I think, like others, that your real problem was with ground staff, not even
employed by the airline! When I came back to Australia from Heathrow a
month ago I had no hassles with check-in or security, and I was carrying a
camera bag and a shoulder bag too!
My most pleasant experiences when flying have been with JAL - great food,
courteous staff, and reasonable comfort - but hey, in cattle class, you
could never be really comfortable unless you're lucky enough to get a row to
yourself. Does happen sometimes, particularly on the last leg flight to OZ
from Asian airports.
I'm afraid you'll have to let go of the idea that your experience was
anything to do with the British class system (if it still exists: at least
it's better than the wealth-based systems that seem to apply elsewhere) -
every airline I have ever flown on has had more generous allowances,
including better seating, for Business and First Class travellers.
This isn't going to help, is it? :-)
John Coyle
Brisbane, Australia
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joseph Tainter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>; "Michele M Schoeneberger"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Carol B Raish" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Bonnie Bagley"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2006 1:51 PM
Subject: OT: Need to Vent
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 either. All that mattered was that only 6 kg would be
allowed Economy Class 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 times 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 Airways attendant threw coffee all over
me right at the start of 24 hours of travel.
Joe
