I spent a couple of hours trying to rebook my flights last night using my travel credit from the previously canceled retrun trip without luck. Spotty Internet didn't help. I failed on my laptop, I failed with texting back and forth with United and I failed using the United app on my smartphone. Three strikes and you're out! Before turning in, I had a text exchange with Richard, one of the other team leaders who is holed up here like I am, and he mentioned that he's a big MileagePlus member with United and has a secret 800 number. After showering, I masked up and met him in his room. It seemed a little absurd, what were we going to do, give each other the virus? He dialled the 800 number and within 5 minutes, Sharon, a representative in Chicago had things cleared up. At first, she said it would cost me $143 difference, but after she punched a few buttons, it became $25, which is usually the fee for getting a live agent involved theses days. She was worth every penny.
This morning, we have a doctor's visit scheduled to the convent so that we can each get a letter declaring that we are fit to fly. We are taking this extra precaution because our passport numbers were required for our Covid tests and we are really not sure how fat the reporting of the positive tests has gotten by now. United was fine with me flying and said their system has been changed to reflect the dropping of the test requirement to enter the US. When Richard spoke with British Air, they acknowledged that the change was official but that their system had not been updated yet, so he and his wife could be in a strange sort of limbo between reality and computer updates. I'm convinced that the last couple of years will one day be used as a case study for what not to do!
My next step today will be to book the RedCoach from Houston to Austin and then I'll see who wants to pick me up at 300 South Congress around 9pm Monday night to help me finish this odyssey. Maybe I'll hold a lottery! Even once I'm back in Austin, I'm going to check with my doctor to find out what more I may need to do to protect those whom I love that are around me for a while. I'm hoping it's not too many more Covid tests, my nose can't take much more! I had assiduously avoid even having one test before this trip and had resigned myself to the fact that those days were over, but this is getting ridiculous...
That's it for now, time to make sure I get some breakfast today, missing it yesterday and waiting until 1pm for lunch wasn't too good. More to follow as we see what the doctor's visit brings. Blessings on yout day, everybody!
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