Boy, I'm sure glad I wasn't one of the poor slobs stuck behind you. Please post
your travel schedule on line so I can make sure I canavoid flights that you
might be on. . .
On 1/9/06, Joseph Tainter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:> This one goes into my
"How did the human species ever survive?" file.>> Yesterday I got to Heathrow
Terminal 4 early for my flight. After> leaving off my big suitcase I dutifully
stepped up to the checkpoint> that you must pass before you are admitted to the
security screening> area. One woman is checking boarding passes, while two
others intercept> passengers who are trying to carry on the allowed carry-on
bag. The> woman wants to weigh my suitcase. It weighs a bit under 15 kg, so
she> tells me I must check it. Well, it contains $3000 worth of digital photo>
gear, medications, and documents, and I am not about to check it. So a> row
begins. She tells me that I am allowed only 6 kg in one bag, and> that I must
repack everything into multiple bags. At this point the> illogic of her demand
had not sunk in. I asked to see her supervisor,> who duly came along. This
woman gave me the same story. I was allowed> only 6 kg !
in any one bag. Both women suggested that I repack the> contents into multiple
bags. Now the absurdity started to sink in. The> objection was not that I
wanted to carry 15 kg on board, but that I> wanted those 15 kg in one bag (in
which they fit just fine). If I> carried the same 15 kg in multiple bags, that
would be okay. I tried to> explain to the supervisor that this was ridiculous:
the overhead bin> carries the same weight regardless of whether it is in one
bag or> several. Her reply: "Sorry, sir, that is the rule.">> Both women asked
me several times if I was in Business Class or Economy.> I was in Economy, of
course. I asked why it made a difference. The> supervisor insisted that that in
Economy, the bins would not handle the> weight. This was a 747. I pointed out
that all sections of the plane> have the same overhead bins. This logic didn't
matter. I also pointed> out that I had flown on the same British Airways 747
coming from> Phoenix. That logic didn't matter eith!
er. All that mattered was that> only 6 kg would be allowed Economy Cla
ss passengers in any one bag.>> At this point I realized that the people who
run and work for British> Airways are about as intelligent as American
Educators -- the kind who> suspend kids from school on the grounds of
no-drugs-tolerated when the> kid shows up with a cold, cold medication, and
approval from the parents.>> So I trekked down to the end of the terminal,
removed the contents of my> suitcase, and proceeded back to the entrance. Now
my 15 kg were in 4> parcels rather than one. At the entry I saw that the
gatekeepers were> harassing some Middle Eastern-looking fellows. So while they
were> distracted, I walked right up to the woman checking boarding passes,>
showed her mine, and walked on through. Of course, once on the other> side, I
proceeded to repack everything into the original suitcase.>> Once past
security, I spent 20 minutes walking around the vast duty-free> mall just to
bring my blood pressure down. When I was rational again, I> thought about the
several ti!
mes that I was asked if I was in Business or> Economy. Apparently, in Business
Class I could carry the 15 kg in one> suitcase. In Economy I had to carry the
same 15 kg in several bags. They> even had the nerve to claim that the Economy
overhead bins were somehow> less able to carry such a concentration of weight.
At that point I> understood that my real offense had been against the British
class> system. Those in Business Class had paid for the privilege of carrying>
15 kg in one bag. Those of us in Steerage had not. We could only carry> our 15
kg in several bags. I never asked whether they provide enough> life preservers
for everyone in Economy.>> Other than that, it was actually a very interesting
flight. Going over> the Atlantic usually isn't, and I've now done it 42 times.
But that's> another story, and tonight I just need to rant. And I will never>
willingly fly British Airways again. Last June, flying Berlin to> Heathrow (on
my way back to Albuquerque), the British Ai!
rways attendant> threw coffee all over me right at the start of 24 hou
rs of travel.>> Joe>>
