On the morning of July 6, 2013, I was waiting with my redheaded partner, Theo, in the Vancouver International Airport US Departures terminal, preparing to board a United Airlines flight to San Francisco. We were on our way to California to kick off our two week vacation touring around California with friends. Minutes later we learned there had been a plane crash at San Francisco International airport. Theo and I soon learned that, like tens of thousands of travellers around the world, that our travel plans would need to be adapted – and fast.
After spending six hours waiting (and going through customs twice) we learned our flight had been officially cancelled.
We had some tough decisions to make. Should we re-book our flight for a later date and abandon our plans to meet with Toronto friends who had flown all the way to San Francisco specifically to visit with us? Should we transfer the car rental we had booked at SFO to YVR and drive south? Should we cancel the whole trip? Should we truncate the trip? Or should we take our own car on the 1200 km trip from Vancouver to San Francisco? Weighing all the options was as stressful as it was exhausting. There were so many variables to factor in including additional costs, timing, comfort, stress and commitment. Added to the calculations was our baggage, which had inexplicably been lost after our six hour wait in the Vancouver terminal.
Our decision to cancel our car reservations, ignore the queues at the United Airways’ desk and the online waits at Expedia.ca and launch ourselves for a long (and stressful) 18 hour drive to San Francisco (sans air conditioning) took a lot of adaptability. The experience reinforced some key tips on how to adapt to a challenging travel situation. Here’s what we learned:
1) Be willing to spend a little more money than you planned. Money allows you to expedite things that might otherwise take more time. In a fluid situation where variables have changed and require rapid action, you need to be prepared and willing to take a financial hit. This could mean making pricey international calls on the old cell phone or a more expensive accommodation cost (due to lack of time for research).
2) Thank the 21st century for Smartphones. Smartphones connect you to the internet and all global knowledge. They allow you to research good places to get food, shelter, maps and other travel necessities from the palm of your hand. They also allow you to easily connect with tedious (but critical) customer service representatives who can help you reschedule, refund or adapt your current plans. They keep you connected with your friends and family who can be critical resources in tricky situations. Try to remember to get an international data plan if you are planning on travelling abroad.
3) Expect the worst and be pleasantly surprised. When you are trying to adapt to a new and challenging situation, things understandably are going to go haywire. Frequently we can’t control these environmental variables (“we’re sorry sir, the only flights we have available will fly out a week from now and will cost double what you originally paid”). What you can control is your attitude. Mentally force yourself to find the silver lining (at least we’re safe on the ground here or at least they didn’t divert our flight to Denver, Colorado). If you can, transition from your viewpoint of the incident from crisis to “adventure”.
4) Keep calm and carry on. A key part of making smart decisions in a changing situation is to keep calm. Sometimes you may feel like Bruce Banner transforming into the Hulk. Remember, smashing things (or more likely yelling at people) is not going to fix anything and will cloud your ability to make reasonable well weighed judgement. This can be one of the most difficult demeanors to maintain in a constantly changing environment.
5) Identify your key items and move quickly to acquire them decisively. If (as in our case) you are missing your baggage, consider what clothing items you need and what items you’d like to have. You’ll likely find the former to be a pretty short list. For us it was underwear and sunscreen. Everything else, we realized, we could live without.
6) Let people know about your plight. When you are adapting, remain communicative (as discussed in point #2). Let people know you need help through social media and review the flood of helpful (and unhelpful) advice. Sometimes there may be a gem that you might never have considered.
7) Always try to err on the side of kindness and respect when dealing with strangers. Many people you might meet are just doing their job and may see people in your situation all the time. While you may feel special/entitled/frustrated/upset, try to be as respectful as possible. In the long run, the fewer bridges you burn, the better. If you run into an unhelpful stranger, circle back and try to find a new person that’ll help. Repeat if need be. Eventually you’ll find someone who will be able to help.