Travelling back from London on Friday was a challenge. I had a meeting at 3.30 after which I had to be on the 4.32 Victoria to Gatwick train to get an EasyJet flight at 6.25.
Having thought I was on a BA flight rather than an EasyJet I had failed to print off my boarding card in advance. Easyjet would be delighted to charge me £90 for printing one off at the airport but I would not be delighted to pay them. I begged a favour from a stranger at my first meeting and had them print my boarding pass for me.
It got worse when I discovered the venue for my 3.30 meeting was nowhere near where I had thought it was. My only hope was to cut the meeting dead at 4.00 and run like the clappers.
The 3.30 meeting started at 3.37. With no small amount of skill and pride I spoke three times more quickly than usual concluding the meeting with a successful outcome on the dot of 3.59. (It is quite possible that I have developed a reputation as a bit of a loony in the process).
I made it to Victoria Station at 4.23 and bagged a seat on the 4.32 to Littlehampton and Bognor Regis. I began to relax - I would have an hour and ten minutes to get through security at Gatwick and get to the gate.
Strolling through the airport and hurtling from the South terminal to the North on the transit I made my way to the departures gate. I handed my boarding pass over and things went wrong.
"This is for tomorrow night sir!"
"WHAT!?"
I hurried to the EasyJet ticket sales desk to be told they could get me on the flight on Friday for £99.
It took a good ten minutes to get the boarding pass and head back to the departures gate, where a queue had formed.
As I waited I examined my boarding pass. The departure time was showing at 6.10 rather than 6.25. I looked for a clock. 5.46.
As is always the case when you are in a hurry the security teams slow down and someone very stupid in front thinks that they have the time to have chat with the security people as they go.
Naturally I got frisked and had to remove my shoes for separate x-ray attention.
Rather less relaxed than I was on the train I hurtled through the airport to Gate 55E which is about as far from security as you can get. The flight was of course delayed! Till 6.25!!
Having thought I was on a BA flight rather than an EasyJet I had failed to print off my boarding card in advance. Easyjet would be delighted to charge me £90 for printing one off at the airport but I would not be delighted to pay them. I begged a favour from a stranger at my first meeting and had them print my boarding pass for me.
It got worse when I discovered the venue for my 3.30 meeting was nowhere near where I had thought it was. My only hope was to cut the meeting dead at 4.00 and run like the clappers.
The 3.30 meeting started at 3.37. With no small amount of skill and pride I spoke three times more quickly than usual concluding the meeting with a successful outcome on the dot of 3.59. (It is quite possible that I have developed a reputation as a bit of a loony in the process).
I made it to Victoria Station at 4.23 and bagged a seat on the 4.32 to Littlehampton and Bognor Regis. I began to relax - I would have an hour and ten minutes to get through security at Gatwick and get to the gate.
Strolling through the airport and hurtling from the South terminal to the North on the transit I made my way to the departures gate. I handed my boarding pass over and things went wrong.
"This is for tomorrow night sir!"
"WHAT!?"
I hurried to the EasyJet ticket sales desk to be told they could get me on the flight on Friday for £99.
It took a good ten minutes to get the boarding pass and head back to the departures gate, where a queue had formed.
As I waited I examined my boarding pass. The departure time was showing at 6.10 rather than 6.25. I looked for a clock. 5.46.
As is always the case when you are in a hurry the security teams slow down and someone very stupid in front thinks that they have the time to have chat with the security people as they go.
Naturally I got frisked and had to remove my shoes for separate x-ray attention.
Rather less relaxed than I was on the train I hurtled through the airport to Gate 55E which is about as far from security as you can get. The flight was of course delayed! Till 6.25!!
