How Hard Can It Be?

Totally off-topic rant…

I have been trying to get flight tickets to DiGRA conference at Tokyo but using travel agency Area, that Finnish universities are required to use, seem to render this very simple task impossible.

I asked ticked (at May 23) to Tokyo so that I would arrive to Tokyo before September 24, 2007 (which is Monday). I got two alternatives:

1. One leaving Sunday, September 22 and arriving to Tokyo September 24.
2. One leaving Saturday, September 22 and arriving to Tokyo September 23. This one was not really an alternative as it costs 1000 euros more than the first one.

After asking about this by email I got no reply and finally called Area and asked about this. Vendor assured that the flight should be fine and there is just typo at itinerary and I just need to get back to person I have been in contact with previously. So I asked he, again to confirm that the flight in alternative 1 will be leaving Saturday, September 22 and will arrive Sunday, September 23.

I did get aswer to this one: “Yes, the flight is leaving at Sunday, September 22 and arrives at Monday 23.” Flight should be fine I have been assured;/ However, for some reason I cannot get itinerary that is correct nor right dates in paper–only conflicting information on flight dates. Our departments secretary have also contacted them (twice, I think) and asked Area to send new itinerary so that we could confirm that reservation is correct and ask them to write tickets. We haven’t heard anything from them after that.

Sadly, this isn’t the first time: I needed to use train at my last conference trip at January 2007. At first, Area offered me train choices from January 2o06. After asking new alternative that I got them promptly and from right year. However, only one choice with I could be in time at airport.

I am really tired to this gorgeous service offered by Area; luckily I am not traveling with my work as much as I just to do (I need to say that it used no to be this bad when I was working at the University of Tampere).