Traveling With Disabilities

How One Airline Check-In Experience Cost Us More Than $500 and Tested Our Patience By Damita Cleveland | LeJean Travels There are moments during travel that stay with you forever. Some become cherished memories. Others become lessons. For us, it started on a quiet drive through Albania. As we traveled toward Tirana Airport, we passed the familiar road signs pointing toward Tirana and Gjirokastër. We didn’t know it then, but that drive would mark the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. We were leaving Albania for Thailand. Our flights had been booked through Qatar Airways months in advance. Everything appeared straightforward. We had prepared our documents, arranged transportation, and planned carefully for traveling internationally as a family with mobility challenges and a toddler. What we didn’t plan for was what would happen at the airport. Everything Changed at Check-In When we arrived at Tirana Airport, we headed toward the ITA Airways check-in counters for the first leg of our journey. That is where things began to unravel. Before arriving at the airport, we had repeatedly attempted to check in online. We also tried to purchase additional baggage in advance. Neither option worked. Because our ticket originated with ITA Airways before connecting to Qatar Airways, we were directed back and forth between airlines with no clear answers. One airline pointed to the other. The other pointed somewhere else. Meanwhile, our departure time continued to get closer. The Surprise We Never Saw Coming At the check-in desk, we learned that additional baggage would cost significantly more than expected. Had we been able to purchase baggage online beforehand, the fee would have been dramatically lower. Instead, standing at the airport with no alternative and no way to leave essential belongings behind, we were faced with a choice: Pay the airport baggage fees or miss our flight. For travelers, that’s not really a choice at all. We paid. By the end of the process, the unexpected baggage charges totaled approximately $536.68 USD. What made the situation even more frustrating was that nobody seemed willing to take responsibility. ITA Airways pointed to the airport. The airport pointed elsewhere. Qatar Airways explained that the issue was outside their control. And we were left carrying the financial burden. The Cost Was More Than Money Travel has taught me that unexpected expenses happen. Flights get delayed. Plans change. Weather interferes. But this situation felt different. The most difficult part wasn’t the charge itself. It was the lack of transparency. As travelers, we don’t expect perfection. We simply expect the opportunity to make informed decisions. Had we been given accurate information beforehand, we could have planned differently. Instead, we arrived at the airport with no practical options. Moving Forward Anyway Despite the frustration, we boarded the flight. We made our connection. We landed in Bangkok. And eventually, what began as one of the most stressful travel days we’ve experienced became another chapter in our family’s story. Travel isn’t always beautiful. Sometimes it is messy. Sometimes it is expensive. Sometimes it tests your patience in ways you never imagined. Yet every journey still moves forward. That day reminded me of something important: You can spend your energy carrying frustration, or you can carry the lesson. We chose the lesson. A Note for Fellow Travelers If your itinerary involves multiple airlines on a single booking, especially when baggage policies differ, verify baggage allowances directly with every operating carrier before departure. Ask questions early. Document every interaction. Save every receipt. And if something goes wrong, don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself. We certainly did. Complaints were filed. Documentation was submitted. Now we wait. Whether reimbursement comes or not, our journey continues. Because that’s what travelers do. We keep moving forward. Where Movement Inspires Journeys. Update Complaints have been filed with both ITA Airways and Qatar Airways. We will update this article if either airline responds or provides reimbursement. Continue Reading Welcome to the Journey Seven Days in Bangkok: Following Dani’s Guide Through the City One Day in Bangkok and I am already Obsessed