We Caught our Connection! NOT

Our flight back to Jordan from a recent trip was the day after the Iranian strike, and our flights were cancelled. There was big group of us in the same dilemma (catching the same flight back). We all were able to be rescheduled for the next day, no problem.

What I did find interesting was some of us were outright offered hotels, whereas some of us had to push for them (including me).

Even parked side by side, there is no way the checked bags were going to make the transfer.

They saved everyone a big headache by doing what they did.

No checked bag :-)

The Malaysia Air rep meant well but from the time we landed until we reached the hotel was 2.5 hours. I'd already been traveling 15 hours and was pooped. Hotel is beautiful.

Here is an odd thing. When we got off the plane in K.L. we had to go through sort of a mini security checkpoint to get to the departing gate right next to the arrival gate. One lady on my flight had her tiny sewing scissors confiscated.

Hey, did I tell you the food on the Turkish Air flight was pretty good. And it was served with a metal spoon, a metal fork and a metal KNIFE. Back to the sewing scissors story .....

I never had an airline book an alternative flight and hotel for me when missing a connection seems immanent. Usually you have to stand in at least one line to do that. So if you actually missed the flight, it would have been a delightful surprise. But since you would have made it, not so much.

This preemptive action cost the airline unnecessary money fr overnight stay. You have to wonder if not needing it will change their approach in the future.

Mr E, where are you headed from KL? Is this enroute to the US, or some other destination in Asia?

Sewing scissors? Try a box of trout flies tied by my husband in his carry on luggage that was almost seized by TSA. He pulled one out and said to the TSA guy, "Really"?! They were allowed on.

Jojo, BUD - IST - KUL - to Sydney to visit friends.

Lindy, I carry my flies and haven't had it happen yet. But I can imagine.

This preemptive action cost the airline unnecessary money fr overnight
stay

Wasn't even overnight. 11am checkin, 7pm checkout Should have been 9pm, but that's another story)

No one we interacted with was particularly well trained or even competent, but they were all extremely kind. Difficult for me to get angry with anyone. Stuff happens. A few of the passengers did get a bit overly "excited" by the situation. I just relaxed and wwnt with the flow.

Just taking off. All worth it to see this:

https://youtu.be/IRkYV1IxmDs?si=NBktLi3Uz1dfcI4T

Well, that means you miss a day of fun in Sydney - but I would trade it for an adventure in Malaysia. LOL. And all you CAN do is laugh and enjoy it!

(I just booked an overnight in Columbo, Sri Lanka because of overnight layover - that sounds like an adventure, too.)

Yes, it happens. We have experienced this in San Francisco, Frankfurt and again in Montreal. Lufthansa actually has their own large hotel in Frankfurt that they transported us to on buses. Very frustrating to see your connection sitting there and being told, no they can’t leave the gate but you can’t get on because they closed the door…..you go with the flow!

The door wasn't closed. There were people in line behind Mr that boarded. Just all the IST transfer boarding passes had been canceled so the reader flashed red and we were pulled aside.

Don't misunderstand, stuff happens. I'm not upset. I would have arrived at 7pm, exhausted. Now I arrived at 10am thr next morning, well rested.

Sydney and some natural areas within a 2 hour drive of Sydney turned out to be worth all the headache getting here.

If you ever wanted to tour SE Asia but didn't want to commit so much time and money, try Sydney. In the city center, Western people are the minority and English isn't the most often heard language.. There is Korea Town, China Town, Thai Town. The shops, the market halls, and food are authentic and amazing. I wish I had more than one week to explore.

One of my better trips in years.

Mr E, when you get a chance, rate the nearby areas to Sydney you visited, how you got to them, etc. Your idea about sampling Asian culture in Sydney is a great idea, one I had never read (but Melbourne evidently has the same thing going on, and I have read about it there, particularly with the food scene)...thanks...

I am terrible at trip reports, but I will try.

The trip was to visit an Australian family I had met in Budapest. So transportation was in the family van. They live about 2 hours out of Sydney in Shell Cove, so we rented a 3 bedroom apartment for 4 nights at the Meriton on Pitt Street. Then, one night at a family members cabin in the hills overlooking Kangaroo Valley.

We did a brief stop at the Blue Mountains, and the town of Katoomba was very special as well.

We did a couple of beaches, but a bit cool.

In Sydney, we toured the Harbor via public transportation ferries. But the best part was wandering the streets and neighborhoods of the city.

Malaysia Airlines turned out to be a pretty decent experience. Good food, good service, on time, more or less. Boarded them for the trip home about 27 hours ago, and they were more than good. So security in Sydney and in Kula Lumpur and in Istanbul on arrival. Passport checks at each stop, too.

Turkish Air from Kula Lumpur to Istanbul to Budapest. Excellent as always.

99% of the passengers on all the flights with paper boarding cards. I couldn't check in on line going or returning, guess no one could.