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Dealing with those Darn Delays!

As unpredictable winter weather sets in, so will the increase in flight delays, missed flights, and re-routing of passengers. It's inevitable. When you are the unfortunate victim of one of these travel problems, your knowledge in how to deal with the situation can likely determine whether you make it to your final destination on time and with your baggage in tow. Knowledge is power.

Most people's first thought when dealing with flight delays is to call their travel agent. While we are always willing to give advice, there is usually nothing that we can personally do to help alleviate your troubles. Most flights affected by problems will fall under what is called "airport control." This means that we are unable to change your reservation,
re-route you, or protect you on another airline. Most of our missionary fares do not even allow for routing changes, so if any changes are going to be made, it has to be the airport personnel making them.

Here are some helpful guidelines to follow in the event you fall prey to flight problems en route.

When your flight has been cancelled, do two things simultaneously. Immediately start making your way quickly toward the gate agent assigned to rebook your flight and also get on the telephone and call the toll free number for the airline affected. Remember, everyone else who was scheduled on that cancelled flight will also be making their way over to the counter. At Ministry Travel, we always list local telephone numbers of the airlines on your itinerary for this purpose. It's important to both stand in the line and call, since you have no guarantees that the phone call will end in success. When you call the toll free number, have your reservation number and flight information handy. Sometimes they will only be able to change your reservation in the system, and you may still have to wait in that line to check in your bags and have your reservation re-ticketed. If this is the case, you can then wait with calm assurance, knowing you do have a confirmed reservation, thanks to your quick action and a cell phone.

When dealing with the agent assigned to rebook your flight, remember that they, too, are under a lot of stress trying to unexpectedly re-accommodate all the stranded passengers. Be firm (but Christ-like) in dealing with the agent over the counter, and do not leave the counter until you have a confirmed reservation to get you to your final destination. If you are not happy with how things are going, ask for a supervisor. Many agents will tell you anything they can think of to get you out of their face and on to the next complaining passenger. Don't be afraid to ask for meal or overnight compensation. In many cases, if you don't ask for it, the airline will not offer it. Once you leave the counter, your place in line will be forever gone, so don't step away from the agent until you're completely satisfied and have all your questions resolved.

Know where your bags are! One of the biggest problems with flight delays and re-routing of flights is lost baggage. Nearly every time a ticket has to be re-routed, bags get lost, often not making it to the final destination until the trip is nearly over. When you are at the counter, ask for your bags to be pulled and re-tagged so that they are put on the same flight that you're rebooked on. Check back with the counter asking for confirmation that this is done. Be sure to have your bag tags handy, and write down the name of the person who advised you about your luggage. You can help reduce the likelihood of your bags being lost by taking a pro-active role when there are delays.

"No show for flights lose all ticket validity." We at Ministry Travel sometimes feel like we say this too much. We have this warning on all itineraries as well as all of our after hours auto responses. In spite of this, the airlines don't seem to take it seriously when it comes to your ticket. On a weekly basis, we hear of flights that are missed or re-routed, only to also hear that the gate agent didn't take the time to update the passenger's reservation with the onward flights. For example, let's assume that you are traveling from Dallas to Entebbe using American Airlines and SN Brussels. Your flight is delayed, causing you to be re-routed using another airline into Entebbe. If the gate agent who re-routed you does not update your reservation, canceling your original Brussels to Entebbe flight, then the computer automatically considers you a "no show" for that flight. When this happens, all the rest of your flights including your return trip are automatically cancelled. Trying to get your flights re-confirmed again can be costly and exhausting. Do not leave that counter until you are certain the gate agent has updated the rest of your itinerary. You most certainly do not want to be the casualty of their ineptness.

Take notes and keep documentation. Throughout whatever dilemma you experience, be sure to document the names of the individuals that help or guide you along the way. Be sure also to keep all boarding passes and itineraries, including any re-routed itineraries. If you experience problems and have to file complaints or request refunds after the fact, the best way to ensure resolution to your problems will be by having detailed records of who you spoke to, what you did, and what flights you were re-routed on.

Quick and decisive action on your part will go a long way in alleviating some of the frustrations of flight delays. Call the airline while standing in line, make sure the agent has done their job properly, keep track of your bags, and don't be afraid to speak up. Armed with this knowledge, you can take some control of the situation and make your remaining trip go much smoother. As Sir Francis Bacon said, "Knowledge is power."  

Recruiting Mission Teams - Strategy #3

If you are like many team leaders, mobilizing enough people for your trips is a struggle. It is tough getting people to volunteer half way around the world. You can overcome some of this hurdle if you utilize your current team as a recruiting force for future trips.

Capture Stories

Nothing raises vision or mobilizes people more than stories. Statistics may impact some, but stories move everyone. You can talk about the millions of people in spiritual darkness, the high percentage of people without clean drinking water or the mortality rate among your targeted people group, but those numbers don’t connect like a story. Find a personal story that illustrates the need and shows the benefit of your work. Stories are powerful tools for casting vision. Here are some ideas to help you capture more stories.

First, at the end of the trip, ask each team member to write down their most memorable moment. Half joking, I told my teams that they had to give me their "most memorable" before I would give them their airplane ticket home. If you wait until after the team gets back to collect these, you will be lucky to get any. Get the stories on your way to the airport or even during the flight home, but get those stories!

Besides written testimonies, you may also want to consider sending a video camera along with each group during your trip so they can record events as they happen. Also, if you will have Internet access overseas, set up a blog for team members to post articles and photos during the trip. You will not only capture stories, but you will cast vision to those back home following your progress. Make it your goal to capture as many stories as possible, then pick out the best three or four and use them to report on your trip.

This is the third of five strategies for easier and more successful mission team recruiting. Read Frank Banfill's entire article.