the birm*

You lose some, you win some…

So after being delayed by a few hours in Singapore (and then waiting in the plane for about an hour before take-off) the plane touched down in London at the time my connecting flight to France was leaving.

The alternative one they re-booked me on leaves 6 hours later…

At the BA desk where they were re-issuing a ticket, I asked if I could use a phone to call my “appointment”, which I evidently would miss, leaving 3 hours after I was supposed to arrive. The dude at the desk was very kind indeed and allowed me to do that. So I called Candide and left a message on  her machine. It really sucks for her, as she took the arvo off work to come and pick me up.

I then asked the kind gentleman if there were any meal vouchers for people like myself, who would be waiting an extra (and un-planned) 6 hours. He told me that I should check with the Qantas desk, in terminal 4 (which is where I’d just come from).

18 minutes (or so…I didn’t count but that’s advertised time it takes to go from T4 to T5) later, after going through security AGAIN, I was at the counter being told that if there were meal tickets available, they should have been given out. They checked anyway and I found myself with a 14 pound meal voucher. As they say: “there’s no harm in asking”, or “if you don’t ask, you won’t get”, or “seek and you will find”. Anyhoo, that was definitely a bonus!

So after another 18 (or so) minutes on the bus from T4 to T5 and passing through security AGAIN (having to empty my whole pack this time due to my 750g pack of Ovomaltine and some toothpaste), I treated myself, sorry, Qantas treated me to a very tasty lunch and coffee at Giraffe Restaurant.

Thinking about it, I was probably the only one to get that meal ticket, as I don’t think anyone else was booked on the flight to Lyon (not coming from Singapore) and I saw nobody else ask. I tell you what though, I’m not usually one to complain or ask such things but I’ll certainly do exactly the same if the situation arises again. So although I’m super-bummed I have to wait around for 6 hours and I don’t get to see Candide ‘til later on this evening, it’s good to have had a bit of a win!