We'll unload your baggage
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We'll unload your baggage
Does anybody know if they really do unload your baggage if you neglect to go to the plane in time ? Or is it an excuse to sit for a bit longer in the hope that the passenger actually makes it.
How on earth long would it take to look for one bag in the hold of an A380 when they are all packed in random order ?
How on earth long would it take to look for one bag in the hold of an A380 when they are all packed in random order ?
Paxing All Over The World
If you are packing bags for an a/c that uses containers. You can scan the tags of each bag as it goes into the container.
Then you can extract one container (which may take some time!) but you only have to search one unit, not the a/c.
Then you can extract one container (which may take some time!) but you only have to search one unit, not the a/c.
Too mean to buy a long personal title
When I've missed the flight, so have my bags. I take that as a sign that they really do what they threaten to do! 
On one occasion, I watched "my" aircraft still sitting at the gate, without me onboard, because the gate agents had packed up and gone pronto before I arrived at the gate. There seemed to be some work still being done on baggage, which I have always assumed that I'd caused. I didn't hang around to confirm it, though, because I did need to go off and try to get myself rebooked on the next flight ...
On one occasion, I watched "my" aircraft still sitting at the gate, without me onboard, because the gate agents had packed up and gone pronto before I arrived at the gate. There seemed to be some work still being done on baggage, which I have always assumed that I'd caused. I didn't hang around to confirm it, though, because I did need to go off and try to get myself rebooked on the next flight ...
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Yes if your late to the gate the doors will be shut and your bags found and off loaded. All tend to be bar coded at check-in, followed through security and scaned as put into bins or hold. So we know where it is!
Airlines will take the delay to remove the offending bag rather than let you on. Can sell you another ticket and why let you get away with delaying all those pax that got to the gate well in time.
Airlines will take the delay to remove the offending bag rather than let you on. Can sell you another ticket and why let you get away with delaying all those pax that got to the gate well in time.
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Has there ever been a case of an airline trying to claim compensation for the delay, from a passenger who missed their flight?
It really pi55es me off, sitting on a plane, waiting for someone to turn up, and when they finally board, you know exactly where they've been, by the smell of alcohol on them.
They would usually be the first to try and claim off the airline, if there was a delay or cancellation.
It really pi55es me off, sitting on a plane, waiting for someone to turn up, and when they finally board, you know exactly where they've been, by the smell of alcohol on them.
They would usually be the first to try and claim off the airline, if there was a delay or cancellation.
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Yes, and you can be sure that once the decision is made, you are not getting on the aircraft. 
I've searched for bags many times. On a bin loaded flight, it's not quite so bad, in that if the job is done properly you know which bin it's in. can still take a while, depending on the type, you might have to take 3 or 4 bins out to get the one you need, and sod's law says that as you thought you'd finished, another crew has already robbed the bin dollies for their flight, which means going looking for something else to put the bins on, they won't all fit on the high loader
Trouble starts when it's something like a 757 charter flight, they could be anywhere, and there's over 300 bags to be checked. That takes time, depending on how full the hold is, some bags have to come out to make room to get to the rest of them, the hold is not exactly easy to work or move in. If you're really lucky, and know what order the bags went on in, and the operator is one that has the tags recorded, then you've an idea where it is, and which end of the aircraft to start at. Otherwise, it can be a 45 minute job.
I'd love to see carriers surcharge late passengers with the full cost of the delay, it can be very high, especially if a slot has been missed, the knock on effect of a delay on Friday can sometimes last till Tuesday on a busy charter aircraft if the delay is more than a short one.
I've known Monarch at DUB operate over 2 hours late all weekend because they missed a slot on Friday morning because some
eejit was in the bar, and didn't realise his flight had closed. By the time we'd taken out 5 cans to get at the 6th, found the bags and put it all back, the aircraft ended up taking a 3 hour slot delay. That lasted all weekend, so over 2400 passengers were inconvenienced because of one inconsiderate ase!
I've searched for bags many times. On a bin loaded flight, it's not quite so bad, in that if the job is done properly you know which bin it's in. can still take a while, depending on the type, you might have to take 3 or 4 bins out to get the one you need, and sod's law says that as you thought you'd finished, another crew has already robbed the bin dollies for their flight, which means going looking for something else to put the bins on, they won't all fit on the high loader
Trouble starts when it's something like a 757 charter flight, they could be anywhere, and there's over 300 bags to be checked. That takes time, depending on how full the hold is, some bags have to come out to make room to get to the rest of them, the hold is not exactly easy to work or move in. If you're really lucky, and know what order the bags went on in, and the operator is one that has the tags recorded, then you've an idea where it is, and which end of the aircraft to start at. Otherwise, it can be a 45 minute job.
I'd love to see carriers surcharge late passengers with the full cost of the delay, it can be very high, especially if a slot has been missed, the knock on effect of a delay on Friday can sometimes last till Tuesday on a busy charter aircraft if the delay is more than a short one.
I've known Monarch at DUB operate over 2 hours late all weekend because they missed a slot on Friday morning because some
eejit was in the bar, and didn't realise his flight had closed. By the time we'd taken out 5 cans to get at the 6th, found the bags and put it all back, the aircraft ended up taking a 3 hour slot delay. That lasted all weekend, so over 2400 passengers were inconvenienced because of one inconsiderate ase!
Too mean to buy a long personal title
You have no idea what it was that caused me to miss the flight.
Suffice it to say that I was upgraded on the rebooked flight, by way of apology. A satisfactory solution all round.
Suffice it to say that I was upgraded on the rebooked flight, by way of apology. A satisfactory solution all round.
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The Ae you refer to may well have been "Globaliser" read above.
e you refer to may well have been "Globaliser" read above.
99% of the time, the problem is people that are not making a connection, or similar, it's a holiday charter flight, and the attitude is "I'm on holiday from NOW", and DUB at least has more bars than almost anything else, and said bars don't have PA systems in them, which means that they can be called for ever, and it's only when one of the gate staff do the rounds of the bars, calling for them by name if they can be heard, that they are eventually found, usually still in the middle of about 6 pints of whatever.
At that stage, the decision has to be made as to if it's actually safe to let them board.
A while back, an entire family of "travellers" were in the bar, and it took more than a few people, airport, security and others to eventually "persuade" them to board their flight. they nearly had a riot on their hands
There has to be a better way of making sure that people are where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there. Exactly what that is, short of having something akin to a prison cell system I don't know, but for sure, the present system is not working, and it does cause huge problems.
It's bad enough for the flight that's on the gate. It can then be made far worse if the gate that's now blocked is the only one that's available for another aircraft that's landing 5 minutes after the scheduled off blocks time. I've known Transatlantic flights have to hold for over an hour waiting for a gate for reasons like this, and I can assure you, sitting on the ground waiting for a gate for over an hour after an 11 and a half overnight flight goes down like a lead balloon!
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Another side of the coin?
Why is it that pax announcements say "your flight is now boarding", when there is absolutely no activity at the gate, then we hear an announcement "last call" some 30 minutes before scheduled departure time, and at the gate they are just starting to board the F-class pax
Maybe it's to get the "travellers" out of the bars, but I know the effect it has on me - I just ignore the calls and make sure that I'm at the gate at a reasonable time (usually about half-way through boarding)
I know that late pax cause problems (I have been on an aircraft where we had a pax who decided at the last minute not to fly as she was terrifiedof flying - and her bags had to be located and offloaded), but these "early" announcements also have pax sitting in the depature gate, when they'd rather have been enjoying a pre-flight beer and a smoke (yes, I'm one of those )
There must be a "middle ground"
Maybe it's to get the "travellers" out of the bars, but I know the effect it has on me - I just ignore the calls and make sure that I'm at the gate at a reasonable time (usually about half-way through boarding)
I know that late pax cause problems (I have been on an aircraft where we had a pax who decided at the last minute not to fly as she was terrifiedof flying - and her bags had to be located and offloaded), but these "early" announcements also have pax sitting in the depature gate, when they'd rather have been enjoying a pre-flight beer and a smoke (yes, I'm one of those
)There must be a "middle ground"
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Yup, sometimes the boarding announcements - screen advices are a little off and can vary wildly from airport to airport to airline to airline.
What I do is forgoe that last whisky or final ciggie and follow the instructions. I may stew around for awhile but never have a problem getting onboard, wheels up and on the way. I don't like testing the boarding instructions.
For some of the public who I often see traipse onboard 5 minutes before sked dep, there should be a web statement to verify and agree that if you don't follow the timing instructions you will not fly and will forfeit your ticket without compensation. For regular paper tickets, they should sign the same statement at check-in.
The only thing that lifts my mood is when the lates have no overhead bin space left for their multitude of carry-on items.
I can be nasty when fed-up but have some sympathy for folks running to make a bad connection. Most of the cases are not bad connections.
What I do is forgoe that last whisky or final ciggie and follow the instructions. I may stew around for awhile but never have a problem getting onboard, wheels up and on the way. I don't like testing the boarding instructions.
For some of the public who I often see traipse onboard 5 minutes before sked dep, there should be a web statement to verify and agree that if you don't follow the timing instructions you will not fly and will forfeit your ticket without compensation. For regular paper tickets, they should sign the same statement at check-in.
The only thing that lifts my mood is when the lates have no overhead bin space left for their multitude of carry-on items.
I can be nasty when fed-up but have some sympathy for folks running to make a bad connection. Most of the cases are not bad connections.
Sims Fly Virtually
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Overheads!
Ah, the overhead bins! Why do aircraft makers not understand that pax need to store their enormous 25 kg suitcases in the carry-on overhead storage? Especially in Knoteetingham where the average pax has 2 carry-ons of this proportion?
And why insist that they "keep seat belts on till the engines have stopped", when everyone knows that they can make the gate before the aircraft, and the baggage belt before their luggage?
Especially in Knoteetingham where the average pax has 2 carry-ons of this proportion?And why insist that they "keep seat belts on till the engines have stopped", when everyone knows that they can make the gate before the aircraft, and the baggage belt before their luggage?
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I agree with some earlier sentiments. Whilst I will make every effort to avoid delaying flights, way too often now gate closing calls are made when boarding has not even started. This recently happened to me with the worlds favourite at LHR. All the screens in T1 showed final call. I rushed to the gate to find boarding had not even started, the gate staff were not even there. The worst culprits are Easyjet. On one occasion, they put up final call at Stansted for my flight, I dashed to the gate, only to be told the flight was delayed 40 minutes. I asked why they were announcing final call, and was told 'we do that to make sure everyone is here on time'
So, guess what, I ignore such calls now, and like another poster try to arrange to be at the gate with time to spare. The airlines do themselves no favours by putting out FAKE gate closing notices.
So, guess what, I ignore such calls now, and like another poster try to arrange to be at the gate with time to spare. The airlines do themselves no favours by putting out FAKE gate closing notices.
The worst culprits are Easyjet. On one occasion, they put up final call at Stansted for my flight, I dashed to the gate, only to be told the flight was delayed 40 minutes. I asked why they were announcing final call, and was told 'we do that to make sure everyone is here on time'
Now apparently Easy's handling agent at Stansted has a policy of doing the various stages of indication so many minutes before scheduled departure time without any reference to actuality. It maks things easier for them I suppose.
But regular passengers are not stupid and soon realise the displayed information is a nonsense. If they paid more attention to accuracy I'm sure they would find the passengers do too.
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What many of you don't realise is that airlines are very pre-occupied with OTP (on time perfomance) and are vicious when trying to achieve it, spending millions on research and training of all their staff (including handling agents) to get the aircraft away on time (in fact many airlines give handling agents bonuses for early departures, and off course penalise when they go late, even if is because of late passengers, they believe it is up to handling agents to get the PAX to the gate on time).
With regard to Stansted, over 60% of people who fly through are first timers at the airport, and most of them assume (wrongly) that once through the security they are at the gate, and have no idea that they have to get a train or a long walk to the gates (even though it is explained in great detail at check-in the many of the passengers do not speak or cannot understand basic english), hence the reason information screens can be changed to get people to the gate in the satellites.
Having said that the handling agents can change the screens, if they do not they change automatically at certain times before the departure time, so even if the aircraft has not arrived and the handling aents do not intervine the screens will change to "Final Call" at approximatley 20 mins before the departure time.
Though never assume just because you can't see your aircraft that it's not there, aircraft can be parked remotley and you could be bussed to it, also aircraft changes can be done which would not neccesarily corolate with what you think is happening.
Do pay attention to announcments at airports, there not done for fun just to get passengers running around, the are done to get aicraft away on time (or early) to make the whole place run as smooth as possible.
Going back to the original point of the post, it is a legal requirement that any passenger that does not travel to have their baggage removed before the aircraft departs, so yes your baggae will ALWAYS be offloaded, no matter how long it will take (and we'll make you watch just to rub it in, and to hopefully make sure you don't do it again)
With regard to Stansted, over 60% of people who fly through are first timers at the airport, and most of them assume (wrongly) that once through the security they are at the gate, and have no idea that they have to get a train or a long walk to the gates (even though it is explained in great detail at check-in the many of the passengers do not speak or cannot understand basic english), hence the reason information screens can be changed to get people to the gate in the satellites.
Having said that the handling agents can change the screens, if they do not they change automatically at certain times before the departure time, so even if the aircraft has not arrived and the handling aents do not intervine the screens will change to "Final Call" at approximatley 20 mins before the departure time.
Though never assume just because you can't see your aircraft that it's not there, aircraft can be parked remotley and you could be bussed to it, also aircraft changes can be done which would not neccesarily corolate with what you think is happening.
Do pay attention to announcments at airports, there not done for fun just to get passengers running around, the are done to get aicraft away on time (or early) to make the whole place run as smooth as possible.
Going back to the original point of the post, it is a legal requirement that any passenger that does not travel to have their baggage removed before the aircraft departs, so yes your baggae will ALWAYS be offloaded, no matter how long it will take (and we'll make you watch just to rub it in, and to hopefully make sure you don't do it again)
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I could imagine that for some particular flights (e.g. evening transatlantic westbound) the on-time performance would be less critical. Otherwise, how to explain this: a large airport has fewer police/immigration/security personnel at this time of the day, and a very long line forms before getting to the boarding area. Since airline X flight is "boarding", and since this is my connecting flight, I evaluate the line to be 20-40 minutes long and I decide to ask an check-in agent for airline X if there is a way to make it quicker to the plane. The answer was, don't worry, there are 70 more like you. 10-15 minutes later (and 60% through the line), same question, and same answer. 5 minutes later, I ask again another agent for airline X who happens to be around... and now, he looks at my boarding pass, talks to his colleagues at the gate, and says "quick! they are waiting for you, I'll get you through security"... and he does, quite efficiently. So, maybe not everyone is concerned with on-time performance, but a big thanks to those who are!
With regard to Stansted, over 60% of people who fly through are first timers at the airport, and most of them assume (wrongly) that once through the security they are at the gate, and have no idea that they have to get a train or a long walk to the gates (even though it is explained in great detail at check-in the many of the passengers do not speak or cannot understand basic english), hence the reason information screens can be changed to get people to the gate in the satellites.
Having said that the handling agents can change the screens, if they do not they change automatically at certain times before the departure time, so even if the aircraft has not arrived and the handling aents do not intervine the screens will change to "Final Call" at approximatley 20 mins before the departure time.
Though never assume just because you can't see your aircraft that it's not there, aircraft can be parked remotley and you could be bussed to it, also aircraft changes can be done which would not neccesarily corolate with what you think is happening.
Having said that the handling agents can change the screens, if they do not they change automatically at certain times before the departure time, so even if the aircraft has not arrived and the handling aents do not intervine the screens will change to "Final Call" at approximatley 20 mins before the departure time.
Though never assume just because you can't see your aircraft that it's not there, aircraft can be parked remotley and you could be bussed to it, also aircraft changes can be done which would not neccesarily corolate with what you think is happening.
I think I (and several others) are a few steps ahead of you here.
Stansted is no longer a "first-timers" airport. If you look at the early morning weekday flights to Scotland say you will find them fairly full of those of us in business suits paying over £200 return (so Ray and M O'L obviously know we are not first-timers !). We are quite capable of getting ourselves through the many complexities of life and that includes getting to the airport departure gate on time. If we were first-timers we would probably not even know what the term "final call" even meant.
The handling agents appear to never intervene in the automatic displays. At a recent delay there where our inbound aircraft went tech on arrival it was still shown as "boarding" two hours after scheduled departure time as we were directed to the next flight.
BTW, The distance to the gate has never, ever, been explained to me, or to anyone else in my earshot, at check-in there. Actually it doesn't take that long; what loses time there is the security queue due to unmanned security stations.
Paxing All Over The World
what loses time there is the security queue due to unmanned security stations.
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"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
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Stansted is no longer a "first-timers" airport. If you look at the early morning weekday flights to Scotland say you will find them fairly full of those of us in business suits paying over £200 return (so Ray and M O'L obviously know we are not first-timers !). We are quite capable of getting ourselves through the many complexities of life and that includes getting to the airport departure gate on time. If we were first-timers we would probably not even know what the term "final call" even meant.
Also the amount of passengers who are late to gates with the explanation, "We've never been to Stansted before and we didn't realise it was so far to the gates" seems to double on a daily basis.
Whilst I agree that many of the Monday morning set are indeed seasoned travellers with at least half a brain cell and can manage to navigate large buildings without help, the majority cannot, and need all the help they can get, I'm sure many people would complain if after boarding they were made to wait ages for the "late" passengers because handling agents didn't bother to make calls or expalin to them where to go.
It's a difficult problem to overcome, and of course if they started to change the system now, and put announcments and calls out exactly when they should do the Monday morning brigade would find themselves missing more flights, thinking they still had plenty of time, as they always make the calls far too early
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Just for the record, 3 friends didn't make the plane from Malaga last year and their bags were not removed. I know because I had to take them home with me from Stanstead.
One of the friends was being detained by 8 policemen as well (a real illness, not some anti-social nutcase drunk or something) so you would have thought it would have been prudent for those who didn't know him to have removed his bag, but they just shrugged their shoulders...
One of the friends was being detained by 8 policemen as well (a real illness, not some anti-social nutcase drunk or something) so you would have thought it would have been prudent for those who didn't know him to have removed his bag, but they just shrugged their shoulders...