Monday, May 01, 2006

Waiting on hold with British Airways

Don't you just love when an agency or group does something special so that you can get some great deal on something...but the only way you can get that deal is either by jumping through so many hoops that is becomes unreasonable or you need money to get the deal...so the deal is worthless to you anyway? British Airways as this adoption deal but to even ask what the rate is I have to fax them a bunch of stuff and give them a dna sample before they will even give me a quote. I am not kidding - its like preparing a dossier just to fly- I have now been on hold with them for over half an hour- because she said I would not get my quote until 48 hours after I send them all of this paperwork. I said, "but I am leaving next week- I don't have 48 hours to see if you can give me the best deal." So she said she would get me her supervisor and now I am on hold. For the record, KLM/Northwest was able to give me a quote right away- however- it was about 3,000.00 per adult and then another 1500.00 for the kids. That brings us to....(drum roll please) 7500.00. Its great that the plane fair costs more than the international adoption fees. British Airways will be about the same...so back to the travel agent and see what she can scrounge up. Man if I end up on the Dutch airline again (I have not had pleasant experiences with KLM) that will almost be funny...not funny- just almost funny. But I would fly them again- even next to the miserable Dutch family I flew with from Johannesburg to Amsterdam and - yes- dare I say- even with the insanely inebriated woman who kept reaching over her head and giving me the finger all the way from Amsterdam to Capetown. Gee, I wonder if they will have the same two sitcoms playing the whole way that I had to watch 6 or 7 times when I last flew them? here is a photo of Phlat Phoebe who travels with me- she is in the Amsterdam airport with the dutch kissing ceramics in the background.

So, I am griping, but I got wonderful news on the boys today. I think I need to put it in a separate post...don't want to mix travel angst with baby joy.

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