Can I get an extension for Q Aer Lingus ticket credit?

Follow the steps of Frederic Chopin, who lived there and wrote, (and maybe) gain some inspiration yourself.

Q: What was the first trip you took as a child?

A: It was in an RV with my family (going) from Los Angeles to the Grand Canyon, Yosemite and the sequoias and Mount Zion. Setting out onto the open road with my family with nothing to do but explore and share an adventure was the single joyous thing for me as a kid. Honestly, California alone has some of the most incredible nature and landscape in the world.

Q: What is the most important thing you’ve learned from your travels?

A: Perspective. It is so important to see the world from outside your own perspective. Travel is the best way to gain empathy for others, to understand your position in the world and have gratitude for your life. There is so much wonder to be seen. I feel it connects me to those that I love. I feel there is nothing like a new shared experience between loved ones. Each time I take a trip, I don’t feel that travel is as much of an escape as it is a return to my true self.

Q: Do you ever spend time away from home during the holidays?

A: The best holiday trip I ever took was last year. We rented a cabin in Mammoth Mountain for 10 days. My dream of being snowed in came true. We had all the people we loved in one place, and no one could leave! (laughs) It was a winter wonderland — lots of fireplace talks and laughs, fuzzy slippers and hot chocolate. It was an absolute dream.

Q: What’s on your travel bucket list?

A: I’m dying to see the Northern Lights, maybe in one of those incredible glass-ceiling hotels. Also, I have not explored Italy and France like I need to. I think I might be French deep down. I need to know for sure.

Q: What would be a dream trip?

A: A long stay in the Italian countryside. Also, I would love to ski the Swiss Alps, or maybe Courchevel.

For more from the reporter, visit www.jaehakim.com.

I bought seven tickets on Aer Lingus to fly from Chicago to Dublin. I also purchased an extra seat for me, since I have hip and spinal issues.

While we were seated on the plane to return to Chicago from Dublin, a flight attendant told my son he had to get out of his seat because it belonged to someone else.

I showed the crew member the email confirmation from Aer Lingus because I couldn’t show a ticket for the seat. But there was a reservation in the computer for it. I told the supervisor I needed the seat for the hip and spine issues. She told me they could take me off the plane if I was not medically capable of flying.

The attendant said that Aer Lingus had an equipment change and had moved to a smaller aircraft. As a result, they had to bump four people from the flight. When I returned to the States, I got the refund for the extra seat, plus an e-card worth $400 that expires next year.

God willing, I’d like to return to Ireland in two years for a family event. I will be 85 in December and sure hope I live a few more years and my body cooperates. I asked Aer Lingus if it would extend the expiration date for the e-card until June 2020. The airline said no.

My kids were upset because their mother was in pain and they couldn’t do anything about it. Is there anything else I could do to get Aer Lingus to extend that e-card?

— Maureen Cosentino, Chesterton, Ind.

A: Aer Lingus shouldn’t have taken your seat from you. Fortunately, it apologized, refunded the money and offered a credit for a future flight. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a credit you could use.

How did you end up on a flight to Chicago, minus one seat? Airlines sometimes swap planes just before a flight, which is called an “equipment change” in airline parlance. When that happens, airlines use an algorithm to determine the seating assignments for the new plane. Sometimes, they come up a few seats short. That’s what happened with your flight.

It appears as if the flight attendant and her supervisor believed that removing your extra seat wouldn’t be too much of an inconvenience. After all, three other passengers had to stay in Dublin until the next flight. But they were wrong about that, and in the end, Aer Lingus did the right thing by offering you an apology

and a ticket credit.

Airline ticket credits normally last only a year. But you also could have tried a different approach. At one point, your anger at Aer Lingus boiled over, and according to my staff, you said you wanted to

“smack” the airline employees.

That probably wouldn’t have been the most effective resolution. I’m glad cooler heads prevailed and that you took this up with the company when you returned. A brief, polite email to one of the Aer Lingus customer-service

executives was your best approach.

In the end, Aer Lingus wasn’t required to extend your ticket. But, given your circumstances, I think you had a strong case. So I asked. Aer Lingus agreed to either extend the ticket credit by another year or offer you a $400 cash refund. You took the cash. I hope you enjoy your visit to Ireland in 2020.

Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine. You can email him at chris@elliott.org.

CRAIG SJODIN/ABC