Kinda the same thing happened to me: I got a phone call from Mom, telling me that my father wasn’t great, and likely entering his last days. I arranged to go and visit him at short notice… it took a couple of days to get things arranged then …
… the travel agent I used at the time didn’t get me a booking (I have NO idea why, and in those days I didn’t understand about bereavement fares or online bookings). She delayed a couple of days answering my email, I just thought she would get it done (it hadn’t been a problem in the past)… I think she didn’t get my email on the first attempt or at least ignored it.
We finally got to my father’s bedside the day before he passed. But he’d had a good day or two previously, which I’d have made generously if the TA had got me on a flight at the weekend – I just reviewed my email: I didn’t tell her my father was dying (why!? or maybe I did on the phone?) I remember there were several phone calls at the time.
That cost her a lot of $ since I stopped using her services after that. I’d used her for multiple flights in the past at my friend’s recommendation. She seemed helpful after the travel agent Jenny Su lost my friend’s passport (who does that?).
There was no point in feeling guilty about missing his last few days – he’d have understood how long it takes to travel so far… perhaps things happened like that for a reason (I don’t know). Perhaps… perhaps… no point in dwelling on perhaps. I love you, Dad. You were distant from me for too long. Perhaps you never knew that. But you did your best. Thanks!
