5:30 is time to get up, but I am already awake, and up and doing. Already to go by 6:15 on my first trip to Alabama since the COVID-19 pandemic started. The taxi arrived 10 minutes early, which is the only good piece of travel news for a while. So we are off, with a target arrival time of 8:15 at LHR. Almost immediately I realised that I was running late. "It's not usually this bad" said the taxi driver who only does airport runs. Total time from Billericay to LHR terminal 3 is 2 hours 10 minutes.
Web check-in had failed the night before. I'd say that web check-in is more of a failure than a success. Automated check-in at the airport also fails, confusing the staff, and I have to go through the manual process. Then it's a queue for baggage drop. It's now 8:50, and there are about 200 people ahead of me, although all the desks are manned the queue still moves slowly. Boarding time is 10:10. Baggage drop is completed about 9:35, and on to security. The usual access to security is closed, everyone is funnelled to the other end of the terminal building. There is a queue to get to the first part of the queue, then the second part, then up the escalator to two more staking areas. My guess would be 2000+ people There is no hope, so I start asking staff what to do. The answer is, "wait for the airline to call you forward." With ten minutes to go I am in the fourth row, the last before the next queue, and am just about to walk past "Fast Track". It's empty, and an LHR employee says "anyone feel lucky" I'm now allowed into fast track, and through in 7 minutes.
Given the timing and the exact way it happened, I consider it a gift from God, so as soon as I had a chance I thanked the Lord for his kindness.
LHR is a mess because people were made redundant during the pandemic. There was no need for that to happen. The owners made a little less of a loss during the downtime, but have made all us travellers suffer. Not just the waits, but the potential for disease spread while so many people are kept is such a confined space There is no excuse for it, but sadly no penalty for them either. It's just corporate greed. It's time that company directors are made personally liable for the trouble they cause, and there are other industries where this is even more important.
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The flight itself as largely uneventful, although I would say that the quality of airline food is even lower than it was before, and some of their 'green' claims are very suspect. It isn't a pressed board fork, it's definitely plastic, look at the claim and the reality. |
Then the car park at Atlanta airport was mysteriously closed, causing confusion and delay.
Robert and the children picked me up, but I missed Mady sitting ever so quietly in her seat, but she hasn't counted that against me.
After a nice burger (I'm not a burger fan, but it really was the nicest meal of the day), it was time to leave and check-in at the hotel. 3 nights there while COVID leaves the house - I hope.
Getting connectivity up and running was a challenge, which was not completed that evening - tiredness is my excuse.
