Comments on: The Big Breakdown http://thebudgetingbabe.com/2007/05/07/the-big-breakdown/ A personal finance blog for career minded women with small budgets and big dreams. Tue, 29 May 2012 14:43:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Chad Smith, CFP® http://thebudgetingbabe.com/2007/05/07/the-big-breakdown/#comment-2066 Chad Smith, CFP® Mon, 14 May 2007 19:58:00 +0000 http://thebudgetingbabe.com/?p=291#comment-2066 I feel your pain concerning the passports. My wife and I dealt with the same problem a few weeks ago. We applied 10 weeks exactly (Feb 21) before we were to leave for our honeymoon in Cancun, Mexico(May 2). The friendly post office worker here in Raleigh, let us know it would be 6-8 weeks so we felt we had plenty of time. Come Monday, April 30, after we got married and two days before our flight, still no passports. After countless tries to get through to the passport workers with similar wait times to what you described and a call to our congressmen's office we found that they were still processing and we would have to visit our regional passport office. The closest office to Raleigh, NC is in Washington, DC which is a 4 1/2 hour drive. We scheduled an appt for Tuesday morn at 8am. After arriving promptly at 8 we had to wait until 3:30 that afternoon to receive our passports. We still had to pack and deal with rush hour traffic in Wash DC which enabled us to move 20 miles in 2 hours. We got back to Raleigh at 11pm and nearly missed our flight the next morning at 7:30 due to our fatigue. I feel your pain concerning the passports. My wife and I dealt with the same problem a few weeks ago. We applied 10 weeks exactly (Feb 21) before we were to leave for our honeymoon in Cancun, Mexico(May 2). The friendly post office worker here in Raleigh, let us know it would be 6-8 weeks so we felt we had plenty of time. Come Monday, April 30, after we got married and two days before our flight, still no passports. After countless tries to get through to the passport workers with similar wait times to what you described and a call to our congressmen’s office we found that they were still processing and we would have to visit our regional passport office. The closest office to Raleigh, NC is in Washington, DC which is a 4 1/2 hour drive. We scheduled an appt for Tuesday morn at 8am. After arriving promptly at 8 we had to wait until 3:30 that afternoon to receive our passports. We still had to pack and deal with rush hour traffic in Wash DC which enabled us to move 20 miles in 2 hours. We got back to Raleigh at 11pm and nearly missed our flight the next morning at 7:30 due to our fatigue.

]]> By: Susan http://thebudgetingbabe.com/2007/05/07/the-big-breakdown/#comment-2056 Susan Wed, 09 May 2007 13:07:00 +0000 http://thebudgetingbabe.com/?p=291#comment-2056 Nicole, I feel your pain, BELIEVE ME!!! I had a similar experience at JFK Airport with Delta a few short weeks ago: http://theurbanmuse.blogspot.com/2007/04/how-delta-nearly-ruined-my-trip.html. <br/><br/>I am trying to get Delta to reimburse me for some of my expenses like cab fare and breakfast while I was stranded at the airport, but I doubt it will happen. We should boycott Delta for their abysmal customer service! <br/><br/>I have to fly through La Guardia in a few weeks, so I looked into buying traveler's insurance in case I get stranded again. Unfortunately there is NOTHING that covers "stranded in the airport due to rudeness" (but $13 would cover illness or weather emergencies). Nicole, I feel your pain, BELIEVE ME!!! I had a similar experience at JFK Airport with Delta a few short weeks ago: http://theurbanmuse.blogspot.com/2007/04/how-delta-nearly-ruined-my-trip.html.

I am trying to get Delta to reimburse me for some of my expenses like cab fare and breakfast while I was stranded at the airport, but I doubt it will happen. We should boycott Delta for their abysmal customer service!

I have to fly through La Guardia in a few weeks, so I looked into buying traveler’s insurance in case I get stranded again. Unfortunately there is NOTHING that covers “stranded in the airport due to rudeness” (but $13 would cover illness or weather emergencies).

]]> By: Frugal Homemaker http://thebudgetingbabe.com/2007/05/07/the-big-breakdown/#comment-2055 Frugal Homemaker Tue, 08 May 2007 18:32:00 +0000 http://thebudgetingbabe.com/?p=291#comment-2055 Sorry about your airport troubles. I am also not a huge crier, but I have lost it more than once in an airport line. We nearly missed our flight home from Europe because we got off our plane from Frankfort in Amsterdam, had to go through customs again, had to pick up our bags, recheck our bags, go through security again, and then we had to go through an additional security line thing once we got to the gate, since the plane was going to the US. I had to pee! We had planned on getting lunch! We had two hours between flights, and we still almost missed our flight. Oh, I feel your pain.<br/><br/>Passports suck post 9/11. I hope he gets his- you may see if you can pay to do expedited service if it is not too late. Meredith at Like Merchant Ships is having trouble getting her kids passports now as well! Sorry about your airport troubles. I am also not a huge crier, but I have lost it more than once in an airport line. We nearly missed our flight home from Europe because we got off our plane from Frankfort in Amsterdam, had to go through customs again, had to pick up our bags, recheck our bags, go through security again, and then we had to go through an additional security line thing once we got to the gate, since the plane was going to the US. I had to pee! We had planned on getting lunch! We had two hours between flights, and we still almost missed our flight. Oh, I feel your pain.

Passports suck post 9/11. I hope he gets his- you may see if you can pay to do expedited service if it is not too late. Meredith at Like Merchant Ships is having trouble getting her kids passports now as well!

]]> By: Tanya http://thebudgetingbabe.com/2007/05/07/the-big-breakdown/#comment-2053 Tanya Tue, 08 May 2007 12:21:00 +0000 http://thebudgetingbabe.com/?p=291#comment-2053 I cannot believe you are still waiting for the passport, that is outrageous! I had no problems with getting mine they told me 10 weeks but I got it in 2 without any extra money, I guess it all depends who gets you paperwork. I really hope you will get it before you have to pay more money for you trip. I cannot believe you are still waiting for the passport, that is outrageous! I had no problems with getting mine they told me 10 weeks but I got it in 2 without any extra money, I guess it all depends who gets you paperwork. I really hope you will get it before you have to pay more money for you trip.

]]> By: Anonymous http://thebudgetingbabe.com/2007/05/07/the-big-breakdown/#comment-2052 Anonymous Tue, 08 May 2007 04:56:00 +0000 http://thebudgetingbabe.com/?p=291#comment-2052 Budgeting Babe, your boyfriend's passport situation is a shame. This is where I think the attitude by some personal finance bloggers about living frugally goes too far. You can use a passport expediting service for a couple hundred dollars they can literally get you your passport within a day. I've used such services, they basically have a network into the fast-track at the passport agencies and take care of the whole thing. I watch my spending on certain things, i.e. I don't live lavishly even though most in my profession and income level do, but I pay for conveniences and expedited service on things. It makes things so much easier and you don't have to waste your time on the little things. Budgeting Babe, your boyfriend’s passport situation is a shame. This is where I think the attitude by some personal finance bloggers about living frugally goes too far. You can use a passport expediting service for a couple hundred dollars they can literally get you your passport within a day. I’ve used such services, they basically have a network into the fast-track at the passport agencies and take care of the whole thing. I watch my spending on certain things, i.e. I don’t live lavishly even though most in my profession and income level do, but I pay for conveniences and expedited service on things. It makes things so much easier and you don’t have to waste your time on the little things.

]]> By: Jessica Anne Elizabeth http://thebudgetingbabe.com/2007/05/07/the-big-breakdown/#comment-2051 Jessica Anne Elizabeth Tue, 08 May 2007 02:24:00 +0000 http://thebudgetingbabe.com/?p=291#comment-2051 This is the second Delta horror story I have heard today...don't fly with them!! NO ONE SHOULD. This is the second Delta horror story I have heard today…don’t fly with them!! NO ONE SHOULD.

]]> By: Justina http://thebudgetingbabe.com/2007/05/07/the-big-breakdown/#comment-2050 Justina Mon, 07 May 2007 23:52:00 +0000 http://thebudgetingbabe.com/?p=291#comment-2050 We made zero plans when we went to Ireland a few years ago. We got there, rented a car, and spent the next week or so wandering around the countryside, staying at the abundant B&Bs that were everywhere. Just look for the four leaf clover signs; it means the B&B is decent.<br/><br/>Good luck! We made zero plans when we went to Ireland a few years ago. We got there, rented a car, and spent the next week or so wandering around the countryside, staying at the abundant B&Bs that were everywhere. Just look for the four leaf clover signs; it means the B&B is decent.

Good luck!

]]> By: Rich Minx http://thebudgetingbabe.com/2007/05/07/the-big-breakdown/#comment-2049 Rich Minx Mon, 07 May 2007 22:04:00 +0000 http://thebudgetingbabe.com/?p=291#comment-2049 Travelling can be very stressful, and airline workers are generally wankers with a few exceptions. I think they feel the same way about passengers though. Have you ever been to Heathrow? There are signs everywhere saying, 'Please don't abuse our staff.' I think the grumpiness is contagious; one surly passenger snaps at the check-in guy, who then berates the couple behind them... and so on. All I can say is, I'm glad I don't work at an airport! Travelling can be very stressful, and airline workers are generally wankers with a few exceptions. I think they feel the same way about passengers though. Have you ever been to Heathrow? There are signs everywhere saying, ‘Please don’t abuse our staff.’ I think the grumpiness is contagious; one surly passenger snaps at the check-in guy, who then berates the couple behind them… and so on. All I can say is, I’m glad I don’t work at an airport!

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