OT - Airport Queues for Bag Drop Off

[DerbyBoy]

Ah yes, I forgot about that. I already hated BA at the time that I was working in Germany, but during that time I came to absolutely loathe them. In 1993 I was on my way back to the UK. I had a business class ticket and my secretary had called that morning to confirm the reservation. When I got to the airport I was told that I had been "bumped" by BA because "the flight is over-subscribed". Since I was over an hour early for the flight I asked how this had happened. The reason was because an aircraft had been hijacked that day (a flight from Frankfurt to Cairo had been hijacked to the USA) that news teams had poured into Frankfurt and BA has decided that despite them not having reserved places it could not afford to upset the press, so it ditched all the regulars.

I wass able to transfer ticket to another airline much later in the day, and I haven't used BA since. If I ever meet any exec from BA I will be tempted to punch them on the nose. As companies go, they are right up there with British Gas, British Telecom and any other wanky former state-owned business with "British" in their name.

I wonder how many changes of management they have had since 1993. Can't you get over it? After all your resentment does not make any difference to them. The more you fly the more likely it is that sooner or later something will happen to you. Life is too short for petty grudges. We seem to get a bit hung up on flying issues - as another person put it - it perhaps relates to that luxury image that was created back in the '50's and '60's when it was supposed to be glamorous. I recall being given a set of plastic cutlery once by some rich relations who actually went on an aeroplane.

[John]

Don't worry about it. Firth is one of the most obnoxious people in any of these groups - he's done everything, got the T-shirt, starred in the film and yet he spouts some useless drivel at times - well most of the time actually - that makes you realise that he's just a plonker :-)

[Tim Streater]

Oy, DerbyBoy, d'ye think you could get a newsreader that quotes properly? There's no indication in the above as to where Steve's stuff ends and yours begins.

[BartC]

In over 20 years of flying I've never had a need to use an overhead locker**; my carry-on bag fits under the seat in front.

So it's quite annoying when it takes ages to board because the aisles are blocked with people trying to fit items into the lockers and are completely oblivious to others trying to get past.

(** Except for the odd pillow and blanket which the airline dumps on my seat.)

[BartC]

I've never been able to understand the difference between Check-in, and Bag Drop; both can involve waiting in a queue, and handing over baggage while checking over some documents.

So bag drop is not necessarily going to be quicker, and you should allow just as much time.

I can say the same about every type of queue I've ever been in. People take

5, 10, 15 minutes each at a counter, when I finally get there, I'm usually done in 30 seconds, if that.

And in airport security queues, I've perfected the art of putting away all items likely to trigger the detector, taken off my coat, and removed laptop from bag, all while shuffling along in the queue. Then I have to wait for a bunch of other people to do all that while standing at the conveyor!

[DerbyBoy]

In over 20 years of flying I've never had a need to use an overhead locker**; my carry-on bag fits under the seat in front.

So it's quite annoying when it takes ages to board because the aisles are blocked with people trying to fit items into the lockers and are completely oblivious to others trying to get past.

(** Except for the odd pillow and blanket which the airline dumps on my seat.)

[DerbyBoy]

I've never been able to understand the difference between Check-in, and Bag Drop; both can involve waiting in a queue, and handing over baggage while checking over some documents.

So bag drop is not necessarily going to be quicker, and you should allow just as much time.

I can say the same about every type of queue I've ever been in. People take

5, 10, 15 minutes each at a counter, when I finally get there, I'm usually done in 30 seconds, if that.

And in airport security queues, I've perfected the art of putting away all items likely to trigger the detector, taken off my coat, and removed laptop from bag, all while shuffling along in the queue. Then I have to wait for a bunch of other people to do all that while standing at the conveyor!

[Steve Firth]

Yes, and fools like to repeat the term in the hope that it makes them look big and experienced. But as you know, that was not my objection to your use of the term. It was your childish assumption that only you can afford business class tickets.

[Steve Firth]

I neither know, nor care.

Why should I "get over it"? To make you feel happier? BA offer a s**te service and they are lying shit weasels. Two very good reasons not to use them.

I'm not doing it for them.

Did you think that up all by yourself or get it from a book of trite homilies?

See above.

I'm sure you had a point, other than the one on the top of your head. Sadly you don't seem to be able to express your point.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Mike Tomlinson saying something like:

Ding! In my case it's Ryanair v. Aer Lingus and I'd happily pay the few extra quid to fly in half-decent comfort with staff who seem to give a shit, rather than experience the cattle-truck-like condition of Ryanair ever again.

[Nightjar]

I've not come across that, but I will bow to your greater experience of foolishness.

Indeed? Where did I say that? Or is it that you are the one making assumptions?

Colin Bignell

[Steve Firth]

In Message-ID:

No, I'm not making any assumptions, but I can see that you are trying to weasel away from your comment.

[Andy Champ]

Send someone down to London on the train the day before. Advanced train tickets are pretty cheap...

Andy

[Nigel Hopkins]

No need. As anyone with any actual experience of through flights on major (i.e. non-budget ) airlines will already be aware, the highest baggage allowance applies to all legs of any one journey.

As BA thenselves confirm on their website

" For itineraries involving flights operated by British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia, the highest allowance for the number of bags will apply across the whole journey." BA Website

Nigel

[Terry Casey]

With all the discussiomn of Ryanair that has gone on in this thread, I'm surprised that nobody seems to have posted this yet ...

've even thought of a charge that O'Leary hasn't imposed yet ...

[MuddyMike]

Only just picked up on this one and agree with the above. I have flown with tickets booked with BA that included internal links both with them and another airline and the full long hall BA bag allowance was accepted by the other airline even, despite it being almost double their own allowance. This actually caused a bit of an argument from a couple checking in beside us in Christchurch as they were being asked to pay quite a lot extra, despite our bags being massive in comparison :-)

Mike

[Neil Williams]

On one through ticket? It should be the same for both flights.

Neil

[Neil Williams]

Ryanair's size is 55x40x20, larger than some "legacy" airlines. easyJet used to do the same, and only changed to "IATA size",

56x45x25, which is the largest permissible by UK law, when they changed most of their aircraft for Airbus 319s which have larger overhead bins to cope with it. If you get one of the old 737-700s (only two left, both based at Luton and will be gone by November) there tend to be problems because the bins are too small and bags of that size have to go lengthways, taking up a lot of space.

Neil

[Neil Williams]

???

Legroom on Ryanair is IMO quite bad, though other more expensive airlines are often worse. The pitch is supposed to be 1" better than easyJet, but I find the latter gives more actual space, possibly due to thinner seatbacks.

I agree that there is no need for recline on a short flight; all it does is cause arguments.

Neil

[Neil Williams]

Luton charge =A33 to jump the security queue. I've sometimes wondered whether adopting a budget airline style model on this might make some sense - if the main queue is short, decrease it, if the main queue is long, increase it. I've thought the same of the M6 Toll.

Neil