FLY SAS!!!
Lest you think that I overly dramtize my bad airport karma, today is a perfect example, and the reason that SAS (Scandinavian airlines) has earned my business from now till the day I die!!!
I stayed last night in Oslo with a Norwegian/South African that I met through this blog, the all-weather natural ice skater Franklin Eekhout. It was snowing pretty hard this morning., Franklin asked me, “when does your flight leave from Oslo, and where is it going?” I told him, it’s the 12:05 flight to Copenhagen. He checked it online, yes, the 12:05 flight is still going, and from the main Oslo airport. Great.
Franklin and I have had a great time hanging out, and in the morning he puts me on the bus the Oslo airport. I get to the airport. I look at the departures board, yes, there is my 12:05 flight to Copenhagen listed.
So I go to the self-service kiosk to get checked in. The computer says I don’t exist, can’t find my reservation. I find a real person and ask for help, I open my laptop and show her my .pdf copy of my reservation… All looks ok, she types me into the computer, can’t find me. She looks closer at my reservation number,
“oh, Mr love, here is the problem, your reservation is for the 12:05 flight to Copenhagen flying out of the Oslo Sandefjord airport, this is Oslo international, and yes, both airports have a 12:05 flight to Copenhagen. You need to go talk to the special ticket agent.”
AAAGGGGHHH!!! NOOOOO!!!!!
I go to the person specified, with a sick feeling in my stomach, and terrible worry about how to tell Jessica I won’t meet her in the train station. Mrs Ticket agent, even though my Orbitz ticket is non-changeable, and non-refundable, and involves a straightjacket of rules, she bends the rules, gets me on the flight from this airport (even though I am sure it was more expensive) and I am ok, and on my way…
SAS, thank you!!!! I owe you guys big time!!
So here I am, eating my egg and salty salmon breakfast baguette (I love this country!!) drinking my Kaffee Go-Go… and breathing a huge sigh of relief…
Now if I can just make it to Lugano….
I have a lot more to post about the first leg of my trip, including many pics of other master racers, and some observations about Norway. I have written the posts, but I need to select what photos go with them, and have a little more charge in my laptop too! The battery warning lights are flashing at me!
ONWARD!
Filed under: on the road
Yes, SAS rocks! I flew their business class once, not on my own money of course, it was like being rich and famous. Indeed, all of Scandinavia seems to have its act together. The people are smart, healthy, pleasant; the towns clean; the food is at worst a bit dull and at best terrific. The Norwegian countryside in summer actually reminded me a bit of the Catskills - clear rushing streams - but better mountains.
i’m glad they took good care of you.
I’m glad you made it to where you’re going. But as you can imagine, I could say many things. But I will be polite and not say anything. Many, many, things…
Oh Christ! I didn’t think about that…
Planning idiots trying to sell their crackpot airport ideas here in Norway (there have been many!) will try and lure people into thinking these airports are near Oslo by naming them Oslo Something.
Oslo Gardemoen is 40 km to the north, 40-50 minutes by car from Oslo. Oslo Sandefjord is an hour pluss to the south of Oslo. That is a bit away in Norway, there are other towns and/or villages inbetween. And Sandefjord we call Torp, as Torp is the airport location, whilst Sandefjord is the nearest town, just to make the confusion complete.
No wait, they are planning to open a new airport an hour from Oslo, it will probably be called Oslo Rygge Airport!
Sigh.
I also thought you flying in from the US you would land at Gardemoen as Sandefjord does not service intercontinental flights, and that you would fly out from Gardemoen again…
I’m very sorry I caused you a lot of grief, Andrew.
Ok, new house rules folks. Anybody visiting me and staying at my apartment has to present their airplane tickets upon arrival. To be on the safe side also a passport with valid visas, a photo identity card and proof of travel insurance. Dental records too just in case…
congrats on a successful, fulfilling trip, andrew.
sounds like some of your good karma coming back to you, re. the airport.
look forward to your show-n’tell!
Anyway, I’m glad you’re writing your reactions to Norway and glad you love it. keep it coming!