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Or how this post could have three titles:
And that time we traveled in the worst company in the world
How cheap is expensive
A headache
We already talked about our departure here, but we also mentioned that we had a little problem.
We arrived at the airport more than three hours early.
First we went to understand the whole process to send Duna safely.
This was followed by a trip to customs, declaring the material we took.
We went back to the check-in desk to weigh Duna, bags and keep our ticket. And then the problems begin, which for those who have been preparing this for 3 years was really a slap in the face. Or a warning, so to speak, not to think they know everything.
Let's see if we can explain ourselves: to travel on tourism to Canada, you need to fill in the ETA and if you don't bring a ticket back to Europe, entry into the country MAY be refused. No problem, aware of the risk, we went ahead like this, not least because we had news that proved that we were going to do it, that we were going to travel around the world, we have evidence like ETSA for the United States. And we take with us Flyers that explain everything we are going to be doing. So we bought a one-way ticket to Toronto. We chose Toronto because we had family there, because Canada was my hometown and because there were direct flights from Porto.
The direct flight was a priority for us because of Duna and so we bought the ticket through the company's website, booked the place for Duna and sent the company our news only with the request that they take good care of Duna and if they wanted to to use some of the news and say that we were going to travel with Sata, even with marketing I said, and in this process there was not a soul that warned us that this would not work.
When we go to check-in, a shore hostess says that we can't travel unless we have a ticket proving that we're leaving the country, a return ticket to Europe. Well, I'm not going to write, but all the swear words I know went through my head. The stewardess said it wasn't Canadian rules but company procedure. Okay, and where is this information when buying the ticket? Where?
There we went to the SATA counter, and one of the employees of this “excellent” airline started to tell us that yes, it is SATA's norm because of illegal immigration, blablablabla. And how were we going to get out of there, we explained that we were going to cross the borders by land and that wouldn't be a problem, that we even had a visa for the USA, she said that wasn't enough. Indignantly, I stated that this information is not on the SATA website, to which the “competent” lady tells me: everything cannot be written on the website. Sorry? So don't sell tickets, that simple!
But it doesn't end here, I ask if it has to be a ticket out of Canada or if it can be from another country, like Brazil, and the lady turns around: and you're going to do everything by car to Brazil, right? But with the most incredulous air of this life. “Let's go” we all said in unison. And he asks me by email for the ESTA - paper that allows entry to the United States. And that's it, don't tell me anything else. Does anyone know what she wanted the proof for? I asked her if that was enough but she said no, it had to be the ticket
Now, we have a trip like this scheduled, the time to embark, an emotional charge the size of the world, how can we solve this? Just running out to buy a ticket. We bought a direct flight again and chose another company to return from Brazil. But we know that we will not be in Brazil on that date, so we will still have to change the ticket, with more associated costs. Not to mention that we bought a ticket without any special promotions or rates.
And there they let us on board. With a return ticket we didn't want. In the meantime we managed to solve our problem but we still haven't heard from our complaint to SATA.
And then the rest of the trip, did it go well? you ask. Well, with all this, the time we would have for lunch is gone, isn't it? There wasn't even time to buy anything to eat. We got to the plane at 15.40, we heard what the flight would be like, a movie, and a meal, how hungry! We were served the meal at 17.40. Airplane food doesn't need to be explained, but we were hungry and didn't want to know, we asked the lady kindly if she could get us one more loaf of bread for each of us, really, a loaf of bread! She said: if left! He came back to ask us if we wanted coffee or tea and then lifted the tray without saying anything else. Literally and sorry for the frankness "shitted" for us. Even in prison they treat people better.
And the movie, how about it? Fortunately, I've had the opportunity to travel a lot for work and the latest planes come equipped with one screen per person. On this flight we also had it, but we soon saw that we would not be entitled to free access to the screen. They would be the ones to choose the movie for everyone, but the movie never started again.
we still witness other less pleasant situations with other passengers. And if it weren't for Mr. Luís, the company's host, extremely friendly and competent, my image would be the worst in the world.
Even so SATA never again.
And that time we traveled in the worst company in the world
How cheap is expensive
A headache
We already talked about our departure here, but we also mentioned that we had a little problem.
We arrived at the airport more than three hours early.
First we went to understand the whole process to send Duna safely.
This was followed by a trip to customs, declaring the material we took.
We went back to the check-in desk to weigh Duna, bags and keep our ticket. And then the problems begin, which for those who have been preparing this for 3 years was really a slap in the face. Or a warning, so to speak, not to think they know everything.
Let's see if we can explain ourselves: to travel on tourism to Canada, you need to fill in the ETA and if you don't bring a ticket back to Europe, entry into the country MAY be refused. No problem, aware of the risk, we went ahead like this, not least because we had news that proved that we were going to do it, that we were going to travel around the world, we have evidence like ETSA for the United States. And we take with us Flyers that explain everything we are going to be doing. So we bought a one-way ticket to Toronto. We chose Toronto because we had family there, because Canada was my hometown and because there were direct flights from Porto.
The direct flight was a priority for us because of Duna and so we bought the ticket through the company's website, booked the place for Duna and sent the company our news only with the request that they take good care of Duna and if they wanted to to use some of the news and say that we were going to travel with Sata, even with marketing I said, and in this process there was not a soul that warned us that this would not work.
When we go to check-in, a shore hostess says that we can't travel unless we have a ticket proving that we're leaving the country, a return ticket to Europe. Well, I'm not going to write, but all the swear words I know went through my head. The stewardess said it wasn't Canadian rules but company procedure. Okay, and where is this information when buying the ticket? Where?
There we went to the SATA counter, and one of the employees of this “excellent” airline started to tell us that yes, it is SATA's norm because of illegal immigration, blablablabla. And how were we going to get out of there, we explained that we were going to cross the borders by land and that wouldn't be a problem, that we even had a visa for the USA, she said that wasn't enough. Indignantly, I stated that this information is not on the SATA website, to which the “competent” lady tells me: everything cannot be written on the website. Sorry? So don't sell tickets, that simple!
But it doesn't end here, I ask if it has to be a ticket out of Canada or if it can be from another country, like Brazil, and the lady turns around: and you're going to do everything by car to Brazil, right? But with the most incredulous air of this life. “Let's go” we all said in unison. And he asks me by email for the ESTA - paper that allows entry to the United States. And that's it, don't tell me anything else. Does anyone know what she wanted the proof for? I asked her if that was enough but she said no, it had to be the ticket
Now, we have a trip like this scheduled, the time to embark, an emotional charge the size of the world, how can we solve this? Just running out to buy a ticket. We bought a direct flight again and chose another company to return from Brazil. But we know that we will not be in Brazil on that date, so we will still have to change the ticket, with more associated costs. Not to mention that we bought a ticket without any special promotions or rates.
And there they let us on board. With a return ticket we didn't want. In the meantime we managed to solve our problem but we still haven't heard from our complaint to SATA.
And then the rest of the trip, did it go well? you ask. Well, with all this, the time we would have for lunch is gone, isn't it? There wasn't even time to buy anything to eat. We got to the plane at 15.40, we heard what the flight would be like, a movie, and a meal, how hungry! We were served the meal at 17.40. Airplane food doesn't need to be explained, but we were hungry and didn't want to know, we asked the lady kindly if she could get us one more loaf of bread for each of us, really, a loaf of bread! She said: if left! He came back to ask us if we wanted coffee or tea and then lifted the tray without saying anything else. Literally and sorry for the frankness "shitted" for us. Even in prison they treat people better.
And the movie, how about it? Fortunately, I've had the opportunity to travel a lot for work and the latest planes come equipped with one screen per person. On this flight we also had it, but we soon saw that we would not be entitled to free access to the screen. They would be the ones to choose the movie for everyone, but the movie never started again.
we still witness other less pleasant situations with other passengers. And if it weren't for Mr. Luís, the company's host, extremely friendly and competent, my image would be the worst in the world.
Even so SATA never again.
