I Just Wanted to Be Thrifty Part I

I had flowing hair before this search.

This summer has been an ongoing saga planning a trip to my hen friend's wedding in August. Once we flew into June and I knew I could go, I pecked through the entire Internet to find the best airfares and car rental prices. In 2013, we have countless ways and resources to find the best deal and save money. But with that comes a nasty repercussion: we have countless ways and resources to find a deal. So instead of the old days, where I could make one or two phone calls and accept whatever price they told
me, I can spend an entire week pecking through the Internet, visiting the company websites and third party discount websites, checking different dates, comparing what city is cheapest to depart, comparing which city is cheapest to arrive, debating if I can finagle a non-stop flight, wondering if prices will be lower tomorrow, wondering if prices will be higher tomorrow, comparing if it's cheaper to buy two one-ways or a roundtrip ticket, wondering why rental cars are so damn expensive, and wondering how long it would takes for someone to find me after I bash my face into the keyboard.

My airline ticket was relatively painless compared to shopping for a rental car. I drug my talons longer on the car because I refused to believe that $62 a day was a "hot deal." Finally, after weeks of pecking and bashing, I found a promotion with Thrifty: $32 a day for a "premium car" - AKA that model that looks like a cop car. Sold. After nearly two months of deal-pecking turmoil, my trip was finally set.

Fast forward to my recent e-mail from Frontier Airlines: "Change to your itinerary." I opened it and glanced at it quickly. The times were different by a few minutes. That's fine, Frontier. I confirmed and went about my life.

The next day I got an e-mail from Frontier with my itinerary for a different date. What? I reviewed that e-mail about the change, and at closer inspection with my magnifying glass, there it was in fine, 8-point font, a different date for my flight. I'd seen airlines adjust flight times slightly, but the date of my flight? Most people pick a flight date for a reason. While I accept blame for glancing at it quickly, I also feel Frontier could have either A) had a subject along the lines of "Your flight date has changed" or B) printing the different date on my itinerary in a font size that doesn't require squinting. 

Begrudgingly, I knew I had to call both Thrifty and Frontier to weigh my options. Now I'd be arriving a day before my cop car was reserved. I tried to add a day to my reservation online, and that failed, so I called Thrifty's 1-800 number. 

"HELLO! AND WELCOME TO THRIFY CAR RENTAL!" Yelled an overly perky and loud robot woman. I groaned, as this process was starting great. I went through a few "yes" or "no" prompts, yelling into the phone at the robot. Finally, she asked me to say my reservation code. I did.

"I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T CATCH THAT! PLEASE SAY YOUR RESERVATION CODE."

I did.

"I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T CATCH THAT! PLEASE SAY YOUR RESERVATION CODE."

I did, slowly and angrily.

"I'M SORRY! I'M HAVING TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING YOU! PLEASE SAY YOUR RESERVATION CODE."

I yelled the letters.

"I'M SORRY! THIS ISN'T WORKING! PLEASE HOLD WHILE I CONNECT YOU TO A REPRESENTATIVE."

Next robot, please.

No shit, lady. I want this 15 minutes of my life back. After waiting a few more minutes, I finally heard what I assumed to be a real human being. If I had any doubt, the thick, unidentifiable accent gave it away. Maybe he was too real.

I told the man I simply needed to change my reservation by adding a day. He was happy to help me, just needing my reservation code. I spoke it painfully slow and articulate to avoid the problem I had with the robot. F...V...Z...D...X...D...

"Okay, sir, I have SBCZXZ."

"No," I said, "That's not quite right. F as in fairy, V as in victory, Z as in zebra, D as in dog, X as in x-ray, D as in dog."

"Okay, sir. I have FBCTXC."

Ugh, give me back the robot! After another batch of the alphabet game, he got it. Well, he got the letters.

"Okay, sir. I'm pulling up your reservation for Salt Lake City."

"No." I said. "It's for Denver."

"Okay, sir, I'll change that for you."

"Well, that is very odd to me since I never even searched for Salt Lake City or mentioned Salt Lake City in my reservation. It's always been Denver."

"Okay, sir, I'll change that for you."

I listened to his keyboard clacking. I wondered if this was just an accented robot.

"Okay, sir, I'm just pulling up availability..."

"Okay."

Silence.

"Hello?"

Silence.

"Hello?"

Silence.

"HELLO?"

Silence.

I let the phone sit for two minutes before I let the silence and the robot win.

Keep pecking! Read about my last relationship with a robot!