My First Travel Job

It seems like ages ago that I sat down in a cubicle and strapped on the headset and started my day with a friendly, "Thank you for Calling American Express. How may I help you?" I have always worked in the travel industry and I loved it.

I did realize that I wasn't cut out to book leisure travel. I worried about everyone on their personal vacations. I just wanted them to have a wonderful experience. Once, while working for Nouveau Travel in Lexington, KY, I booked a couple on a 14 day trip to Dublin, London, Zurich, and Rome. They only wanted to stay in one place for about 3-4 nights. It was my first International trip. Once the planning and preparations were complete all they had to do was board the plane.

The day they arrived in London I got a call. "My luggage is lost!!" Oh no! Of course this is not my fault and there is truly nothing I can do about it being so far away. BUT I tried. I contacted the airline and arranged for their luggage to be sent to their hotel as soon as it arrives. The traveler was content. The next day when I arrived to work there was a voicemail for me. "We still haven't' received our luggage! YOU have to get it to us ASAP!" Oh no! Well, I spent the entire two weeks of their European vacation tracking down their luggage. And the luggage was one step behind them the entire two weeks.

I was fed all kinds of excuses why their luggage wasn't arriving on time from each airline and unfortunately I had to relay this information back to the client. Each call was a screamer.

The day after they returned from their trip they stormed into the travel office. They yelled at me until they were horse. Being sensitive I almost burst into tears right there on the sales floor. Luckily my boss was a very strong independent woman who took charge of the situation. She told them that this is an issue with the airline and not with the person who booked their travel. They were not satisfied. They handed us a bill. Yep, a bill for all of the clothes that they purchased while on vacation. A bill for two thousand dollars worth of clothing. I don't think I could wear two thousand dollars worth of clothes in two weeks!! My manager told me not to worry about it and threw away the bill right in front of the client and told them that they can no longer do business with us.

Nothing ever came of that clothing bill. Thankfully! But this taught me a valuable lesson in being a customer. I also realized that I was not meant to be a leisure travel agent! My skin just isn't tough enough!