Glad all ends well - or at least you got a good 'un in the end!
As old says, there are some really good, helpful people in the CAA...and there are many others. Maybe a letter to the Head of Department expressing your disappointment at your original experience but pointing out how much better the later call was dealt with might be welcomed - might even kill two birds with one stone.
And, just for the record, I don't work for the CAA! But I do try to make sure that good service gets mentioned as well as the bad.