Flight delays and airline disputes are something every modern traveler knows all too well. Whether it be missed connections or booking issues, every flyer can attest that dealing with airlines can often be such a headache.
Unfortunately for the teacher in this viral TikTok, those too-familiar flight troubles have afflicted him and dozens of his students. Not only that, airline troubles have stranded these Texas travelers in Japan.
Dr. Boffone is known for making educational content and dancing videos with his high school students. Recently, he’s been sharing their journey on a school trip to Japan with EF Tours. At the end of their journey, the group found that they were missing a flight home.
Boffone explained that when they arrived at the airport, they were told they had a booking but no tickets for their flight from Osaka, Japan, to Tokyo. Apparently, there was a miscommunication between American Airlines and Japan Airlines when they made the reservation, which led the group to be stranded in Japan for an extra two days.
He shared that EF Tours, American Airlines, and Japan Airlines were all playing the blame game and each refused to help them sort out their journey. Luckily, after being told they may not make it home for another two weeks, the group has embarked on their long, convoluted journey back to Houston, Texas.
To make light of an otherwise annoyingly inconvenient situation, Dr. Boffone has continued to share videos from his commute. He demonstrates the meals, sites, and sound on his travels from Osaka, Japan; to Bangkok, Thailand; to Munich, Germany; to Charlotte, North Carolina, until they finally make it home to Houston.
Commenters are praising the educator for making the most out of the situation for his students and keeping a positive attitude despite how difficult their journey home has been.
A travel agent even chimed in that something similar has been happening a lot with her clients, too. She says they’re being booked on American Airlines flights, but not actually getting a ticket. In fact, flight delays and mishaps like this one have been climbing in numbers over the past year.
According to Forbes, flight data shows an average of 30,000 delayed flights daily across the globe, which translates to a noticeable 7,000 to 9,000 a day in the United States. Forbes staff writer Suzanne Rowan Kelleher recommends booking the earliest flight in the day to reduce the likelihood of a delay. It also helps to join the airline’s loyalty club — this may give you favor in the event of a delay, cancellation, or accidental roundabout journey across the globe.
Commenters have encouraged Dr. Boffone to submit a claim to the FAA after his disastrous journey and have even shared some flying horror stories of their own. This saga is definitely a cautionary tale that you can never be too thorough or careful when you travel. On the bright side, these students certainly got the once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing see a good chunk of the world with their rightfully-earned favorite teacher.