Reply to: A day in the life of Gatwick airport, that lovely airport…

[expat]

You mean like this?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/tra...cle2017533.ece

Not really, but thanks.

1. North of London still does not exist.

2. London - Frankfurt Monday Morning 7:00 arr earliest 14:13, after 3 changes. That's 6 hours 13 mins, and not the pleasant direct journey that I had in mind.
From my Bedfordshire station, the departure time for this is 5:10. Total 8 hours, 4 changes.

Add on my half-hour walk to the station, and I might as well drive.

Yes, the continental part looks good. Some guide to who is not pulling their weight can be guessed from the fact that these timings are available on www.bahn.de. I wouldn't try looking them up on a UK site.

[ratewhore]

Then on the way back up I was at the sleazyjet ticket desk trying to bring my flight forward.

Anyone flying Sleazyjet deserves what's coming to them...

[Advocate]

I know. That's one reason I hate flying: I can see how to make it acceptable but it does not make sense for me to attempt to drag myself up to the "acceptable" level, because frankly I can't afford it.

You get little whiffs of what it must be like, e.g. when you enroll for the "Privium" iris-recognition programme at Schiphol: you go in the iris-recognition line, and through quickly; and if for some reason it's not working or doesn't recognise you, you join the manual line - at the front.

There is an iris recognition scheme at e.g. Heathrow but it's not the same: there, if it's out of action (which it is at the moment due to the privatised company not having enough staff/not being arsed) then you get up to it to see the sign saying out of order, then make your way back to the end of the (now longer) queue.


BTW I see also in Frankfurt (among other I suppose), a Frequent Traveller card will get you the speedy Business Class security line, but it has to be a real card with 35000 miles on it, nit just the entry-level card that I can subscribe to. Does anyone happen to know another way to get this without earning all those miles on full-price fares? I'd pay hundreds for it, I just won't pay tens of thousands for it.

That's my take on economy flying (not just Sleazy) these days: like riding the bus, only worse.

You do get the poor peasants moaning about you pushing in sometimes though...

That reminds me, it's due for renewal.

[Spacecadet]

Can't quite get it for Frankfurt though, too far. If only they ran TGVs through the tunnel, from north of London, direct into Germany.

You mean like this?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/tra...cle2017533.ece

[expat]

the "fast lane" for security at Stansted is quite funny now.

There is no seperate lane or even x-ray machine as there used to be, instead a security guard escorts you to the front of the queue, tells the plebs who have been queueing up for ages to shove it and waits whilst you get your bag onto the x-ray machine.
Then he wanders off, leaving you with a thousand eyes burning hate into the back of your head

Yes, that's the effect I'm looking for You know, like the TV ad with taxis and ATMs with your name on them.

Seriously, I hate queueing. I know I have no special right to be treated better, but in most areas I can organise my life so as not to fall into it. With airports it's harder. If I had stayed working in NL, I was on the point of starting a no-fly schedule. Can't quite get it for Frankfurt though, too far. If only they ran TGVs through the tunnel, from north of London, direct into Germany.

[Spacecadet]

you join the manual line - at the front.

the "fast lane" for security at Stansted is quite funny now.

There is no seperate lane or even x-ray machine as there used to be, instead a security guard escorts you to the front of the queue, tells the plebs who have been queueing up for ages to shove it and waits whilst you get your bag onto the x-ray machine.
Then he wanders off, leaving you with a thousand eyes burning hate into the back of your head

[expat]

The best service staff are reserved for the first/business class and those with a billion frequent flier miles.
Lose your bags then and they actually get off their arses and make a few calls and try and trace the bags there and then

I know. That's one reason I hate flying: I can see how to make it acceptable but it does not make sense for me to attempt to drag myself up to the "acceptable" level, because frankly I can't afford it.

You get little whiffs of what it must be like, e.g. when you enroll for the "Privium" iris-recognition programme at Schiphol: you go in the iris-recognition line, and through quickly; and if for some reason it's not working or doesn't recognise you, you join the manual line - at the front.

There is an iris recognition scheme at e.g. Heathrow but it's not the same: there, if it's out of action (which it is at the moment due to the privatised company not having enough staff/not being arsed) then you get up to it to see the sign saying out of order, then make your way back to the end of the (now longer) queue.


BTW I see also in Frankfurt (among other I suppose), a Frequent Traveller card will get you the speedy Business Class security line, but it has to be a real card with 35000 miles on it, nit just the entry-level card that I can subscribe to. Does anyone happen to know another way to get this without earning all those miles on full-price fares? I'd pay hundreds for it, I just won't pay tens of thousands for it.

That's my take on economy flying (not just Sleazy) these days: like riding the bus, only worse.

[expat]

It would help if BAA did not employ the type who enjoy dishing it out.

Hear hear!

[scooterscot]

It would help if BAA did not employ the type who enjoy dishing it out.

This lot did. The grins on their faces watching her distress was deplorable, talk about starting fires in a burning house.

[Spacecadet]

The problem with these service staff is all they ever seem to do is hand you a form and ask you to fill it in and return it.

They never even act concerned over the loss
They never seem to take any action
They refuse to give any indication of when the problem will be resolved.

The best service staff are reserved for the first/business class and those with a billion frequent flier miles.
Loose your bags then and they actually get off their arses and make a few calls and try and trace the bags there and then

[BrilloPad]

Unfortunately these people represent the face of the airline so can shouted at all the time.

It takes a special type of person to put up with that tulip day in day out.

It would help if BAA did not employ the type who enjoy dishing it out.

[scooterscot]

Dear Scooter Scot I would like to cancel my subscription to you for the attempted use of abstract concepts in retort to witty repartee.

Please refund my remaining payments or I will send the boys round.

Yours sincerely, CFK.

I'm sorry refunds are not given for use of the pluperfect subjunctive.

[SueEllen]

I disagree with you.

This BAA chap isn't the face of BAA, he's just a guy doing his job.

BA lost my luggage once and my girlfriend started going nuts at a BA girl behind the desk. I actually got angry at my girlfriend, it wasn't the girl behind the desk who lost my luggage. Yet there were 6 or 7 people screaming and shouting at these people like they'd shat on their sofa or something.

Unfortunately these people represent the face of the airline so can shouted at all the time.

It takes a special type of person to put up with that tulip day in day out.

[BrilloPad]

I disagree with you.

This BAA chap isn't the face of BAA, he's just a guy doing his job.

BA lost my luggage once and my girlfriend started going nuts at a BA girl behind the desk. I actually got angry at my girlfriend, it wasn't the girl behind the desk who lost my luggage. Yet there were 6 or 7 people screaming and shouting at these people like they'd shat on their sofa or something.

Those sorts of stories about BAA staff have become alot more common. Even the DailyTelegraph business editor wrote a long article about how rude and abusive they were.

[Incognito]

A one point she stood in a defiant manner (20 to 10 in the pen) with her black Charlie chaplain like hat and her eyelids fluttering. 'Don't you touch me' she screamed to the BAA chap. 'I'm going to call my mother' with her index finger pressing the BAA chap chest. He said 'if you do that again I'm going to charge you with assault'

The world is going mad.

I disagree with you.

This BAA chap isn't the face of BAA, he's just a guy doing his job.

BA lost my luggage once and my girlfriend started going nuts at a BA girl behind the desk. I actually got angry at my girlfriend, it wasn't the girl behind the desk who lost my luggage. Yet there were 6 or 7 people screaming and shouting at these people like they'd shat on their sofa or something.