A NIGHTMARISH EXPERIENCE ! Part 2

In all our travels we had never been in such a situation before. It was still a Saturday night when we arrived home from the airport. It was most embarassing for us as we had earlier bade farewell to our neighbour" Apek", cheerfully. And now, 3 hours later, we were dragging ourselves and our luggage back.

We had no clue or any idea or any rational explanation what had actually transpired. No one was in direct communication with us except Ms cba from ABC agency. Although, we were dead tired from all these wasteful exertions and energy, my mind was still clear.

I rationalised that we were both innocent victims of a most unprofessional foul-up either by ABC agency itself or in conjunction with their 2 or 3 other business affiliates.....that led to this dead end. As Ms cba told us that she was also in the dark as to what had really happened, we had no choice as to our next course of action. The only instruction I gave her was to have our passports returned to us by noon the next day( Sunday ) and " better for your ABC agency not to take this fiasco lightly ".On her side, she promised to get her superiors to do something about the situation and get back to me urgently.
Nothing more happened that night. We were so drained that we had no more energy to be boiling mad and fell asleep rather fitfully....expecting to be awakened in the middle of the night.
I believed that Ms cba must have contacted her superiors and her counterparts from the 2 affiliate agencies....sometime in the night and tried working out a plan to salvage the already precarious situation.
Remember, the original group we were supposed to be in, had already flown off to Beijing. We did not even know then if our 2 names were on the list. XYZ airlines refused to divulge to us.
And even Ms cba could not confirm that. Even though we had zero information on the fiasco,
I was and still am not an ignoramus about the processes and the ins and outs of this business.
And any number of possible reasons could have resulted in this....but all were bad and negative.
Like what? Incomplete payments/ outstanding debts between ABC and their affiliates, lack of trust in each other, lack of faith, cutting-corners to the fine wire ( prevalent practice, quite common ), deliberately putting ABC agency under pressure by the others due to business rivalry or other reasons....etc....etc.
The next day, SUNDAY......early morning.....
The phone rang. I jumped up to answer it. It was Ms cba on the line. "Urgent!" She said.
I looked at the clock. It showed 7:15 am.
She:" Sorry to have awoken you suddenly but we have just got confirmation, although at the last minute, that we have 2 seats for you both for Beijing. But the flight is leaving close to 9:00 am. Can you be ready in half an hour and I pick you up from your main road junction, to save time.
I'll drive you to the airport myself.
Me: "Ms cba, I don't think there is enough time. It's already 7:15 am now and we have to go through a proper check-in, security, immigration....and whatever! "
She: " My friend from the other agency will be bringing your passports and meeting us there. This came from them. To save more time, I will get my mother to accompany me so that I don't have to park . I'll just ask her to wait for us in the car while I help to check you in."
Me: "Ok. We'll meet you in 30 minutes."
D2, awakened by then, heard the conversation and nodded in understanding. We got ourselves ready in 15 minutes and began to lock up our home again, after calling family members to inform them we were off to the airport again. As we walked out of our porch, a smiling "Apek" greeted us cheerfully.
Apek:" Where you going today? CHINA again? "
Me: " Yes, last night some problem. Now, must rush to airport again. Yes, Beijing!'
Apek: " Ok. Good luck and take care! Bye bye. "
Ms cba kept to her word. She picked us up and drove us to the airport and left the car as she said she would, with her mum in the front seat and hazard lights on. She was a careful driver and did not speed at all. I kept looking at my watch, the minutes and seconds ticking away sadly.
Her friend from the other agency was waiting for us outside the unloading bay area.
We rushed to the counter which was still a distance away.
When we approached XYZ airline staff there we were told check-in had closed. And the plane was already ready for take-off on the runway!!!
No amount of pleading from us and the other 2 ladies could budge the XYZ staff to let us through on an urgent basis.
So, for for the 2nd time and two days in a row...we have been left high and dry.
This has NEVER, EVER happened to us in all our life !
Then I took charge!
I asked the 2 lady travel consultants to, " let's go sit down somewhere as I have important
matters to tell you and discuss with you, your bosses or your agencies ".
At the sit down meeting, still within the airport, I asked for the return of our passports.
I told them both I'm still in the dark about the fiasco the day before. I asked them both to listen to me most carefully as it might affect the future of their agencies.
I told them I was quite familiar with the workings of travel agencies as I was the former President of S'pore's leading travel adventure club. I too was familiar with many aspects of air-ticketting, filling-up airline seats, double-booking, over-booking, boosting of groups by affiliate co-operation, group discounts for 8 or 10 pax, early-booking discounts, air, land and hotel arrangements, etc......etc... ." The looks on their face showed they were very worried and took me seriously.
And I told them," Your agency have made us EMBARASSING FOOLS.......TWICE ! I am not sure whether we are your only victims or maybe there are others unknown to us. But you have picked the wrong passengers to make a fool of. I have so many friends and contacts in the press and media waiting,...no dying, to have such a story, especially from me. Think what the consequences will be for your agencies."
" The only saving grace in this whole NONSENSE is this young lady here... I pointed to Ms cba, who all my trained eye and experience, tells me is an innocent, frontline staff used as a buffer by her agency to delay,deflect blame until a way out is found. She has acted beyond her call of duty on all occasions though things were beyond her control. She tried her BEST to try to help us and maybe her agency too. Right now, her mother is still sitting in her car outside! "
With my reminder to her, Ms cba asked what I would do next.
The other lady said there was a mixup in communications between the 3 parties....that our names/seats were not confirmed for Saturday flight but no one informed ABC agency. She did not explain why we were not confirmed since we were told everything was 100 % confirmed by ABC people. I was under no delusion to believe her or anything she said.
Clearly afraid now, this 2nd lady asked to keep our passports " so that they can work out something by tomorrow ( Monday) . "
I thought for a moment and told her, " Ok. I will give you all until tomorrow noon and if nothing comes up by then, please return the passports to me in person, at my home."
Ms cba apologised profusely and her mum also felt very sorry for us. We reloaded our luggage in her car and she dropped us off at our place.
My neighbour, "APEK" saw us returning again....with UTMOST DISBELIEF in his old eyes!
Surely this cannot be, he must be thinking.
Apek: "Wah Mr Yip...so fast come back from CHINA again? Beijing must be very near huh? "

It was less than 3 hours ago since he bade us farewell!!!