Security at BHX (T2) - I hope they all break down on the way home
Sunday 14 September, 2008
Due to problems with the Eurostar service I had to book a flight to CDG from BHX. Fortunately, I was able to get on the Air France flight. Fortunately, I was not booked on Flybe.
On arrival at the airport before 6pm, well in advance of the AF5136, I notice a few things about T2. It's been a while since I used this terminal and remember it used to be about as civilised or at least painless as an airport gets. Not any more.
At the top of the escalator the queue for the security scanner starts. The scanner is still out of sight so I can't see why the queue is so long, but as soon as I round the bend I see the queue snaking towards the nine security personnel who are using one of the two scanners. They're in no hurry, but this is to be expected. I applaud my good sense and good fortune for arriving so early.
When it's my turn to go through the loop I am commanded to remove my belt in the same way the woman in front of me was commanded to remove her shoes; bluntly, with a certain amount of menace and with absolutely no courtesy. Plus ça change, eh? Then as I'm putting myself back together the PA system announces that Flybe apologises (yes, really apologises) that its flight to Paris scheduled to depart at 1750 is, in fact cancelled. We'll come to Flybe and their record in a moment, but what makes me rather angry and disappointed is that the security staff decide this is quite funny. That passengers, paying customers will be inconvenienced, arrive home late, arrive at their hotels late, miss meetings, miss dinner dates, inconvenience those meeting them in Paris. What are we to make of people who consider it a joke?
Onward to find a seat. Well, well well. Fewer seats and a bigger bar is all I can see. What used to be a pretty straightforward business of finding some space is no longer straightforward. Not a great experience for the traveller. More interestingly, Flybe has decided to start giving reasons for delays. What a breakthrough! Well, it is until you hear that Flybe's idea of an explanation is trotting out that they apologise for the delay which is caused by operational reasons. Quite why they bother with such a lame non-explanation I cannot imagine. If I were a customer (and believe me I will try to remain untouched by any association with these clowns) I would not be too pleased.
Due to problems with the Eurostar service I had to book a flight to CDG from BHX. Fortunately, I was able to get on the Air France flight. Fortunately, I was not booked on Flybe.
On arrival at the airport before 6pm, well in advance of the AF5136, I notice a few things about T2. It's been a while since I used this terminal and remember it used to be about as civilised or at least painless as an airport gets. Not any more.
At the top of the escalator the queue for the security scanner starts. The scanner is still out of sight so I can't see why the queue is so long, but as soon as I round the bend I see the queue snaking towards the nine security personnel who are using one of the two scanners. They're in no hurry, but this is to be expected. I applaud my good sense and good fortune for arriving so early.
When it's my turn to go through the loop I am commanded to remove my belt in the same way the woman in front of me was commanded to remove her shoes; bluntly, with a certain amount of menace and with absolutely no courtesy. Plus ça change, eh? Then as I'm putting myself back together the PA system announces that Flybe apologises (yes, really apologises) that its flight to Paris scheduled to depart at 1750 is, in fact cancelled. We'll come to Flybe and their record in a moment, but what makes me rather angry and disappointed is that the security staff decide this is quite funny. That passengers, paying customers will be inconvenienced, arrive home late, arrive at their hotels late, miss meetings, miss dinner dates, inconvenience those meeting them in Paris. What are we to make of people who consider it a joke?
Onward to find a seat. Well, well well. Fewer seats and a bigger bar is all I can see. What used to be a pretty straightforward business of finding some space is no longer straightforward. Not a great experience for the traveller. More interestingly, Flybe has decided to start giving reasons for delays. What a breakthrough! Well, it is until you hear that Flybe's idea of an explanation is trotting out that they apologise for the delay which is caused by operational reasons. Quite why they bother with such a lame non-explanation I cannot imagine. If I were a customer (and believe me I will try to remain untouched by any association with these clowns) I would not be too pleased.
posted by eurotravelmonkey at 12:41 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home