Bouquets and Brickbats!

There are always things that go well and things that don't in daily life and a holiday is no exception! So now I am back from my wonderful Spanish break, I thought that I would share some of the very good (Bouquets) and the very bad (Brickbats) with you!

And the first Bouquet goes to my daughter Catherine for organising our entire trip! She booked the tickets, booked us online and organised boarding passes and seat allocation. She took my arm firmly as she steered me through passport control, up and down escalators and made sure that when I flew home again, her brother took over the elbow steering duties! (She flew home before me.)

I drove out of here with my little Hire Car at just after 8 in the morning on Friday 5 August. I packed my suitcase on Thursday afternoon and Rob and I tried to weigh it on the bathroom scale, with it standing alone! That didn't work as it kept wobbling and it covered the actual dial, so after trying to kneel down to see the weight (and having to crawl to the nearest chair so I could heave myself up), I stood (gingerly) on the scale and Rob handed me the suitcase! My baggage allowance was 23 kg and my case was well within the limit at just on 20 kg. So, even allowing for dodgy scale-accuracy, I was within the limit!

Catherine was ready and waiting, so she took over the driving and we headed to Cape Town Airport! Time we had in plenty, so after handing in our cases we went off to the Slow Lounge (I was her guest!) and had lunch and wine! How very civilised! Another Bouquet for the peace and tranquillity and chilled wine.

We flew to Johannesburg and repeated the baggage and lounge and wine routine before we lined up at the gate for our Iberia flight!

And this is where we met Brickbat Number 1.........

The organisation to get us from the terminal (sounds so final doesn't it!) and onto the plane was shocking! We gathered at the gate well before time, along with our fellow passengers. Time to board and we were all ready and waiting. Six or seven men in uniform (not ACCSA uniforms or Iberia actually) were fussing about moving a wooden pulpit-looking-stand from one place to another. And back again. And forward. And back again. Looking official but failing to actually do anything. Finally the crowd became restless as we realised that if we didn't get on the plane, we would never get off the ground. A queue formed, we all moved slowly forward and by sheer force of numbers, boarding began.

Brickbat Number 2 has to go to Iberia for the worst coffee that I have ever tasted! The rest of the Iberia experience was great, so they deserve a Bouquet for taking off and landing dead on time! I have never experienced an airline so punctual, it puts many of its competitors to shame!

My next Bouquet goes to my Spanish family! Andrew was at the airport and after the usual hugs, kisses and tears, we drove north (I think) just out of Madrid to their home. Even their cat greeted us! I had three weeks of eating, drinking and getting to know the children. (We had great fun putting the animal cards into the albums and swiping the cards through the sound machine). We visited some old villages, we sampled wine and olives and jamon whenever we could. We braaied and we ate out and we simply enjoyed it all.

And then it was time to come home. Andrew and Mateo drove me to the airport in Madrid, Andrew did the self-service-check-in-and-baggage-drop-and-boarding-pass-printout and after a wine to settle the nerves, they steered me towards passport control and after a tearful goodbye they waved until I was out of sight.

Now for Brickbat Number 3. I gaily put my bag and jersey (at 37 deg a jersey?? But it may have been cold in Johannesburg!) into the little tray thing provided and watched it go through the X-ray machine and out the other side. I stepped through the human beeping thing and a very official and officious woman stopped me to tell me that I had to put my passport into the tray. "Ah" I said, "It is in my bag." I pointed to it. There followed a Monty Python type sketch as she said it must go through the machine again and I said it was in my bag and she wouldn't let me through to get it to re-X-ray it, and the queue shuffled behind me!!! Finally, oh joy, she let me nip through to get my passport, nip back to put it in a tray, and walk through the barrier to meet it at the other side!

I do hope that you are still with me?

After a very good Iberia flight to Johannesburg, I collected my case and trundled past customs to the BA counter. There I handed in my case for my domestic flight to Cape Town. I was handed my boarding pass with my baggage stub stuck on. I said cheers to my case, it went on its way and I went off to find a decent cup of coffee in the domestic departure area. Oh bliss, Wimpy coffee! (A Bouquet for Wimpy!)

A slightly bumpy but fast flight to Cape Town later, (I think the Captain was late for something) I staggered off the plane and joined my fellow passengers at Carousel 6 to watch the bags go round and round, keeping an eye open for my case with its luminous green plastic wrap (thanks to Madrid Airport!)

It never arrived.

Eventually the carousel was empty and I was left standing. I asked a lady who was lounging nearby to please see if there were any more bags coming because it could not have slipped by without me seeing. No, they were all off the plane. Sorry.

Finally I went to report it to the BA Arrivals Service. The computers were down so they couldn't do very much, but they gave me a reference number and said they would phone me later. And yes, they did! They had found my case! The problem was that the label had come off and it was left like an orphan in Johannesburg! Never mind, it was now on its way, landing later in the evening, and would be delivered on Wednesday morning! Bouquet stuff? Yes, I thought so........... however read on:

My suitcase arrived by special delivery...... with a wheel snapped clean off. The driver said that I must write to BA and that they would collect the case and 'would replace it'...... So, Rob took some photos and I sent a letter with photos attached quoting my reference number, sent it off and thought that it would be sorted!

WRONG........ BRICKBAT NUMBER 4

Back came a letter from BA/Comair and I quote:

Dear Mrs Hollis,

Let me first apologise for what has happened to your bag. Unfortunately we do not take liability for broken wheels please see attached Comair's limited liability regarding checked baggage or you can visit our website www.comair.co.za. If by any chance you do have travel insurance please let us and we will be able to assist you with insurance letter.

Kind regards,

Blah Blah

Lovely, I thought and sent another letter stating my unhappiness and disgust.

It got me nowhere. It turns out that Comair basically take NO responsibility for anything to do with a suitcase or anything sticking out like handles, wheels, etc etc. Or any personal items like jewellery, silverware, passports, etc etc.

I did take out travel insurance. I wrote to them yesterday explaining my problem with BA/Comair and enquiring whether I was covered for damaged baggage.

I wait for a reply. I had an automated 'Thank you for your enquiry. It will be dealt with as soon as possible'.

I wonder.

Or is this Brickbat Number 5 to be awarded to ........

I shall let you know.