I’m fuming.

Okay, maybe mostly with myself.

In all my excitement of going to Hong Kong, Macau, and meeting Sam, sense slipped me, and I booked my return ticket to Shenzhen using my CHINESE name. In Chinese characters, yes, when my passport only contains English characters. What the hell was I thinking? I booked it last Monday or so, but I only realized my folly late last night. The guy at the ticketing office was kind enough to help me enquire whether I will be able to check-in, but ultimately I had to check it up myself.

First I called Shanghai Hongqiao Airport’s Customs office to explain my situation, and he kindly told me to check with the airline company. I called the HQ of China Southern Airlines, they were polite enough, but they could not give me a clear answer, asking me to check with the Airlines counter at Hongqiao Airport. The staff of China Southern Airlines airport was not too friendly, interrupting all my sentences, giving me nonsense solutions, and irritatedly told me to jolly well get myself a new ticket, and HUNG UP. Fuming, I called up the HQ to get the number to complain, but I let it go in the end.

I called up the Customs office again and told him the staff at China Southern Airlines said I could check-in as long as I can prove I’m the person the ticket states (a half-lie/truth), said that they allowed me to use my student pass as a proof of identity, and that I just wanted to check with customs that I can do so. He sounds like a nice person, for he had the patience to listen me out with my semi-broken Mandarin, checked that my student pass is from Shanghai, and gave me the green light. YAY!

I’m still very agitated by the rude staff at the counter of Hongqiao Airport though. It is intolerable of a service staff, to be intolerable! And she’s a frontline staff!

I haven’t been annoyed at such hostility from service staff for a long time after getting used to it here, but her tone used and her hanging up on me was a tad too much. They reminded me of all the hostility I received but tried to forget here.

And the merry-go-round game! Why is it mandatory to get on the carousel before I can get an exact answer?

It’s mostly my fault, I know. I tend to screw up when I’m too hyped up over something. This post would not have existed if I had a clear head and registered with my passport name.

Wish me luck. Let’s hope everything turns out well.

N.B. I discovered that Ctrip has lower prices nearer the departure date afterall! Should have bought from Ctrip instead, darn. They have slightly lower fares than the half price one I bought. Arrgh.