DAY 22
BRISBANE (Australia) to TOWNSVILLE (Australia)
Wednesday April 27th, 2011
TODAYS MILEAGE – 691 miles or 1112 kilometres
TRIP MILEAGE – 13,410 miles or 21,581 kilometres
I really don't mind getting up early on any morning, so arriving at Brisbane International Airport at 5:15AM was literally no big deal.
I clear Customs & Immigration and get my bags to the Qantas domestic transfer desk nice and early for my ticketed 8:55AM flight departure to Townsville. Due to "passenger levels" I was moved to 2:30PM flight via Rockhampton and Mackay, which would have added another 6 hours to my travel time - not bad for an original 2 hour flight.
I must have found the most obnoxious and unhelpful gate agent (even worse than United Airlines) God ever shovelled shit into. She seem quite happy with herself that if I wanted to get onto my originally ticketed flight, it would cost me $285.00 for the privelage. Before I blew a gasket, I simply checked my bags and walked off.
On completlety the opposite side of the International terminal. I happend to spot a Qantas customer service facility, so for shit's & giggles, I decided to stop and ask the question. This experience could not have been more positive. The team member assisting me explained that I was bumped a the airline thought my incoming flight was going to be late and booke me on a later flight. He had no issues at all in (a) getting me onto my original flight, (b) ringing the domestic transfer desk and have them expidite my luggage transfer to the earlier flight and (c) would you mind me upgrading you to Business Class for your troubles?
I thanked the guy and said he did more than enough getting me on my original flight. He said it was all part of the service. I for one and pleased to see that someone actually knows what "service" mean in Customer Service". 
Getting home to Townsville:
∗ Brisbane (Queensland, AUS) – Townsville (Queensland, AUS)
691 miles or 1112 kilometres
• Flight Time: 1 hour 45 minutes