When I told people that I would never fly Grd again because of a bad experience, they usually said – “But why? It can’t be that bad. I mean, most of us who’d ever flown with Grd know that they are always delayed anyway. Can’t be that bad.”
To which I usually replied, “True. They do have bad reputation and track record. And people might still be willing to fly Grd again after they had experienced delays and all. I mean, take my brother for an example. If he can choose, he would prefer not to have to fly Grd. BUT, if it is considerably cheaper, he said he wouldn’t mind. So maybe that’s you. But as for me… even if they pay me to fly with them (not just giving me a free flight, but actually give me a free flight AND money on top of the free flight), I would not take the offer. I just would never fly Grd ever again!”
Overstatement, you think? =)
Hmmm… not so sure…
A few years back, my parents made a plan for me to travel around China with my brother. Because I was working already, and I wanted to be back home for Chinese New Year, I decided to fly back two days before my scheduled departure. So, if I’m meant to depart to China on Sunday, I decided to fly back home on Friday, spend the night at home, and then fly out on Sunday.
Now, my hometown is 4 hours drive from the airport.
But I thought with a flight home on Friday morning, scheduled to get to my home country in the afternoon then arriving home Friday night would still be OK.
What happened was, 6 am Friday morning, I got a call saying that my flight had been delayed. For 14 hours! It had become a night time flight! Imagine that!!
I was so furious! (Later on, I found out that some people didn’t actually even got the call and had to spend the 14 hours at the airport – after checking in!)
But I thought, at least I would get home on Saturday.
All Grd flights at that time had to transit in Bali. With a night time flight, we got to Bali a bit over midnight. After some confusion at the airport, we were taken to our hotel, where more confusion took place in the morning.
Anyway, somehow, the hotel/airport shuttle were so ill prepared and that instructions were not clear that we actually had to dragged around our suitcases around the airport (by this time, I had made several friends already and that’s why I was using “we” =)) – and it wasn’t just our hand luggage. It’s our whole baggages! Imagine that! Running around at the airport.
Then, after more confusion and we were assigned a 10 am flight. And after we checked in, we were told that our flight is actually broken and will be delayed until a lot later in the afternoon! But of course no one told us, we only found out somehow when we overheard others checking in!
One of my new friends were very brave and she said, let’s asked them to move us to another flight. So, we went around and around and tried to talk to a few different people, and then was allowed to change flight.
However, because we had checked in, our friend had to actually got into the plane (passing security gates, which was supposed to be a staff only area!!) to tell them which ones were our baggages to be moved to our new plane!
Then no one told us that the gate were changed and we were all waiting at the wrong gate!
Thankfully, we all made it to Jkt. But over 24 hours than the scheduled arrival – and it was a very eventful 24 hours!!
Of course having no working mobile and very limited money made the whole experience a really really bad nightmare!
Anyway, having a flight early the next day, my parents decided that I spent that night in an airport hotel with mum, and fly out of the country to travel around China the very next morning.
Imagine that! A two weeks travel around China after such an experience!!
To say that I did not enjoy my travel was such an understatement!
It was a real nightmare!
Not that the travel itself was help. It was very busy and rushed. But yeah, I think the bad start really ruined the whole two weeks! And I felt really bad because my parents paid so much money for me to enjoy the trip! But I was just sick and too tired!
And then, when I was back home to spend some time at home, I was so tired and so sick, I didn’t get to enjoy my time at home. And I felt so bad for my parents and family for being so tired and grumpy! But I was just too tired and angry (not at them, but at Grd for their unbelievable incompetency!!!)
And that’s why, even if someone paid me a lot of money – and by that I really mean A LOT (like 10k or even more), I still would not fly Grd again.
I just would not.
I would not even consider it.
Because there are a lot of things that can’t be measured by money. Time, for one, can’t be bought with money – no matter how much money you have… Time with your loved ones, and that precious togetherness and family time! Just can’t be bought at any price…
So yeah, I know, many people flew Grd and many people experienced delays. And at a glance, our experiences are equally “delays”. But the initial delay in my experience was followed by many other bad experiences as a result of that delay – directly and indirectly… And I just don’t think I’d ever be able to say that – it was a long delay, but it was fine…
It was not fine. My China trip was ruined. I hurt my parents’ hearts because I was too tired to enjoy the trip that they had spent so much money on, and because they felt bad for not being able to cancel the trip either (told them it wasn’t their fault). And yeah… as far as I’m concerned, too many bad things just happened following that delay, just because I chose to fly Grd.
I don’t blame God. God is in control and He knows what He is doing. And I just don’t blame God.
But I as I dragged my suitcases around, as I was delayed again and again in Bali, and as I travelled around China, I found myself kept saying – “even if they pay me, I would never ever fly Grd again.” (unless of course that would be the only way to meet my family – although with their track record, I doubt that would ever be the case. Although again, in this sinful world, nothing is predictable…)
But yeah… as I said, to someone who only heard me saying that I’d never fly Grd because of a very bad experience, without knowing the full story, they might think I was overreacting. But they don’t have the full picture! They really don’t know what they were talking about when saying that I’m stupid / strange for not being willing to fly Grd again, esp if they pay me…
But hey, they were not the ones who went through that! And even if they do get my full story, they still weren’t the ones who had to go through that experience! And they might have different body to mine (i.e. maybe they are stronger than me), less emotionally sensitive, and have different relationships/closeness to their family members…
But I went through what I went through, and I’m telling you, even if they pay me, I’d never ever fly Grd again. Because you just never know. Too many bad things might follow that one delay….
I didn’t ask Grd for compensation – though I felt like to!! But yeah, pay me, and I still would not fly Grd! =)