Milan madness

[AussieinUK]

Recently led a party of 81 (adults and children) back from a ski trip to Italy and booking back in at Milan (Linate) was madness in true bureaucratic style.

Having spread ourselves out over the available booking-in lines, after 10 mins a desk was opened up for us to use. No, not just for all those at the back of the queues but they insisted that I collect all 81 tickets and put the whole lot through the one desk.
That made that queue 5 times longer than any other queue and we ended up delaying the flight because we couldn't all be processed in time.

Is it just the Milanese. I love Italy and Italians in general. Maybe this check in lady just took her job too seriously!

Any other stories anyone?

[Animalclub]

It is usual to open an exclusive check-in desk for large group bookings... but usually well before you get there. There's also some commercial considerations to take into account like excess baggage charges, carriage of sporting equipment, etc.

I'm surprised the check-in lady asked you to collect all the group's passports. It is usual to check the passengers face with the passport for security purposes.

[PAXboy]

AussieinUK: "Is it just the Milanese?"

Eeeer, have you ever been to Africa? ;)

[AussieinUK]

Haven't been to Africa, Paxboy, except by ship as a wee babby. Probably will avoid taking 80 other people with me when, one day, I do get there!

Small point, Animalclub, but I collected all the tickets not the passports.
I wish they had told me in advance what they wanted to do as t would have alleviated some fractious parents!

I will say the flight with Alitalia was good as they treated me well after I had obviously contracted some tummy bug and felt very unwell on the flight. Cheers to the Alitalia Cabin Crew!!

[PAXboy]

AUK, the problem with Africa is that you never know which kind of experience you are going to have ...

It might be the, "Hey, who cares, everyone can go through." or the "No one goes through until they show me their papers. Twice" or "No one goes through until they have given me their papers - those nice green ones from America" and so on.

Also, each country in Africa is not consistent, you cannot rely upon their being one cultural attitude to queuing and so forth. The main factor that you have to include in Africa is simple. Time, lots and lots of time. Be patient and don't lose your rag. OK, that goes for most places of course but Africa really does have it's own tune.

[Xenia]

In Africa everything goes pole pole!:p

[AussieinUK]

Do you think Livingstone found this problem too?!