gsnedders

<rant>
Well, last Monday I was coming home from Madeira (in the middle of the Atlantic) via Gatwick. At Gatwick we had 2 hours to change plane, should've been doable.

We arrived at Madeira airport in time for our 15:05 flight to Gatwick, where we immediately find it is delayed to 16:45. So, with that delay that takes us down to 20 minutes to change planes and that's if it does leave at 16:45.

My Dad goes to the Airport Information desk to find the Thomson desk, where he gets told to go to another desk, where he gets told to go to another desk. Eventually, we get told we'll have to buy new tickets from Gatwick and claim it on the insurance. The 20:40 flight was the last flight from Gatwick to Edinburgh, and my Dad needs to be at work at 10:00 on Tuesday. This leaves us having to buy tickets for the 6:20 flight. Absolutely stinkin' brilliant.

Eventually, at 17:07 we fly out of Madeira. 2 hours and 2 minutes late. Under EU law, Thomson are now entitled to pay for any immediate expenses (read: hotel rooms). Onboard the plane, we are told that we should go to the Thomson desk at Gatwick.

At 20:40 (the time of departure of our original BA flight) we touch down at Gatwick.

At 20:50, we arrive at the South Terminal.

At 22:20, we get a reclaim belt allocated. A 1 and a half hour wait to get our luggage from the plan. A FUCKING 1 and a half hour wait!!!

At 22:30, we get out through Customs, walk to the Thomson desk, to find it empty. Oh well. Looks like we'll have to put the hotel room on the insurance.

We eventually arrive at the Hilton (it being the closest hotel to the airport), where we get told Supper is served until 23:00.

At 22:50, we manage to order our supper. Finally! Food!

At around 23:45, we finish supper and get to our room.

At 00:30, we manage to get to sleep.

At 04:25, time for an alarm clock, after just under 4 sleep.

At the airport, BA are so much nicer to us. We get flippin' breakfast at the airport for free (wow, that's more than we got free from Thomson).

At 8:30, after a turbulent flight, we land in Edinburgh, a whole 9 hours after we should've. We get out of the airport to find a traffic jam going north over the Forth Road Bridge (north? people commuting from Edinburgh to Fife? Strange things people do).

At 9:40, we arrive home. Just time for my Dad to grab his briefcase, get to his office, and get to where he's meant to be teaching.
</rant>