Home Sweet Home

After 3 days of basically living out of airports looking for flights, Sarah and I made it back home.  I thought that this poster was pure irony.

Few lessons learned on dealing with a situation like this in the future that I thought I'd pass on:

• Always monitor flight status -- Don't assume the carrier will notify you or rebook.  We never were, even after repeatedly giving our contact info.  They didn't protect us either, by putting us on another flight until we pushed the issue.
• Have a contingency plan for alternate routing in case flights get cancelled.  Know the next flight going, alternate connections, seating availability
• Often, it's really hard to get through on the phone, so use travel agent or hotel staff to help you get through.  EgyptAir staff often just ignore the phone.  Usually, the most effective way to get something done is to go directly to the airport or airline company sales office.
• First try to rebook through United or whoever booked the original ticket.  If they did this, the local company often cannot make changes.  The good thing about working with the local company directly is that they are not bound to award travel only, but may put you in a regular seat if they feel like it.
• Be polite but persistent and talk with different people and departments.  Don't give too much info and clearly state what you want – usually a rebooking, upgrade, compensation, or hotel accommodations. Often, we have been told no on the phone, then a different story at the airport or sales office.  Or, a counter agent will deny us seats, but a conversation escalated to the supervisor gets us there.  Document everyone's name and last name (and ideally a phone number) – don't be shy because if someone tells you something and you don't have their info documented, it's useless.  If possible, if someone promises that someone else will do something, rebook you, set you up with hotel, etc, have that person call over to their counterpart where you're going to make sure someone on the opposite end knows.  
• If this doesn't work, tell them you would like to formally lodge a complaint.  Do this in writing, make a copy or take a photo, tell them you will follow this up with Star Alliance (or whatever mother network), and add their own name and why this was unsatisfactory.  Ask for a receipt or other formal acknowledgement.  Pushing it to this will often be enough.  A different person came out, all smiles, and said that they would put us up (despite everyone earlier telling us this could not happen) with full board.  He asked if this was satisfactory and if it would still be necessary to file the complaint.