Hi! Well... the weather cleared up nicely in BA. I visited some markets and hung out with the cats at the Botanic Gardens... I did a bit of walking around the streets and had tea and cake. So not a bad stop over... Mind you, not feeling well and all I would have liked to have been home instead.
I went to the Aerolineas Argentinas (AR) airline office to get a certificate (evidence) prooving that I was detained as a result of them depositing me at the wrong airport 6 hours late and my connecting flight not waiting for me... or for the other 9 lovely people who were stranded in BA. I confirmed my seat on the next flight and breathed easy (as far as my poor lungs would allow!).
The day we were to depart I was woken with the news that the flight was already 2 hours delayed. But what's 2 hours after over 100 hours of waiting eh? At least the airline was finally taking initiative and communicating with us. An improvement. Their domestic flights were all grounded and staff were striking since a passenger had thrown a mobile phone at them but... that was just the domestics at the domestic.
At dinnertime the stranded group (LOST in BA, dramatic, eh?) met for dinner. All packed and ready. We'd been filling up the day trying to make little things last for ages... we were tired and didn't have rooms anymore to rest... we were eager to go home. It was about 8pm when we heard... the flight was delayed AGAIN for another 3 hours. So 5 hours in total... and the fog had reappeared. Ho hum.
Nothing for it but to check-in anyway... another fun night at the airport as our plane was not due to depart until 5am.
We checked-in... wandered 'round... then found ourselves settled in at the departure gate watching the clock... then all of a sudden it went dark. Yep. Dark. Everything electrical went off. Escalators, toilet lights, shop lights, security... everything. For a couple of minutes... and then on again. People just shook their heads and laughed. What a strange thing to happen at an international departure lounge... about 20 minutes later it happened again...! Fortunately I'd just cleared the toilets (pitch black). Not long after... it happened again. So at least we had free entertainment... and it did encourage complete strangers to chat...
Finally... boarding time. As I had already cleared security I had figured it would be ok to buy a couple of bottles of water for the flight. Experience had told me that AR aren't so great with handing out fluids etc. The Rio airport security had said this was ok to do so long as I bought the water post security ... I thought it would be fine here also. But no. One last bag check before entering the plane and all water confiscated. Boy did Merryn get pissed off. I do believe I swore too (can I ever be forgiven?) but I was thoroughly unimpressed. You also now have to declare toothpaste and carry it in a bag. Ok. Fine. All for safety. WILCO.
Next. Merryn boards plane. One of the last people to board, our little stranded group had thought - why rush? We've been here 4 days now... what's a few more minutes?
The few more minutes nearly cost me my flight. I got to my seat to find that a kind gentleman had decided to prewarm it for me... only he seemed to indicate he had the same ticket as me.
In really bad Spanish and with heart in my throat (odd place to put it, I know) I apporached the airline staff and said in REALLY bad Spanish: 'Um. Otra persona in my seat' ok. So that wasn't all really bad Spanish but they got the gist.. so they checked the tickets and yes, it would appear we were... (wait for it) DOUBLE [RUDE EXPLETIVE] BOOKED!! So I hovered near some of my BA stranded group who were all happily seated (I was the only single and therefore felt altogether too easily expendible) and clung on to a seat. The airline lady came for me and asked me to get off the plane to view the computer screen. I thought - this is some devious ploy to get me off the plane and not let me on again.... so I refused! She said she needed me to come with her and insisted... so I tried to leave my backpack with the group (my little anchor on board, it could help) but she caught me at that. Right... so we got off and my little stranded group looked very appalled. I gave the nice lady an earful for my short walk down the plank... get this, I was the only one out of the stranded group who even bothered to confirm my seat. I told her there was absolutely no way I was not getting back on that plane and going to Australia... that I should have been there already on Sunday and it was already early Wednesday morning. A few passengers were milling around the departure gate... trying to get on. The lady chatted with some other staff then finally wrote on my boarding pass a new number. I think I sniffed, said thanks and somewhat haughtily (as much as you can when you are sick and have had no sleep) got back on the plane. I alighted to the sound of applause... for me! My little loyal group of stranded people were applauding me and other passengers were trying to see if they recognised what manner of famous personage was entering their presence.
I had fully been prepared to run back on board and cling to a chair. I could imagine the BA Police coming on board in complete riot gear ready to drag me off. I was up for it. Merryn Vs the BA Police and AR staff. I could see myself sitting in a cold dark prison cell... but at least I would have an airline chair to sit on as I would still be attached!! But fortunately (for me) it didn't come to that.
No sooner had I sat down, another nice AR lady came and told me to move. They had mixed up the seats and moved me further back towards my surrogate BA stranded family. I think they wanted to keep us all together, easier to keep an eye on us then.
It was only later that I discovered that I was not the only person they had double-booked but I think I was the only seatless double-booked person that managed to stay on the flight... the others got sent back to hotels. I wondered at my good fortune thinking that my seat was only free due to a guy losing his boarding pass... I learnt later from the guy's friend that he had actually been too intoxicated to get on the flight.
The long and short of it is that me, myself, my sniffles, my shark, magenta spider, fingerpuppet turtle and penguin all made it back safe and sound to the thriving metropolis (look out Rio) of Miriwinni (where it is still raining, just like when I left it).
I think I am cured of travel... at least for a few days now! I am updating my photos but on flickr (yahoo) as I have almost exceeded my limit here. Stay tuned for more info.
Until then.. ciao and think twice and very carefully about who you fly with!
Merryn
