Now, I've always been rather amazed at how CC deal with luggage and pax, and how they manage to keep their cool. And in regards to stowing away hand luggage that is obviously too big, while still maintaning a sense of calm, while the rest of us would be trying to slow force said oversized luggage down said pax's throat. Not too mention killing everyone waiting in line while silly woman takes 15 mins to try and put it in the over head compartment..........
BUT
I have recently had an experience that has left me with no doubt that from now on, I shall be courtious and patient to these people and even go to lengths of actually helping them now.
I was travelling with my company 2 weeks ago and had to go to Moscow on business. Nice flight (LHT, lovely CC by the way) good food, and generally very pleasant. Arrive at the airport, only to be told that there had been a problem at one of our other stations (deepest darkest russia!).
I was handed tickets, and transfered to VKO (other airport in Moscow), and told to catch so and so flight.
Check in informed me, that because I was flying on a small jet aircraft, my luggage would be taken off me on the ramp and placed in the hold, no problem i thought.
Off on the bus, we arrived at said aircraft, only to be confronted with the horror that I was to board a YAK 40!, now if any of you have never seen said aircraft, you are lucky. Imagine a tiny euro jet, squeezing 35 people in , apolstered in 50's carpet all over the entire cabin, including paintings!!!.
It turns out the only way onto the aircraft is below the APU, through a tiny hatch that should be part of a submarine rather than on a plane, then you have to tackle the obstacle of the luggage rack!.........
Hence the point of my story, (long winded I know).
The pilot, and CC (1), are putting all of their weight into shoving all the luggage of the pax, into a tiny space, that is actually the infront of the only escape route of the aircraft!, which once we did get airborn (after much praying and crying) was happily blocked due to a strap breaking and all luggage faliing on the floor creating a cave in effect to the exit!.
All I can say is, horrendous, and I will never never never never never complain about any european outfit ever ever again!.
A changed man
Airyard!