Hey, everyone! This post is going to be formatted a little differently than my usual ones, as it is mostly a “live-tweet” chronicle of a horrendous 48-hour journey from the US back to Aotearoa NZ. I started writing it as a way to process the drama that kept continuously unfolding but ultimately decided to share it with you all here. I’ve also shared it with United and Air New Zealand… so we’ll see if I get any compensation LOL.

Chicago to Houston

This all began when Air New Zealand discontinued their non-stop flights from Chicago to Auckland. I was given a layover in Houston instead, through United Airlines.

After a lovely visit with my family and friends, my parents dropped me off at O’Hare at 230pm. I was able to check in without problem. 

Once through security, I cozied up and went through photos from my trip home. Soon after, I received a text that my flight would be delayed from 5.50pm to 7.30pm which would mean I would be missing my connecting flight from Houston to Auckland.

At that point, I tried calling United Airlines to figure something out. They tried to help me see if we could move from Chicago to Houston to San Francisco instead. We were almost going to move it and then I realized that flight was delayed and missing the connecting flight too. Eventually, they said it would be better to contact Air New Zealand as they were the source I purchased tickets from.

Air New Zealand then recommended I go to Houston and talk to United to see if I could make the flight but to try to prearrange a backup plan and hotels, meal vouchers, etc. They said since it was United’s delay, they would be responsible. 

I went to the ticket agent at the United gate to see if they could do this prearrangement. They arranged a new flight for me but said I would have to organize everything else through an online agent by scanning a QR code.

Houston to Auckland

I arrived in Houston and had missed my connecting flight by over an hour. I talked to someone outside the gate and they told me the same – I needed to talk to someone through the QR code. I asked if I could talk to anyone in person but they said no.

I went outside and talked to the person via the QR code who confirmed my change of flights for the next day – 24 hours from that moment. She informed me she couldn’t offer accommodation due to an “uncontrollable delay” which was blasphemy to hear. How could I be delayed by 24 hours, with my baggage sent to New Zealand without me? Was I supposed to sleep in the airport for 24 hours? She ended up urging me to talk to someone at the local airport to see if they could override the decision and arrange a hotel for me.

I went to baggage claim and spoke with a woman to see if she could help me. She listened to my situation and then looked up my flight schedule on her computer. She told me that I had already talked to someone and that accommodation couldn’t be honored because of the uncontrollable delay. I asked her if there was anything they could do, that it was basically absurd to not be offered a hotel room for a 24 hour delay.

She stepped away to talk to somebody else. She came back and told me more of the same – that the best they could do was offer me some sort of discount on hotels. I tried to push back and she ended up calling someone in front of me. She repeated that they couldn’t do anything. At that point I was exhausted, tired, and frustrated after a long day of travel and delays. While I was polite, I made clear my frustration with the situation – begging her to waive the fees.

She walked away again, for longer this time. When she returned, she was pleased to tell me they would be waiving the fees for me. Very quickly, the situation turned around. She gave me a hotel, two meal vouchers, and vouchers for Lyft to and from the hotel. She also gave me a water bottle, toothbrush, etc. which were much appreciated since my luggage was on its way to New Zealand on another flight.

(In hindsight… yes, it’s great that they ended up giving me these things – but I really had to BEG for it. That shouldn’t have happened.)

I took the Lyft to my hotel and after reaching out to United about some other things, I was off to bed.

In the morning, I called Air New Zealand. With the change of flight, I figured they wouldn’t have my dietary restriction on the new flight. I asked if they could add it but they said it needs to be done 24 hours before the flight. I asked about my luggage and asked what the process was like about collecting it from New Zealand. While the ANZ rep was nice, they weren’t able to help me much.

I did yoga, showered, and had to leave the hotel at noon. Nearly ten hours to kill before my flight was set to depart.

I walked to Subway to use my meal voucher and it wasn’t going through. The clerk said she couldn’t manually put in the credit card information. Frustrated and exhausted from the travel hiccups, I just paid with my own card. I messaged United trying to get reimbursed for the $10. While not too pricy, it was the principle of it. We’ll see what happens with that.

After eating, I went outside to call my parents and tell them about the situation. While walking to find a quiet spot, I almost started crying. The last 24 hours had been A LOT.

I stood under a big tree. It was muggy and warm outside – nearly 80 degrees, and I was carrying a hoodie, jacket, and winter coat with me.  The idea was to bring the warm clothes back to New Zealand with me in preparation for the cold months.

While on the phone with my mom and explaining the situation to her, it started to rain. Perfect! I had planned to maybe take an Uber into the city to do some exploring before my flight. I thought it wasn’t supposed to rain until 3pm and even then only for an hour. I checked the forecast and it was saying rain and thunderstorms all day and night. Will this be affecting my flight… again?

After phoning my mom, I went back to the Subway to sit down for a little while. I didn’t want to go to the airport, where I would be for the next 8 hours at that point. And yet, with the rain, I didn’t have many options. Defeated, I tried to call the Lyft and then realized… since it was a voucher, it would only be picking me up from the hotel.

The rain had lightened to a misty drizzle, so I began my journey back to the hotel. Halfway there, it started to pour. I couldn’t help but laugh – the whole thing was so goddamn absurd. One thing after the next after the next after the next.

I took the Lyft to the airport and for some reason got dropped off at terminal C. I went to check in at the United kiosk, but the screen told me I had to check in with Air New Zealand. Off I went to terminal D. And guess what? With it only being 2.45pm, I was informed Air New Zealand wouldn’t be at the check in gate until 4pm. There was no digital kiosk to do a self check in. With time to spare, I decided to sit outside vaping and start writing up this chronicle. I am hoping that this is the last of it – that my flight will depart on time and I’ll be back in Queenstown with enough time to safely retrieve my luggage, stop at my hostel to grab things for Stewart island, and hit the road with enough time to make the 5.15pm ferry. However… I am just not sure.

Updates to come.

Around 6pm, the Air New Zealand employees were at the check in counters and I was able to get my boarding pass. Once through security, I went to the gate and talked with a real angel – Fabianna – who hooked up a window seat and blocked out the next seat over for me. I gave her cookies and twizzlers for her help. She was an angel after a really hellish 24 hours. She also told me my baggage was at Auckland, not Queenstown. I would have to collect that there during my layover. (GOOD TO KNOW since the bag tag had said Queenstown.)

Boarding was supposed to be at 9.10pm, but I didn’t get on the plan until 9.30pm. Not a drastic delay, but unfortunately the rain kicked up again and there was… yet another delay. It was unclear exactly what the reason was. At one point, the pilot was talking about the weather. At another, they were mentioning that the ground staff was unloading cargo for some reason. And they also said a mechanic was looking at something on the front of the plane. Unfortunate that this wasn’t the situation the night before, because maybe I would have actually made my connection. 

Realizing the flight was nearly an hour late, it was seeming that I would… once again, likely miss my connecting flight. This time from Auckland to Queenstown. While there are other flights to Queenstown throughout the day, it meant I probably wouldn’t get back to Queenstown in time to make my ferry to Stewart Island and would have to reach out to both my hostel and ferry to see if we could change the dates… again.  The bad luck just continues, one thing after the next. A true domino effect, all led by a two hour delay from O’Hare.

The flights finally took off at 11.30pm – nearly 2 hours late. Prior to take off, there were lightning strikes.  I wondered if the plane would pull right back to the gate and make us de-board. It was seeming likely. But then, eventually, we were in the sky.

There was a lot of turbulence along majority of the flight but luckily I was able to sleep on and off practically the whole time. Bless Fabianna for blocking the seat next to me so I could lay down on my side.

Auckland to Queenstown

Due to the delay, I thought I would miss my flight to Queenstown.

Once we touched down in Auckland, I knew it was unlikely I would make my 7.55am flight, but I hustled anyway. Since it was only 7am, the airport wasn’t very busy and I was able to get through customs and collect my bag very quickly. I then had to hustle to the domestic terminal. 

I arrived at the terminal and went to check in my bags… but there was an error. Despite the fact that the flight to New Zealand was delayed to 8.10am, an employee told me it was probably too late to check the bag and that’s why I was getting the error. She told me to go see someone at the counter to get my new flight situated.

I went to the empty counter, waiting for someone to come assist me. Eventually, an Air New Zealand employee walked by and she asked if I needed anything. I briefly explained the situation. She made a quick phone call to the employees at the gate, asking if they could make an exception for me. They could. I wish I had thought to ask her name but I was so frazzled and hurried I didn’t have a chance.

She guided me to check my bag. She then had a colleague escort me. We were fast-tracked through security and she took me right up to the gate, where people were finishing boarding. (In hindsight, it was truly a frantic thing. I remember rushing through security so much I was almost going to walk away with only one boot on. I hardly tied my laces.)

I was in my seat at 8am, sweaty from the rush, but bewildered I would be getting back in time.

After a long and hellish journey, I was finally going to be getting back to Queenstown in time to make it to Stewart Island.

This was by far the worst flight experience of my life. One thing after another seemed to go wrong. There were times where I was on the verge of tears, frustrated and overwhelmed by the relentless mishaps.

The domino effect of United’s minor delay was enormous. And yet… there were pockets of good. Fabianna, who helped block out the seat next to me which allowed me to lay down and sleep through the flight to Auckland… the lady in Auckland who helped me get to the flight in time and the lady who escorted me.

In Houston, while waiting to board my flight to Auckland, I overheard a Turkish airlines employee telling someone they had been delayed in Houston for four days. It could always, always be worse.

I’m grateful that I am getting back in Queenstown in time to still enjoy my Stewart Island vacation. I’m grateful I didn’t have another 24 hour layover in Houston. I’m grateful to have arrived safely on all these flights. And lastly, I’m grateful for my family and friends for sympathizing and helping me get through the limbo of an awful commute I had been living through for 48 hours.