Will soon need flight to UK for Dad's funeral
Oct 8th 2011, 3:27 pm
#31
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2009
Location: Mandurah, WA
Posts: 116
Re: Will soon need flight to UK for Dad's funeral
I am in almost the exact same position as you.
I made a trip back in May which was our first since we made the move to Oz. Everything was fine and dandy. Two weeks after I returned my Dad was diagnosed with aggressive terminal lung cancer.
I went home again in sept for a fortnight and had planned to return again for a final family xmas.
Unfortunately i now find myself back in the UK after only being back in oz for 2 weeks.
I got THE phonecall on thursday to say we only had a matter of days. I booked myself on the next flight home but im gutted to say that after 26 hours travel i missed my dad by an hour
(((
i arrived at Perth airport and realised that i cudnt even remember which flight i was on! I was in floods of tears at the Qantas desk and i cannot praise the staff highly enough. I was given an empty row of seats the entire way. I got a call at hong kong to say i probably wouldnt make it home in time. I was inconsolable but again staff were amazing, sat with me and supplied the tissues!!
Im now waiting for the funeral on thursday and i need to contact Qantas about taking the ashes back to Oz with me. I have no doubt that they will be great and be able to answer any questions.
Its always a sad time and so difficult when your away from family but i would def advise letting the airline know. X
I made a trip back in May which was our first since we made the move to Oz. Everything was fine and dandy. Two weeks after I returned my Dad was diagnosed with aggressive terminal lung cancer.
I went home again in sept for a fortnight and had planned to return again for a final family xmas.
Unfortunately i now find myself back in the UK after only being back in oz for 2 weeks.
I got THE phonecall on thursday to say we only had a matter of days. I booked myself on the next flight home but im gutted to say that after 26 hours travel i missed my dad by an hour
((( i arrived at Perth airport and realised that i cudnt even remember which flight i was on! I was in floods of tears at the Qantas desk and i cannot praise the staff highly enough. I was given an empty row of seats the entire way. I got a call at hong kong to say i probably wouldnt make it home in time. I was inconsolable but again staff were amazing, sat with me and supplied the tissues!!
Im now waiting for the funeral on thursday and i need to contact Qantas about taking the ashes back to Oz with me. I have no doubt that they will be great and be able to answer any questions.
Its always a sad time and so difficult when your away from family but i would def advise letting the airline know. X
Oct 8th 2011, 9:54 pm
#32
Auntie Fa
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Seattle
Posts: 7,344
Re: Will soon need flight to UK for Dad's funeral
It's all still a bit fresh for me, emotions bubble up every now and then (just been through another birthday) and also have the thought in the back of my mind that I will probably get another call someday soon.
The sad fact of expat life is that many of us will go through this kind of thing. Just want to say - thinking of all of you that have been through this recently or are going through it now.
RenShen, thanks for sharing. At times like this we can do no more for the dead, but need to look after the living - which includes yourself.
Elmo, please don't beat yourself up, you saw your Dad very recently and I'm sure he knew you were doing your best to get there. Take care x
(I missed my Mum's passing, too, was actually in the UK but at the wrong end of it. A couple of months earlier I spent a fraught 7 days getting to her but did spend 3 weeks by her bedside, feeding her, dressing her, finally giving something back to her, watching her amaze doctors with her resilience, and for that I will always be grateful despite the horrific journey. And the nearly four figure mobile phone bill...)
The sad fact of expat life is that many of us will go through this kind of thing. Just want to say - thinking of all of you that have been through this recently or are going through it now.
RenShen, thanks for sharing. At times like this we can do no more for the dead, but need to look after the living - which includes yourself.
Elmo, please don't beat yourself up, you saw your Dad very recently and I'm sure he knew you were doing your best to get there. Take care x
(I missed my Mum's passing, too, was actually in the UK but at the wrong end of it. A couple of months earlier I spent a fraught 7 days getting to her but did spend 3 weeks by her bedside, feeding her, dressing her, finally giving something back to her, watching her amaze doctors with her resilience, and for that I will always be grateful despite the horrific journey. And the nearly four figure mobile phone bill...)
