Plan an escape to Europe or beyond starting at less than $500 thanks to this KLM Royal Dutch Airlines fall and winter sale.
23.08.2024 - 18:21 / afar.com
When my husband and I got stranded in Paris during the global Crowdstrike meltdown last month, we decided to make it a lemonade out of lemons event. We were on our way home, flying with Delta Air Lines from Istanbul to Albuquerque, New Mexico, with a connection through Paris following a two-week Mediterranean cruise.
There are worse things than being stuck in Paris, so we embraced our our added time in the City of Lights, knowing that we would ultimately get some of our expenses reimbursed. After four (admittedly fun) days of eating French food, shopping, and soaking up the pre-Olympics excitement, Delta and its partner airline Air France finally found a flight to get my husband home. And I decided to just stay in Europe at that point as I was due back on the continent for another assignment in less than a week.
Reality, however, hit hard when I made it back to the States earlier this month and realized that trying to sort out refunds for canceled flights and expenses is about as much fun as doing my taxes. And don’t even ask how much time I have spent on hold. Things are very much still in flux on that end, but here are some of the key lessons I learned about what to do when your flight is canceled or significantly delayed amid major travel upheaval.
Forget the long customer service lines at the airport. Instead, call the airline immediately. And if you have access, go to the lounge, where there are agents who can assist you while you wait in more comfortable surroundings. In this case, due to what a widespread global event it was, our call to Delta was put in a queue that took six hours to get returned. But at least we had free food while the agents for Air France, Delta’s partner in Paris, helped us sort out new flights.
When traveling, you should always pay for your trip with a credit card that offers insurance that will cover expenses the airline might not cover (these cards offer some of the best plans). But check the terms. The credit card I used promises reimbursement of uncovered, reasonable expenses, but only those charged to that card. Luckily, I had put our hotel in Paris on that card.
This advice is pretty common but it bears repeating. My husband checked his carry-on luggage along with one other bag at the last minute in Istanbul, and we never saw those bags again until he got home to Albuquerque. Don’t forget to always have a change of clothes, medicines, and toiletries in your carry-on luggage so that it’s with you if you get separated from your checked bags.
Since we had only my carry-on for four days, we had to buy some clothing and other essentials. Delta promises to cover an average of $50 per person per day for lost or delayed baggage, but you need to show proof of those
Plan an escape to Europe or beyond starting at less than $500 thanks to this KLM Royal Dutch Airlines fall and winter sale.
My first visual encounter with Dominica was through the paintings of the Italian-born artist Agostino Brunias, who made a career portraying the island in tame, stylized vignettes that glossed over the grim realities of colonial rule. But within minutes of my arrival there, from the first twist of its serpentine roads, it becomes clear there is nothing tame about this land that sits in the middle of the curve of the Lesser Antilles. It bristles with volcanic energy and glitters with the two-toned leaves of its bois canot trees, flipping from green to white as they waver in the wind. It lulls with the uneven music of its many waterfalls; it throws random rainbows across its astonishing horizons; it bewitches from the depths with its technicolor coral reefs. And when hurricane season comes, it roars.
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When Los Angeles–based designer Clare Vivier began decorating the 19th-century house she'd bought in her husband's hometown of Saint-Calais, in France's Loire Valley, she had a particular aesthetic in mind. “I love color and patterns but wanted something peaceful, so the intention was to create a dialogue between those two things,” she says. She wanted the house to have a blend of contemporary pieces, antiques, and textiles from heritage maisons to create a space that, much like her namesake handbag and fashion label, channeled both California fun and French sophistication. She also knew that she wanted her longtime friend Kate Berry, a designer and creative director, to help her make it happen.