple of times before, and frankly, it's no fun.  Business class is another matter.  Seats that fully recline, great service, nice meals with real silverware and white linen napkins, blankets, pillows, entertainment -- what more could you wish for?  How about entrance to the Delta Sky Club and in Paris, the Air France VIP Lounge?  Food, drink and reading material all at no cost and comfortable chairs to relax in while you wait.  As nice as the Delta Sky Miles Club was, it didn't even hold a candle to the Air France Lounge.  We have been thoroughly spoiled.

However, on our next flight from Delhi to Chennai, India, we were brought, figuratively, back to the ground. Our flight was scheduled for about 8:30 p.m. on Sunday night.  After sitting around in the airport (NOT in the VIP lounge) for about 2 1/2 hours, the entire airport was being closed to to dense fog.  That affected between about 2 to 3 thousand people.  There was no general announcement over the intercom, just a girl that didn't seem to know exactly what was going on saying the flight had been cancelled, with no additional information or instructions.

Eventually we were ushered down a single set of stairs to have our boarding passes stamped "Cancelled". After major confusion, we eventually figured out that we needed to collect our checked baggage.  After even further confusion we learned we had to exit the airport, go to the departure area outside and line up for the opportunity to go into the airline ticket office and re-book.  There were only three agents to handle the thousands that needed help.  We were there trying to re-book until 1:30 a.m. and the line stretched about a block long waiting for service when we left.

To get out the next day, we had to cancel our tickets and buy tickets on another airline and a steeply increased rate.  When we got to the airport the next day, our next surprise was a hefty charge for excess baggage that we wouldn't have had to pay if we could have stayed on the original airline.

So, if you ask me, business class wins!!