As my wife will tell you, I have to do everything twice - the first time is practice and I get it right the second time. My first trip to Qatar is no different.
I love my wife, and more importantly I love hanging out with my wife. The night before I was scheduled to leave she asked me which of my favorite places I wanted to go to dinner before I left for Qatar. We have a rotation of restaurants that we go to Outback, Sean Bolans, DuClaws. On a given Friday evening you will find us at the local Outback or Sean Bolans. DuClaws is reserved for Saturday night, Friday is too busy for our liking.
So off to DuClaws we went. After dinner a lovely dinner with my wife, I drove to Dulles Airport for the direct flight to Qatar. I arrived at the parking lot at 8pm. Two hours before the flight was scheduled to leave. I had plenty of time. I got to the Qatar Airways counter and NO ONE WAS THERE. What is going on. I circled the counter several times until a man in uniform asked me what I was looking for. I told him of my dilemma and he told me the flight was closed. I would need to go the the Qatari office and ask for help.
I raced down the escalator, juggling my baggage. You know that feeling you get when you know there is no hope. Well this was one of those times. I went into the office to find three women with their backs to the door. I asked if they could help me get on the plane. Nope. Flight is closed. You need to go to the United counter and rebook your ticket for tomorrow night. OH NO I MISSED MY FLIGHT. How in God's name was I supposed to know check in for the flight was only open from 6-8pm???
So, I schlepped my bags back up to the United counter and got in line. I finally got up to the airline rep and told her my tale. She looked at me like anyone at the end of their shift and said "Is this an International Flight?" Yes, it is. Oh, well you need to go to the other end of the counter and talk to them down there.
I went down to the other end and got in another line. I got to the counter and met another lovely airline rep, but this time a lady who had a sense of customer service, she listened politely to my tale and started to look up my options for the next night. She looked at me and said the flight I wanted was "sold out" every seat. After I picked up my stomach, I said, how can I get to Qatar tomorrow. The quickest way she said was to take a United flight to Frankfurt and Lufthansa to Qatar. The flight left at the same time the next night, but would be five hours longer. So, 24 hours and 17 hours of travel I landed in Doha, Qatar.
I love my wife, and more importantly I love hanging out with my wife. The night before I was scheduled to leave she asked me which of my favorite places I wanted to go to dinner before I left for Qatar. We have a rotation of restaurants that we go to Outback, Sean Bolans, DuClaws. On a given Friday evening you will find us at the local Outback or Sean Bolans. DuClaws is reserved for Saturday night, Friday is too busy for our liking.
So off to DuClaws we went. After dinner a lovely dinner with my wife, I drove to Dulles Airport for the direct flight to Qatar. I arrived at the parking lot at 8pm. Two hours before the flight was scheduled to leave. I had plenty of time. I got to the Qatar Airways counter and NO ONE WAS THERE. What is going on. I circled the counter several times until a man in uniform asked me what I was looking for. I told him of my dilemma and he told me the flight was closed. I would need to go the the Qatari office and ask for help.
I raced down the escalator, juggling my baggage. You know that feeling you get when you know there is no hope. Well this was one of those times. I went into the office to find three women with their backs to the door. I asked if they could help me get on the plane. Nope. Flight is closed. You need to go to the United counter and rebook your ticket for tomorrow night. OH NO I MISSED MY FLIGHT. How in God's name was I supposed to know check in for the flight was only open from 6-8pm???
So, I schlepped my bags back up to the United counter and got in line. I finally got up to the airline rep and told her my tale. She looked at me like anyone at the end of their shift and said "Is this an International Flight?" Yes, it is. Oh, well you need to go to the other end of the counter and talk to them down there.
I went down to the other end and got in another line. I got to the counter and met another lovely airline rep, but this time a lady who had a sense of customer service, she listened politely to my tale and started to look up my options for the next night. She looked at me and said the flight I wanted was "sold out" every seat. After I picked up my stomach, I said, how can I get to Qatar tomorrow. The quickest way she said was to take a United flight to Frankfurt and Lufthansa to Qatar. The flight left at the same time the next night, but would be five hours longer. So, 24 hours and 17 hours of travel I landed in Doha, Qatar.
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