Because my credit limit on my card wasn't sufficient to cover my airfare last year, my mum had generously lent me her card number. Back then it was easier to book a flight as all I needed were the number, the expiry date, and the card security digits. This time, getting an online ticket entailed much more...that is, my mum either had to come with me to the airport on the day of my departure, or she goes to the Delta Airlines office to confirm the ticket purchase. While I realize this was made to protect cardholders from fraudulent use, it really ticked me that this unexpected sitch "forced" me to alter my itinerary for the day.
Since I live in QC, my options to go to Makati were to take a bus, the MRT, or the cab. With the flag down rate of cabs already up by ten bucks and the increments at three-fifty, taxis were definitely out of the question. I scrapped the idea of taking the MRT as well when I saw the very long queues just leading up to the station. They were about a block long! I wasn't in a rush so I'd decided to endure the rest of my bus ride. I really should've checked the plackards before getting on the damn thing as it took me two hours just to get to Buendia. The bus driver stopped at every corner and waited around like 10 minutes so even though I'd sleep some, I'd find myself waking up just a few blocks away from where I'd first drifted off.
Anyway, I made it to the office still sane. The place is easy enough to find though it would seem a bit remote. It was unimpressive and looked like the PAL office I'd gone to before but surprisingly, it was a whole lot smaller than I'd originally imagined. I was surprised about that since I thought many travellers opted to take DA when heading to the Americas. As such, I figured that there'd be a roomier booking office to accommodate its patrons.
Despite the limited space, I noticed that the procession of customers entertained by the clerks was slow. I waited close to half an hour for my turn though there were only 3 people ahead of me. Apparently, these people hadn't done their research and weren't ready with their flight preferences so catering to them took an extraordinarily extended length of time.
When my number was called, the clerk was nice and courteous enough. I wondered if she was really like that with everyone she'd assisted before since I felt she'd treated me the way an adult treated a child. Not that she was condescending or patronizing, mind you, but it did feel like she was careful with her inquiries and her instructions. I didn't really care as that's not unusual for me...but it was amusing. I had the advantage of being able to get window seats so that wasn't such a bad deal. In any case, I'm just glad to get this over and done with. I've learned my lesson. Before my next trip, I should seriously think about getting a higher credit limit on my card so I can forego small hassles.
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