BABenji - 20/09/2010 15:36 GMT
This morning was always going to be hectic...
an 8am conference call and I needed to leave the house by 9 to be at Heathrow by 10.30 to catch a flight to Brussels. Having packed and prepared yesterday, I felt ready for the day ahead. The conference all duly finished at 8.45am and I was in the car, making the 55 mile journey to T5.
Dropped the car at the Valet Parking and waltzed into Check In, feeling rather pleased that I would have a bit of time in the lounge for a bacon sandwich and read the papers.
As I walked up to the self-service check in my stomach turned. Something had happened to me that had never happened in nearly 8 years of international business travel - I had left my passport at home!!!
After years of silently sighing at the travelling amateurs as they struggled at check in, faffed about at security control, I too suddenly realised I was fallable.
Back to the Valet, collected my car and started the drive home, in the meantime got on the phone to the office to book me a new flight. Arrived home and collected passport, back into the car and round the M25 for the third time today and arrived back at the Valet Parking to the (I hope) sympathetic smiles of the staff who had taken my car from me and promptly returned it again.
So, while driving back to the airport I began thinking I can't be the only person to have suffered a similar fate, so please, make me feel better with your own travelling mis-hap stories:
Have you ever arrived on the wrong day for a flight?
Mixed a.m. with p.m?
Thought you'd booked a flight, but really hadn't?
Or made some other balls-up which left you feeling rather deflated?
Happy travels all!
Travellator - 20/09/2010 15:57 GMT
Made a BMi booking on Saturday printed off my booking summary and realised we had decided to stay the night before our onward flight to Europe the next day so I had booked the wrong day !
Cost me £ 20 for the privilege of changing the booking less than 10 mins after pushing the button - thanks BMi - BA give you a little bit of grace at least
Tim2sms - 20/09/2010 16:10 GMT
Fell asleep in T4 BA lounge and missed my flight from LHR to Singapore. 12 hour wait for a Qantas flight.
Flew to CDG.
Exited plane, through Passport Control, out of airport, on to metro, to Gare Montparnasse, quick check of passport, money, rucksack, suitcase... suitcase... suitcase?
Back on to metro, back to CDG, back into airport, saw suitcase all on its own on the carousel, banged on glass door to attract the attention of armed policeman, explained the situation, went back in, picked up case.
Out of airport, on to metro, to Gare Montparnasse, bought new ticket for the first train that wan't full - extended pause - arrived 8 hours late.
Went to Heathrow, flight booked from Gatwick.?
Tom Otley
RBrown9 - 20/09/2010 18:17 GMT
I recently was booked on Emirates on a flight from Bahrain via Dubai to Bangkok. I had about a three hour transit in Dubai and spent that time in the First Class lounge (was booked in First Class).
I was told (later) that the flight was called once, about 45 minutes before the scheduled departure time. I did not hear this call and there were no further calls.
Realized later that I had not set my watch from Bahrain time to Dubai time (one hour ahead).
I was offloaded and had to wait twelve hours until the next flight.
Whilst embarrassed about missing the flight, I do feel that Emirates could have made more of an effort to ensure that I got on the plane. There could have been more than one call, they could have paged me or even tried to locate me (as I was registered in the lounge).
I do not know whether I am being fair in this view and wondered what others thought. Is it the sole responsibility of the passenger to ensure they board the flight on time or should the airline (particularly for premium pax) make some effort to remind passengers that they are about to miss the flight (particularly since pax can also make mistakes and given the consequences of missing a long haul flight). Any thoughts?
I too, have tut tutted at the 'amateurs' until I recently did what BAbenji did, and drove the 1.5 hours to Manchester airport from Leeds, arrived at the Lufthansa check in area & realised, with a jolt, that I had neglected to pack my passport...............A long journey back to Leeds & return to the airport, to find themid morning flight was cancelled....finally arrived in Germany 9.30pm
Family holiday.
Got up at 4am with children, taxi to Gatwick.
At Gatwick check-in, wife's passport running out in five months.
Six months required for entry into country in question.
Waited another two hours for taxi to return.
Same driver back home.
Nothing in fridge.
You should have called this "what you do only once"
Checked in for a 00.45 departure 24 hours too late. Airline totally unsympathetic and were forcing me to buy a completely new ticket (one way in business class), until at the next check in desk, I overheard an off duty crew member in exactly the same position, so I went and stood next to him. Luckily that worked.
You only do that once!!
Bucksnet - 20/09/2010 21:05 GMT
I believe that British citizens are allowed to have up to 6 passports.
Simply get a spare and keep it in your car's glovebox. Simples.
BABenji - 20/09/2010 21:18 GMT
marvelous stuff, which has made me feel alot better.
Bucksnet, believe it or not, I have two passports...neither of which found their way to my pocket this morning. As for leaving one in the glove compartment; I'm not sure that's such a good idea. It seems to be inviting trouble...somewhat like giving a laptop to a drunk civil servant with an oyster card!
Binman62 - 20/09/2010 22:17 GMT
Arrived at Heathrow with then girl friend having taken full control of planning and execution of holiday. Swanned up to business class checkin all very smug and impressive, only to find passports were 30 miles away. Dashed out of terminal 3 leaving girl friend, flagged down a passsing private cab ( would not happen today I fear) who did the return journey in 50 mins!!!!. Made flight and then sat in silence for 10 hours to Bangkok..... Now married to same women!!!
robsmith100 - 21/09/2010 08:37 GMT
I had a very bad experience last month at a job interview with an major uk airline. To cut a long story short, I forgot my passport which they had to see to prove i could work in the uk. The lovely lady from HR had to make a show of it in front of the other candidate and everyone in reception.
Needless to say i didnt get the job.
Senator - 21/09/2010 08:56 GMT
Hello,
Booked a pre-paid rate at Hilton Newark Airport and showed up one day too earlier trying to check in. Ended up paying full price for the "right" night. To my surprise, HH had policy of one "get out of jail free card" for Diamond VIPs. Got the cash back within two weeks.
Check-in desk and I spent a good 5min trying to understand why on earth they couldn't check me in ;-)
RoadKing - 21/09/2010 09:45 GMT
A couple of weeks ago, I was on a BA flight to London. Arrived at the airport having an hour to stay in the lounge. Half an hour prior to departure I was to leave the lounge for boarding when I realized I had forgotten my passport.
Last hope was to get an emergency passport, as I was waiting for the airport police to finish their work the dreaded call from the BA gate desk came in.... With 15 minutes left, and me being land side there was no chance :-(
Cudos to BA for trying to get a hold of me before they decided to dump me.
Unfortunately later flights were full, but SK did have an opening so I travelled with SK 2 hours later and had time to go back and fetch my passport. Wasted money.
Havin been a frequent traveller for almost 20 years, this is the second time it has happened. The other time was on a trip to France, back then I just took the chance and travelled without passport. Lo and behold, the French at CDG let me through on a driver license. I wish you guys on that Island out there could join the Schengen too and stop being so childish.
Having said all this, I know I am myself to blame, but I still dislike that airlines are allowed to cancel your return flight when you don't do the out.
flyingbunny - 21/09/2010 11:35 GMT
Left passport on packed plane. Realised when the bus was approaching terminal building. Told driver who called plane and turned bus around. Drove back to the plane. Passengers looked annoyed. Cleaners boarded bus looking for person resembling photo in passport. Eventually I own up. Everyone looks at me like I am a loser.
BRUSHES - 22/09/2010 10:52 GMT
US AIRLINES....USUALLY ALLOW 23+ HOURS TO COMPLETELY CANCEL A RES AND APPLY THE FUNDS TOWARDS FUTURE TRAVEL. DOES BMI OFFER THIS?
judynagy - 23/09/2010 23:03 GMT
Of course RBrown is responsible for him/herself when flying. But there's not a single excuse for missing a flight when you're in the airline's lounge. These people are paid to take care of you! I would REALLY make a fuss over this with the airline. 1) to spare someone else the aggravation of being similarily treated and 2) the airline should really compensate you in some way for the bad PR they caused.
Every time I am in the T5 BA lounge I only just make the boarding gate in time. I am often threatened with being offloaded, been accused of delaying passengers, quite often glared at when boarding as invariably I am the last one on.
I always blame BA, they just cannot sort the problem out, each and every time, I make the same complaint to the gate personel, yet on my next visit, the same tedious situation occurs:
The T5 lounges, each and everyone of them are so darn comfortable. Even the upstairs exec lounge has its nice quiet spots which I often use, instead of the downstairs Galleries lounge. The Concorde room personel are often amused when I walk straight through ignoring the top tier lounge in favour of another one.
So until BA start dropping the standards in the T5 lounges there is a very good possibility that if you see a 50 year old slightly balding 70 kilo 5 foot 7 inch tall gent, sauntering onto the aircraft rather late, then that could be me.
Judy, I do make a big fuss about being late at the gate, but hey, I must tell you, if I did miss the flight, I wouldn't care less, cos back to the lounge I would go!
Tomorrow Friday, I will be in the T3 lounge from midday onwards for a 4pm flight. So if you are going to Helsinki and someone gets on the plane late, dont shout at me, shout at BA for making me feel so comfortable in the lounge.
Cant wait, life with a silver/gold card just doesnt get much better (at Heathrow of course)!!
judynagy - 24/09/2010 00:40 GMT
What a cute story, CMB. I can relate to it, having spent many enjoyable hours at the LHR Virgin Clubhouse. I arrange things so I have several hours there before my flight back home. However, I did spend 10 or 12 hours once with mechanical problems ... there IS a limit of enjoyable hours in lovely lounges. I could travel forever shuttling back between the lounge and that luxe upper class cabin.
