security (again)
Bludger extraordinaire
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
From: London/Frankfurt
It is difficult to imagine that you had such a rotten time
I can assure you that Daedalus' account is far from an exaggeration
Sorry about that, it was ambiguously phrased - I really should have written 'it is difficult to imagine that you could have had' etc etc. Poor expression on my part, and at no time did I want to call the description of the hellhole in which Daedalus found himself into question.
My point was that Daedalus was put through the wringer - and for what? If anyone here reads the Dilbert blog, you'll have seen that a four-ounce shampoo bottle was confiscated from the author, as the maximum is three ounces. However, his bottle was half empty! So he cannot take two ounces of LETHAL EXPLOSIVES on board, but someone else can take three! Obviously, a world-famous, wealthy cartoonist, middle-aged, balding with a young family, wants to get his point across with his SHAMPOO OF JIHAD.
I can see from your post that you are also fed up, and I sincerely hope that things improve. I've either been very lucky, or it's because I've always treated airline staff with commensurate regard, that everyone has been wonderful to me.
If it is any consolation, my feelings are with the sensible staff who must deal with the more unruly elements of society - who will doubtless take out their frustration on you. Realistically speaking, this will only happen when you are (openly) armed.
BOFH
Guest
Posts: n/a
FLCH-SODSorry about that, it was ambiguously phrased - I really should have written 'it is difficult to imagine that you could have had' etc etc. Poor expression on my part, and at no time did I want to call the description of the hellhole in which Daedalus found himself into question.
No need to apologize, I knew exactly what you meant. I just wanted to emphasize the reality of the situation.
If it is any consolation, my feelings are with the sensible staff who must deal with the more unruly elements of society - who will doubtless take out their frustration on you. Realistically speaking, this will only happen when you are (openly) armed.
I have received more abuse in the last month from passengers held up at security than I have in the entire 6 years that I have worked at STN. But I can honestly say, hand on heart, that not one of their rants was unjustifiable and I’m amazed at how understanding the traveling public have been considering the way that they have been treated!
Joined: Jan 2009
Aviation Qualifications: SLF
Posts: 291
Likes: 128
From: Oxon
Apologies for resurrecting an old thread.
I lived in Lux for 11 years, and was a regular user of BA418/419 LHR-LUX-LHR. The BA flight was great, and I was usually guaranteed to meet at least one person I personally knew on the flight.
However, for some unknown reason, BA stopped that route, which meant I would fly Luxair, usually the afternoon flight to LHR (I think it was at 1250?)
Anyway, I returned (unfortunately) to the UK, but still make regular trips to Lux. Now though, I drive. I am only 120 miles from Dover, which is convenient. And yes, the UK has changed beyond anything I knew 20 odd years ago, and if the chance arises again, I will leave it in a shot.
I would recommend driving to Lux, if it is a viable option for those thinking about it. The drive through the Ardennes, although a little monotonous, is rather pleasant.
Can anyone explain why on earth BA withdrew the popular LHR LUX route?
I lived in Lux for 11 years, and was a regular user of BA418/419 LHR-LUX-LHR. The BA flight was great, and I was usually guaranteed to meet at least one person I personally knew on the flight.
However, for some unknown reason, BA stopped that route, which meant I would fly Luxair, usually the afternoon flight to LHR (I think it was at 1250?)
Anyway, I returned (unfortunately) to the UK, but still make regular trips to Lux. Now though, I drive. I am only 120 miles from Dover, which is convenient. And yes, the UK has changed beyond anything I knew 20 odd years ago, and if the chance arises again, I will leave it in a shot.
I would recommend driving to Lux, if it is a viable option for those thinking about it. The drive through the Ardennes, although a little monotonous, is rather pleasant.
Can anyone explain why on earth BA withdrew the popular LHR LUX route?
Guest
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 725
Likes: 0
From: Somewhere between E17487 and F75775
Just to add, I was dealing with a Ryanair passenger yesterday who missed her flight to Girona due to security queues and was trying to find an alternative route. She said that Ryanair were charging the passengers for a new ticket. Is this true?
If you miss the flight because you turned up late at check-in, for any reason, they will charge you for a new ticket on an alternative flight.
However rumour has it that if Ryanair cancel a flight and you don't possess the ability to scream and shout and rant and rage, you may also be duped into paying for a new ticket.
If a flight is scrubbed the procedure is to head IMMEDIATELY to their ticket office and starting being as assertive as you can, demanding a rebook onto the next flight to your destination. Men: Get red-faced and fake a heart attack (if faking is necessary). Ladies: burst into tears. Opening your case and letting contents fall out is also good. Sit weeping amongst your pathetic and obviously inadequate belongings. Anything to draw attention !
Has anyone else experienced the chaos of Ryanair's new machine check-in ? Machine can't (or won't) read bar code, tells you to seek human assistance, humans don't know/don't want to know, tell you to go and queue somewhere, after half an hour you get to check-in to hear "you're in the wrong queue, go over there", after another half hour you are told to go back to machine.
Chaos ! Incidently we fly with Ryanair about 30 times a year and love their cheap fares, but the nightmare that is Ryanair-at-Stansted is appalling. But then, that's why people move abroad, isn't it.
R
If you miss the flight because you turned up late at check-in, for any reason, they will charge you for a new ticket on an alternative flight.
However rumour has it that if Ryanair cancel a flight and you don't possess the ability to scream and shout and rant and rage, you may also be duped into paying for a new ticket.
If a flight is scrubbed the procedure is to head IMMEDIATELY to their ticket office and starting being as assertive as you can, demanding a rebook onto the next flight to your destination. Men: Get red-faced and fake a heart attack (if faking is necessary). Ladies: burst into tears. Opening your case and letting contents fall out is also good. Sit weeping amongst your pathetic and obviously inadequate belongings. Anything to draw attention !
Has anyone else experienced the chaos of Ryanair's new machine check-in ? Machine can't (or won't) read bar code, tells you to seek human assistance, humans don't know/don't want to know, tell you to go and queue somewhere, after half an hour you get to check-in to hear "you're in the wrong queue, go over there", after another half hour you are told to go back to machine.
Chaos ! Incidently we fly with Ryanair about 30 times a year and love their cheap fares, but the nightmare that is Ryanair-at-Stansted is appalling. But then, that's why people move abroad, isn't it.
R
Joined: Feb 2006
Aviation Qualifications: LAME
Posts: 1,129
Likes: 168
From: Station 42
Those Machines
Agree about the 'automated' check-in. I've copied this from my post in the Ryanair Brickbat thread.
Went to a certain British airport today to see my girlfriend off on an international Ryanair flight. I was told to use the check-in machines, not the desk. The machine refused to complete the transaction after I entered the required details. I then informed the floating Ryanair check-in assistant that the machine wouldn't work.
Her response - 'YES it does.' She then turns her back on me.
I managed to attract her attention a minute later and told her again that the machine wouldn't complete the transaction. No offer of assistance - I was just told to speak to the Excess Baggage payments desk. The assistant there was more helpful and wrote a note that the check-in staff should book in my partner manually.
I wonder how non-English-speaking pax cope with unfamiliar machines that don't even work and offhand customer service?
I heard much muttering from other pax trying to use the machines. The American next to me wasn't very complimentary about them at all.
Generally speaking, Ryanair aren't bad but I've had a couple of shoddy encounters with them on the ground. I defy anyone to gripe about their prices.
Went to a certain British airport today to see my girlfriend off on an international Ryanair flight. I was told to use the check-in machines, not the desk. The machine refused to complete the transaction after I entered the required details. I then informed the floating Ryanair check-in assistant that the machine wouldn't work.
Her response - 'YES it does.' She then turns her back on me.
I managed to attract her attention a minute later and told her again that the machine wouldn't complete the transaction. No offer of assistance - I was just told to speak to the Excess Baggage payments desk. The assistant there was more helpful and wrote a note that the check-in staff should book in my partner manually.
I wonder how non-English-speaking pax cope with unfamiliar machines that don't even work and offhand customer service?
I heard much muttering from other pax trying to use the machines. The American next to me wasn't very complimentary about them at all.
Generally speaking, Ryanair aren't bad but I've had a couple of shoddy encounters with them on the ground. I defy anyone to gripe about their prices.
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Canada
Having experiences myself on more than one occasion the poor capability of the airport scanner to read the barcodes on self-printed boarding cards, and then being sent to queue once more, I wonder how in contrast supermarket scanners can read barcodes off seemingly any material, held at any angle, and passed over the reader very quickly. Can the BAA not afford Tesco-tech?
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 579
Likes: 0
From: Essex
Three observations:
The security "bar code" isn't a bar code - just look at it and you'll see what I mean. I doesn't have the bars of a traditional bar code. Perhaps it's therefore not good to compare BAA readers with supermarket ones.
Home printed boarding passes, I think, should be folded carefully to avoid folds across the "bar code that isn't a bar code".
I use these passes at Stansted a lot and have not had the experience described above. I have had the operator scan my pass twice by mistake, which automatically bars access (as the system thinks someone else with an identical boarding pass is already beyond security).
The security "bar code" isn't a bar code - just look at it and you'll see what I mean. I doesn't have the bars of a traditional bar code. Perhaps it's therefore not good to compare BAA readers with supermarket ones.
Home printed boarding passes, I think, should be folded carefully to avoid folds across the "bar code that isn't a bar code".
I use these passes at Stansted a lot and have not had the experience described above. I have had the operator scan my pass twice by mistake, which automatically bars access (as the system thinks someone else with an identical boarding pass is already beyond security).
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 137
Likes: 6
From: scotland
Helol, if flying Lux->London then use VLN to London City Airport, which I do regularly to visit my mates in Lux.
It's the best little airport left in the UK - it's beautiful. Views great, staff nice, travelling public generally attractive as well
It's the best little airport left in the UK - it's beautiful. Views great, staff nice, travelling public generally attractive as well
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 428
Likes: 0
From: OXF
Helol, from Lux, if you have some time, don't bother standing at the airport for two hours if you can catch a fast EC/IC to Bruxelles Midi and the Eurostar to St Pancras. So much less hassle. :-)
And Seat62K, actually the security is a barcode, just not the traditional one used for UPC/EAN. The traditional barcodes hold very limited information. 2D barcodes, which are square and look like a bunch of gobbledigook and which you often see on tickets, hold a lot more information, which can then be read and reconciled with you at the security checkpoint.
However, 2D codes require much more accurate scanning. Tesco (or any other grocer/shop) use laser scanners that use multiple beams in multiple configurations (dimensions and angles) to avoid the problem of having to scan the traditional barcode in one specific direction, however, they'll need better and different scanners to read a 2D barcode. Japan is VERY good at those barcodes, they use them everywhere... the old barcodes used for ISBN/UPC/EAN are very much in the minority. I have to agree with you though... don't fold your ticket where the barcode (whether UPC or 2D) is. And print it on a laser printer, ink smears/smudges, and is a problem then.
:-)
S.
And Seat62K, actually the security is a barcode, just not the traditional one used for UPC/EAN. The traditional barcodes hold very limited information. 2D barcodes, which are square and look like a bunch of gobbledigook and which you often see on tickets, hold a lot more information, which can then be read and reconciled with you at the security checkpoint.
However, 2D codes require much more accurate scanning. Tesco (or any other grocer/shop) use laser scanners that use multiple beams in multiple configurations (dimensions and angles) to avoid the problem of having to scan the traditional barcode in one specific direction, however, they'll need better and different scanners to read a 2D barcode. Japan is VERY good at those barcodes, they use them everywhere... the old barcodes used for ISBN/UPC/EAN are very much in the minority. I have to agree with you though... don't fold your ticket where the barcode (whether UPC or 2D) is. And print it on a laser printer, ink smears/smudges, and is a problem then.
:-)
S.
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 579
Likes: 0
From: Essex
"Bar codes" should contain bars. Traditional ones do. Home printed boarding passes do not. This is why I think it's misleading to call it a bar code, unless the term is widened (like "Hoover") to include more than, strictly speaking, what it should.
P.S. I use inkjet printers and have never had a problem.
P.S. I use inkjet printers and have never had a problem.
