Delays…Something that every traveller loves in general especially when they have a flight connection at the other end. Not! Why can’t the weather behave when we have planes to catch?
The day started smoothly. I had checked in online and needed to pick up tickets at Frankfurt Airport’s self check-in machines. This extra step of printing tickets was the only option to avoid downloading the British Airways App, having no access to a printer. Getting to Frankfurt airport was smooth and easy and the machines were as always empty. I made my gate with time to spare.
The flight crew arrived and headed straight for the seats in the waiting area; never a good sign. The ground crew were very informative and helpful with updates on the status of our plane, which had not yet landed due to bad weather in Heathrow. I was kept entertained by the flight crew who were never short of gossip and complaints about working with British Airways. Any employees favourite, topic no matter the industry.
Over an hour after scheduled boarding time, the ground staff rushed all passengers into two coaches and sent us out to our plane. Here we spent 10 minutes unable to leave the coach even though we were crammed in like sardines. Finally we could disembark from the coach and climb the stairs onto the plane. The staff were very efficient at getting everyone into their seats and settled. All this rushing seemed unnecessary as the crew it turns out knew we could not leave our stand for another 20 minutes after we boarded the aircraft.
The staff were cheerful and helpful with information on connecting flights for everyone except me. Visiting all the passengers around me, they updated them on where to go for their connection and provided them with as much information as possible. Waiting patiently for my connection information, I was dismayed as they seemed to forget my connecting flight to Bangkok. This seemed very strange as my connecting flight was leaving prior to many of the other passengers’ connections.
It is just a short flight from Frankfurt to London but we all received a gourmet wrap made by Urban Eat. Opting for the Bombay chicken wrap, I was delightfully surprised by the best inflight meal I have ever had. Just snack size, I was left wanting more especially now I would not have time to pick up food in Heathrow for lunch.
Landing in Heathrow, the crew updated all passengers with connecting flight information providing terminals and gate numbers. My flight to Bangkok was again left off the list so I was on my own.
The British Airways ground staff at the entrance to flight connections checked everyone’s tickets, sending some passengers through the express line. Still I was sent to the standard queue and once through and checked the location of my flight I had to run to my gate for boarding. I just made it, leaving no time for a bathroom stop or food before boarding my plane.
All opinions are subjective to the writers personal travel experience. The writer travelled at her own expense.