Abandoned at the airport while on cruise

K

Kanogo

midn
Joined
May 4, 2021
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35
I finished my Navy ROTC summer cruise at Pearl Harbor two days ago and attempted to make my way back home to the east coast via DTS travel itinerary. Unfortunately, I was booked on Delta, which has been experiencing mass cancellations affecting my flights as well. After waiting in line for seven hours and attempting to move flights with different connections, only to have them canceled again, Delta also stopped offering hotel vouchers. I called my unit OI for consultation. OI informed me that ROTC/DTS would get me an emergency hotel near the airport since my flight was pushed to the next day later in the afternoon. I received my hotel itinerary for the night from OI, but shortly after, I was told that the government credit card wasn’t working and that a hotel for the night would not be an option. Essentially, I was told that I was on my own. Did something go wrong here on my units end and is it normal to just get abandoned like this when traveling with the military?
 
Kanogo said:
I finished my Navy ROTC summer cruise at Pearl Harbor two days ago and attempted to make my way back home to the east coast via DTS travel itinerary. Unfortunately, I was booked on Delta, which has been experiencing mass cancellations affecting my flights as well. After waiting in line for seven hours and attempting to move flights with different connections, only to have them canceled again, Delta also stopped offering hotel vouchers. I called my unit OI for consultation. OI informed me that ROTC/DTS would get me an emergency hotel near the airport since my flight was pushed to the next day later in the afternoon. I received my hotel itinerary for the night from OI, but shortly after, I was told that the government credit card wasn’t working and that a hotel for the night would not be an option. Essentially, I was told that I was on my own. Did something go wrong here on my units end and is it normal to just get abandoned like this when traveling with the military?
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This was a tough lesson in resilience and “steaming independently.” I am sorry it happened, but at least you were in the U.S. and not in some hellhole airport in a country with few signs in English and a phone without an e-SIM on a weekend the other side of the international dateline during a strike on a religious holiday.

With military travel - any travel - you should prepare for the worst (do some advance what-if-I-get-stuck-basic research) and hope for the best.

This was a massive cluster-fudge, stranding several thousand people in all stages of travel.

Have enough cash to eat, in case ATMs go down. Have your own credit card for emergency use. If others can’t solve the problem for you from thousands of miles away, because they are out of options, you have to be ready to assess basic needs, research, solve, be creative. Put your thinking cap on. There are multiple military bases in the area, most of which have transient housing. There are Navy Lodges and other on-base hotels. There is the Hale Koa Military Recreation Center Hotel on Waikiki Beach. There is a USO at that airport, as there are at most major airports, full of helpful volunteers. There is a visitors’ desk for information. There is an NROTC unit at UH Manoa - if it was during working hours, they would likely have adopted you.

hawaii.uso.org

Daniel K. Inouye International Airport

USO lounge located in the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
hawaii.uso.org hawaii.uso.org
USOs are the best!

Military members are expected to be savvy, viable problems-solvers and travelers around the world. You weren’t “traveling with the military.” You were a military member traveling on orders. If Plan A falls through, then Plans B and C, you keep trying, and if Plan Z is the one that gets you home, hallelujah. Proactive. Not reactive.

Your priorities are safety, water, food, shelter, and a path back to base.. You figure it out.

Now, I recognize you are at the very beginning of the learning curve. Look at this painful experience as an opportunity to learn and grow.
 
Kanogo said:
I finished my Navy ROTC summer cruise at Pearl Harbor two days ago and attempted to make my way back home to the east coast via DTS travel itinerary. Unfortunately, I was booked on Delta, which has been experiencing mass cancellations affecting my flights as well. After waiting in line for seven hours and attempting to move flights with different connections, only to have them canceled again, Delta also stopped offering hotel vouchers. I called my unit OI for consultation. OI informed me that ROTC/DTS would get me an emergency hotel near the airport since my flight was pushed to the next day later in the afternoon. I received my hotel itinerary for the night from OI, but shortly after, I was told that the government credit card wasn’t working and that a hotel for the night would not be an option. Essentially, I was told that I was on my own. Did something go wrong here on my units end and is it normal to just get abandoned like this when traveling with the military?
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it can happen sometimes. It's the bane of TDY when a nationwide shutdown of anything happens. It sucks being on hold for hours with SATO (or whoever is the travel contractor). You should have been allowed to stay another night in a hotel. The unit should have approved that for you. If it were an admiral in your shoes, you can sure as heck bet that he/she and his/her travel entourage would have been approved lickety split. As a mid, it's easy to say "not authorized" to you.

What I've done in the past is use my own credit card to cover TDY expenses if the government travel card isn't working. I understand the requirement to use the GTCC for all expenses related to TDY. However, you can still get reimbursed when you submit in DTS by having more of the money disbursed to you (ie "Personnal") when you submit. You'll have to explain why you didn't put the charge on the GTCC, but I'm sure your bosses will understand.
 
GoCubbies said:
it can happen sometimes. It's the bane of TDY when a nationwide shutdown of anything happens. It sucks being on hold for hours with SATO (or whoever is the travel contractor). You should have been allowed to stay another night in a hotel. The unit should have approved that for you. If it were an admiral in your shoes, you can sure as heck bet that he/she and his/her travel entourage would have been approved lickety split. As a mid, it's easy to say "not authorized" to you.

What I've done in the past is use my own credit card to cover TDY expenses if the government travel card isn't working. I understand the requirement to use the GTCC for all expenses related to TDY. However, you can still get reimbursed when you submit in DTS by having more of the money disbursed to you (ie "Personnal") when you submit. You'll have to explain why you didn't put the charge on the GTCC, but I'm sure your bosses will understand.
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Meant to mention that reimbursement request. Glad you did. Govt travel is a traditional goat rope. Gotta advocate for yourself.
 
Kanogo said:
I finished my Navy ROTC summer cruise at Pearl Harbor two days ago and attempted to make my way back home to the east coast via DTS travel itinerary. Unfortunately, I was booked on Delta, which has been experiencing mass cancellations affecting my flights as well. After waiting in line for seven hours and attempting to move flights with different connections, only to have them canceled again, Delta also stopped offering hotel vouchers. I called my unit OI for consultation. OI informed me that ROTC/DTS would get me an emergency hotel near the airport since my flight was pushed to the next day later in the afternoon. I received my hotel itinerary for the night from OI, but shortly after, I was told that the government credit card wasn’t working and that a hotel for the night would not be an option. Essentially, I was told that I was on my own. Did something go wrong here on my units end and is it normal to just get abandoned like this when traveling with the military?
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... so are you still in the airport?
The USO next to Baggage Claim 19 closes in six hours - 2000. There are free meals and free showers. The volunteers are retired military and I'm 100% certain they will not "abandon" you. I wouldn't. Let me know. Note: There's a TDS Emergency number manned 24/7. They take care of business most of the time. Blessing that you're in our country, not in Bali, then it would really $u¢k.
 
Kanogo said:
I finished my Navy ROTC summer cruise at Pearl Harbor two days ago and attempted to make my way back home to the east coast via DTS travel itinerary. Unfortunately, I was booked on Delta, which has been experiencing mass cancellations affecting my flights as well. After waiting in line for seven hours and attempting to move flights with different connections, only to have them canceled again, Delta also stopped offering hotel vouchers. I called my unit OI for consultation. OI informed me that ROTC/DTS would get me an emergency hotel near the airport since my flight was pushed to the next day later in the afternoon. I received my hotel itinerary for the night from OI, but shortly after, I was told that the government credit card wasn’t working and that a hotel for the night would not be an option. Essentially, I was told that I was on my own. Did something go wrong here on my units end and is it normal to just get abandoned like this when traveling with the military?
Click to expand...
I also think it’s hard to compare this situation and what happened globally. I am sorry it happened to you, but this was a mess globally and hit the airlines and hotels especially hard. Did you have a back up credit card that would have worked at that hotel? Or were all credit cards rejected? I know some hotels couldn’t process cards and had to let individuals in their rooms. Might not have an additional card at this point of your life, but in the future it’s important to have a back up card. I don’t think you were abandoned, I think you got stuck in a terrible situation that thousands and thousands faced everywhere.
 
Capt MJ said:
This was a tough lesson in resilience and “steaming independently.” I am sorry it happened, but at least you were in the U.S. and not in some hellhole airport in a country with few signs in English and a phone without an e-SIM on a weekend the other side of the international dateline during a strike on a religious holiday.

With military travel - any travel - you should prepare for the worst (do some advance what-if-I-get-stuck-basic research) and hope for the best.

This was a massive cluster-fudge, stranding several thousand people in all stages of travel.

Have enough cash to eat, in case ATMs go down. Have your own credit card for emergency use. If others can’t solve the problem for you from thousands of miles away, because they are out of options, you have to be ready to assess basic needs, research, solve, be creative. Put your thinking cap on. There are multiple military bases in the area, most of which have transient housing. There are Navy Lodges and other on-base hotels. There is the Hale Koa Military Recreation Center Hotel on Waikiki Beach. There is a USO at that airport, as there are at most major airports, full of helpful volunteers. There is a visitors’ desk for information. There is an NROTC unit at UH Manoa - if it was during working hours, they would likely have adopted you.

hawaii.uso.org

Daniel K. Inouye International Airport

USO lounge located in the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
hawaii.uso.org hawaii.uso.org
USOs are the best!

Military members are expected to be savvy, viable problems-solvers and travelers around the world. You weren’t “traveling with the military.” You were a military member traveling on orders. If Plan A falls through, then Plans B and C, you keep trying, and if Plan Z is the one that gets you home, hallelujah. Proactive. Not reactive.

Your priorities are safety, water, food, shelter, and a path back to base.. You figure it out.

Now, I recognize you are at the very beginning of the learning curve. Look at this painful experience as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Click to expand...
Thank you as always
 
Thank you everyone. This happened at LAX. The USO closed at 20:00 and I was hanging out at the airport waiting in lines way after that time. I stuck it out and took care of myself and hopefully I’ll be on my way home tomorrow on my new flight. Made some new friends at the airport along the way and was able to figure out lodging at a low cost.

I’ve been in repeated contact with my OI and reimbursements are a grey area as there’s no guarantee except for taxi/uber rides.

Overall, it’s just an uncomfortable situation that I’m trying to be stoic about. Keeping a smile on my face during the hard times has helped a ton.
 
Kanogo said:
Thank you everyone. This happened at LAX. The USO closed at 20:00 and I was hanging out at the airport waiting in lines way after that time. I stuck it out and took care of myself and hopefully I’ll be on my way home tomorrow on my new flight. Made some new friends at the airport along the way and was able to figure out lodging at a low cost.

I’ve been in repeated contact with my OI and reimbursements are a grey area as there’s no guarantee except for taxi/uber rides.

Overall, it’s just an uncomfortable situation that I’m trying to be stoic about. Keeping a smile on my face during the hard times has helped a ton.
Click to expand...
Adaptive and resilient - BZ! Safe journey back.
 
I am finding lately that the only reliable thing about airlines is how unreliable they are. My son was just here to visit us for a week in the northeast and is now waiting in Charlotte for a connecting flight to Houston to eventually get back to Corpus Christi. His original flight going back to TX was cancelled as was his flight coming up here last Monday. Four of his last five trips were delayed by a full day due to last-minute delays and cancellations. I never recall this happening so often back when I was travelling for work.
 
I just finished watching a story on local news about Delta flight cancellations at a little ol' airport.

A journalist did a live report and interviewed a middle-aged-plus nice lady. She was travelling alone and cool as a warming ice pack.

She had been staying in contact with her daughter and sister who provided much needed support. Bless her heart.

I know someone who is travelling by plane this morning to a land far away (California). Hopefully it goes well for ALCON.
 
brewmeist said:
Update... My son is now sitting on the plane in Charlotte. If they don't take off within 10 mins, the pilots will go over their max duty hours for the day and the flight will be cancelled.

I feel like this has become the new norm...
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New update... Still in Charlotte. (Hopefully) will get to Dallas this afternoon and then eventually to Corpus Christi. Nothing like taking an extra day of leave to sit around in airports!
 
brewmeist said:
New update... Still in Charlotte. (Hopefully) will get to Dallas this afternoon and then eventually to Corpus Christi. Nothing like taking an extra day of leave to sit around in airports!
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Did he sleep in airport? I had a night like that in BOS where they kicked everyone out when my delayed flight got in around 3:30am only to let us back in through security at 4am when it opened again. (or whenever they open tsa there) I had to stand in the ticketing lobby until then. It was so freaking annoying for such a short time.
 
Resilient and adaptable. When I read OP’s predicament, what came to mind is being g stranded in an airport. With a roof. And food and chairs.

DH and I were stranded (locked inside…security went home) an airport back in the day coming back from our honeymoon. We slept on the floor. Makes for a good story 36yrs later.

Someday, EVERYTHING will shut down. Globally. We are all once click or keystroke away from it, imo. And yes, traveling sucks these days.

Get creative. Do you best. Try and get reimbursed later. Its good training g for CaptMJ’s international story.

I’ve got the morning new on today. Delta is still struggling. Thankful to be on my couch today. @brewmeist I hope your boy makes it back. Charolette airport is a nice one!

Edit: yesterday alone, 30pct of DL’s flights cancelled just YESTERDAY. Reporting that The outage is a couple days out still from recovery. It’s not only the app, and their flights, but also their crew scheduling system is offline. Wow. And also luggage. What a mess. Throwback to the SW meltdown.
 
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Recently finished "Cyber War" by Richard Clarke. It's a somewhat technical but broad view of what's happened, happening now, and probably will happen. He makes clear that the U.S.'s offensive capability is as good as anyone else's (if not as freewheeling). But our defensive capability is where we're severely lacking. Not because we don't have the technical capability, but because we're so dependent as a society on the interweb, virtual information and electronic communication.

No other country is as dependent, whether it be for critical aspects such as infrastructure or frivolous aspects such as social media. (The sad part, I think, is that the loss of social media would probably upset Americans more than the loss of infrastructure.) Scary and worrisome. It doesn't take much to sow confusion, frustration and breakdowns.
 
Kanogo said:
I finished my Navy ROTC summer cruise at Pearl Harbor two days ago and attempted to make my way back home to the east coast via DTS travel itinerary. Unfortunately, I was booked on Delta, which has been experiencing mass cancellations affecting my flights as well. After waiting in line for seven hours and attempting to move flights with different connections, only to have them canceled again, Delta also stopped offering hotel vouchers. I called my unit OI for consultation. OI informed me that ROTC/DTS would get me an emergency hotel near the airport since my flight was pushed to the next day later in the afternoon. I received my hotel itinerary for the night from OI, but shortly after, I was told that the government credit card wasn’t working and that a hotel for the night would not be an option. Essentially, I was told that I was on my own. Did something go wrong here on my units end and is it normal to just get abandoned like this when traveling with the military?
Click to expand...
Call the SATO emergency travel line next time, which was probably what your instructor was doing for you. There's a number on your travel orders. They probably could've just booked you on a different airline entirely and not have you deal with whatever was going on with Delta. Put your GTCC in mission critical status for a long-term TDY or PCS. If it's long enough, you need to apply for split disbursement to avoid missing credit card payments (it is absolutely still *your* credit card and *your* credit score at stake).

Rule of thumb: if you didn't do it through SATO, don't expect reimbursement.

This happens pretty often, you learn to deal with it. The contracts are definitely lowest bidder, and none of the airlines have much incentive to go above and beyond for government travel.
 
AMEX plat reimburses for unreimbursed travel expenses such as this, as a benefit of their card. Up to 10k I believe. Of course confirm with primary source.

DS, while international, received reimbursement for resort fees he couldn’t recoup for a day of cancellation, when his ship couldn’t port bc of rough seas.
 
justdoit19 said:
AMEX plat reimburses for unreimbursed travel expenses such as this, as a benefit of their card. Up to 10k I believe. Of course confirm with primary source.

DS, while international, received reimbursement for resort fees he couldn’t recoup for a day of cancellation, when his ship couldn’t port bc of rough seas.
Click to expand...
Take care using personal cards for official travel. By policy, if GTCC is issued, GTCC will be used, especially for TDY travel.

Some commands may enforce more than others, but it will soon be locked down force-wide. There's been a string of warnings via NAVADMIN over the last few years.
 
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