(no subject)

[lollardfish]

We're back. We have no luggage. It got to Chicago, but didn't make it out again. The plane was too heavy and they took some off, though they didn't tell us about it.

I feel only slightly worse for the people with frozen fish from their trip to Alaska, all packed and good for "twenty hours." They aren't going to make it.

Comments

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

How was London?

K.

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

Fine, really. The security line was long, but moved rapidly. The fact that no one has big carry-ons does speed things up. We had 3 hours or more there, and ironically our stomachs felt really pretty solid, so we ate at a pub and were happy, then bought some books, I finished editing my thesis, and the flight was fine.

We were delayed, though, because the flight crew got caught up in security apparantly because some BAA checkpoints that the crew usually goes through were closed due to a lack of staff.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

That's odd. Flight crews normally just jump to the head of any security line.

The big problem flight crews are having now is that they have to check their luggage -- no liquids or gels -- which makes it harder for them to make connections.

B

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

They all seemed really annoyed about it. Like, they went to their normal "front of the line" spot to arrive on time for the flight, found it closed, went somewhere else, got pushed to the front of the line ... except behind all the other flight crews ... and an hour went by.

And it's not like they get to the airport 3 hours early in case something goes wrong.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I am so glad I'm not flying through Heathrow on Saturday.

B

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

It's really not bad though. As a preferred type, you probably could take the "fast track," which seemed at least a little faster (though it was for British Air, I suspect you'd qualify. It was for frequent travellers and people with small kids).

Boarding was a breeze. No big bags on carryon.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Most of the time I qualify for Fast Track. And I keep extra Fast Track cards in my bag, for the times I don't.

B

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

Fast. Track. Cards.

Are these forgeable?

Fast Track Cards

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

They're mass printed, so in theory they are. But not with home -- or Kinko's -- equipment.

They're single use. The airline gives them to First- and Business-Class passengers in the airplane, and we use them when we land. I just keep a couple extra in my bag just in case.

B

[tesla-aldrich.livejournal.com]

Finished editing your thesis - as in done done?

Congratulations!

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

Oh. No. Gosh.

I printed out a draft and did a full edit, pen in hand, over the course of the trip. Long, but good. I have a much better sense of the project as a whole now, and shortly will get back to work at it.