[worldtraveler]

I had a terrible experience today with Norwegian Airlines. I am a physician (medical doctor) from the U.S. I fly to London almost once a month.

I flew from Boston to London Gatwick on Thursday, August 4th at 21:20, flight DY7148.

I was to return from London Gatwick to Boston at 16:50 on Sunday, August 7th, Flight DY7147. There was a big automobile accident on M23 causing much difficulty reaching London Gatwick. Even the shuttle drivers and check-in agents were all talking about the accident because so many people were late for the flights.

I arrived to the check-in counter approximately 90 minutes before my flight. The check-in agent asked if anyone was waiting for the Boston flight. Approximately 15-20 people were waiting for that flight. The agent made a phone call to the gate to say approximately 15-20 people were coming and the gate agent said it was too late and the gate was already closed.

All 15-20 Boston passengers were told to go to the ticketing counter to be rebooked on another flight. I explained my situation to the ticketing agent and he said he could rebook me for tomorrow evening. I told him that I am a doctor and do not have the option of missing work tomorrow so it will not be a feasible option. He then said he can get me to New York City but the gate closes in ten minutes so I have to do it ASAP. He said I would be charged $296.15 and would then have to make my own travel arrangements from NYC to Boston. I said maybe I should just wait and see what all of those other people from my flight are doing. He said the gate is already closed. There is no way they are getting to Boston tonight. You should just go to NYC. So I said ok. He rebooked me to NYC and personally walked me to the check-in line since the NYC gate was close to closing.

The check-in agents told my ticketing agent that NYC was still open but only for a few minutes. He was currently rebooking one lady and her daughter in front of me (also part of the Boston crowd) to NYC, and he reassured the ticketing agent that as soon as he was finished with them he would check me in and I would definitely make it before the gate closed. The ticketing agent then returned to his desk. A few minutes later the check-in agent told me that NYC had closed and I would not make it. I said but I was just rebooked onto the flight and the ticketing agent just confirmed with you. He said sorry there is nothing I can do.

I then saw the big group of people still screaming and complaining to the manager about the Boston flight. Finally the manager agreed to reopen the gate and to let all of them check in. I then went to a gate agent and asked if I could just be checked into my original flight since all of this had transpired within fifteen minutes. She said ok. But she could not check me in because my flight had been changed to NYC. She then said she could override the new booking because she could see my original booking. But she was not able to do that. She tried making a few calls and since no manager answered the phone, she eventually gave up, telling me to go back to the ticketing agent. By this time ALL 15-20 people who were waiting with me for the Boston flight had checked in. I was the ONLY person who was not able to get on the flight. Even the lady and her daughter who were in front of me in line trying to go to NYC were able to be rebooked onto their original flight to Boston.

I went back to the ticketing agent and he called his manager to his computer. He explained that he had made an error and that instead of rebooking me for NYC as a reroute he accidentally canceled my entire flight. That is why the check-in agent was not able to check me in. His manager said there is nothing he can do and that he has to call Norwegian Airlines to try to fix everything. He also apologized to me for the mistake.

By this time I was frantic. The ticketing agent told me he could rebook me on a flight on British Airways from Heathrow but I would have to pay for a shuttle to Heathrow and pay for the ticket. The ticket agent quoted a price of £1400 for the one-way flight to Boston on British Airways. I checked online and found the same flight for slightly cheaper, and booked it for $1629.89. The shuttle from Gatwick to Heathrow cost me $34.26.

So now I have spent a total of $1960.30 in addition to all the stress and hassle all because of the error of one employee. If it were my fault I would happily accept the consequences. However people who arrived to check-in for the exact same flight after me got on the flight. I was the ONLY person who did not make it all because of the error of one employee.

I have been flying for years. I fly both domestically and internationally about once a week. I have never seen such poor customer service from any airline. All someone would have had to do was to override something and keep me on the flight for which I already had a reservation, or just make me a new "dummy" reservation for the system.

Instead I have unnecessarily spent $1960.30 in an effort to go home so I do not miss work tomorrow all because of the error of one employee.

I have been trying to get in touch with Norwegian Air Customer Service, but have not yet received any response. Every other airline I have always flown is much more helpful, and always finds a way to resolve the issue. Norwegian Air customer service has been completely unhelpful.