Ten days in Thessaloniki, Greece attending the 65th Annual Thessaloniki Film Festival had me beat watching and reviewing two movies daily. Attending opening ceremonies and press conferences and yes experiencing an earthquake tremor and even cooking up almost all my meals with the most basic ingredients. What was my masterpiece? Norwegian salmon filets gently poached in Krinos Basilicata jarred tomato sauce with a cup of frozen peas tossed into the mix. Served over pasta of course topped with slices of Greek goat cheese starting with Greek cucumber slices as an appetizer.
My booking for both my to and from Thessaloniki trip was purchased through KLM.
Thirty hours prior to my return trip to Toronto I received an e-mail from KLM advising me I could now check in so I clicked the check in bar and I received a response we can’t check you in and check in with our partners’ online check in. The partner in this case was Transavia which I managed to ascertain but one might think I should have been advised who this “partner” was and perhaps even be provided with a link to their check in process. I attempted to book on-line with my KLM provided booking code with Transavia for my return trip to Toronto and the response was the booking code was not recognized. Very strange as Transavia is a low budget subsidiary of KLM. Is there no integration of their systems?
So, I contact KLM through FB Messenger and several hours later I receive a message from KLM providing me with a code the Transavia online booking mechanism would recognize and permit me to check in. You see I am a very tall man with long legs and pre airport check in gives me the possible opportunity to secure an aisle seat to avoid crippling me with cramped knee and twisted body syndrome. Well, the KLM provided booking code was not recognized by Transavia online check in. An earlier KLM FB Messenger note I referred to above stated if that was the case I would have to check in at the airport. At Transavia check in at the Thessaloniki Airport sorry tall boy no aisle seat and you will be crammed in a window seat. Oh, the horror if not panic!
I noted my baggage sticker stated my bag was to go to YYZ (Toronto) and I was reassured of the same by the Transavia passenger agent in Thessaloniki saying my baggage would be picked up in Toronto at the baggage carrousel after my third and last flight from JFK (New York) to Toronto on Delta Airlines.
I suffered through the Transavia flight (KL2562) from Thessaloniki to Amsterdam enjoying the lime green colors of the seats (which I sat in twisted like a pretzel) like they were from a Fellini film. Yes, being a KLM Premium Comfort passenger there should have been priority boarding, priority through security lines but no such luck with Transavia.
Upon landing in Schiphol, one must pass through Dutch immigration where I was probably 100th in line with 8 or so immigration officer kiosks with only two officers on duty. The line quickly spread to at least 500 passengers many freaking out about missing their connecting flight. Tell me more please about Dutch efficiency!
I finally cleared immigration but the self serve boarding pass machines did not recognize my Canadian passport. Off to the KLM transfer desk where a system failure prevented them from printing off my boarding pass but by hook and by crook they managed to print me off my boarding pass for my flight to JFK and my flight from JFK to Toronto. Very good transfer agent for KLM!
Now after spending 4 hours wandering around Schiphol Airport dog tired and somewhat stressed it was time to board my Toronto flight on KLM. As a KLM Comfort Class passenger I am entitled to priority boarding after the big wigs in Business Class but was called to board with the regular Economy Class Passengers. Good work KLM. Oh yes there are air conditioning problems which delayed takeoff. The less time you sit in airplane seats the better.
Eight hours of sheer boredom and food that sounded elegant but was mush with a fancy name. And the pre-landing snack sounded great as a chicken Caesar salad which was more mush. Poor quality white and red still wines and my Scotch was a Johnny Walker Red. Even Air Canada provides Johnny Walker Black label in its Basic Economy.
We arrive at JFK and yet another delay as the captain states we must wait for a space for deplaning. What a BPH nightmare!
The KLM flight attendant made an announcement all connecting passengers with connecting flights would have to collect their baggage and pass-through U.S. Customs and Immigration! What? I was told by Transavia when checking in with them in Thessaloniki my baggage would sail through straight to Toronto! There was no baggage of mine to pick up upon arrival at JFK! A helpful Delta airlines employee at JFK went on her computer and gave me a very scrunched up look and stated my baggage was in Amsterdam! Being a Canadian I zipped through U.S. Customs and Immigration bagless and grossly irritated. But wait…had to check in through TSA security to arrive at my gate!
JFK Airport is under a 5-year renovation project and is in shambles. Unlike most airports departure screens were almost non-existent so I located a Delta Airlines desk and they advised as to the departure gate and that a shuttle bus was advised to get to the gate. A shuttle bus!
At the gate the passenger agent for Delta said it appeared as if my bag was on the flight but checking with her colleague, she advised most likely it was in Amsterdam but was uncertain.
The flight to Toronto was uneventful and in a vain hope or collecting my miserable Samsonite bag I waited unsuccessfully at the baggage carousel. A fantastic Delta “lost luggage lady” tracked the bag to Amsterdam stating this is the fifth time in recent history she has seen lost bags from a Transavia flight originating in Thessaloniki. She said it should be couriered to you the following day.
After being up for 26 hours I collapse in an Uber and head home. The Uber folks had sent me a note saying sorry but there will be a delay as we are unexpectedly busy. What more could go awry?
Lessons learnt. Avoid connecting flights if you can. Avoid connecting at JFK or at any U.S. airport landing from an international flight. If you have long legs avoid Basic Economy unless you want to roll around in a wheelchair upon arrival because of the rapid onset of cramped knee and twisted body syndrome. Take the bus or train. They are more civilized than flying sardine cans.
Who to blame? I am not willing to hire forensic experts to answer that question and take solace in a 1970’s hippistic “Blame the System Man.”
P.S. My baggage arrived at 21:32 the next day on Air France.
A Bird's Eye View of Fashion, Food, Travel, Culture, Beverage and Curiosity 