Capt Lightning
Well-known Member
- Location
- Historic Buchan, Scotland
Yesterday we took our daughter to the airport. The roads had been largely cleared of snow and it was above freezing, but it was a terrible journey. A large lorry which seemed incapable of more than 30 mph was occupying most of the road and overtaking was impossible. Of course it was going the whole way past the airport. Fortunately it didn't turn into the airport road, so we wished the driver bad luck and hoped that his head would explode at an inconvenient time.
Check in went smoothly so we said our goodbyes and headed back home, this time enjoying a quiet journey. Then the 'fun' started. Later our daughter told us her tale. Although the plane was there, the flight crew wasn't. The ground staff were coming to the end of their shift, so they moved the passengers on to the plane where they waited for almost an hour before the crew were onboard and they could depart. Not quite. The dispatcher couldn't be found, so there was another delay. Then the de-icer machine broke down, so they had to use one from the helicopter area at the other side of the airport.
Eventually, they got away and had an uneventful flight to Manchester, however there were more problems there. With the plane on stand, the ground staff couldn't find the wheel chocks, so that was another delay until they were found and the passengers could disembark. We do NOT 'deplane'. Further delays for the baggage to be unloaded and then the last stage home by tram - which was trouble free.
Admittedly, the weather played a big part in delays, and although Aderdeen airport was operational, both runways at Manchester had been closed for a while leading to numerous delays .
I'm glad this happened yesterday because it is snowing heavily here and there's no way I want to drive in this weather.
Check in went smoothly so we said our goodbyes and headed back home, this time enjoying a quiet journey. Then the 'fun' started. Later our daughter told us her tale. Although the plane was there, the flight crew wasn't. The ground staff were coming to the end of their shift, so they moved the passengers on to the plane where they waited for almost an hour before the crew were onboard and they could depart. Not quite. The dispatcher couldn't be found, so there was another delay. Then the de-icer machine broke down, so they had to use one from the helicopter area at the other side of the airport.
Eventually, they got away and had an uneventful flight to Manchester, however there were more problems there. With the plane on stand, the ground staff couldn't find the wheel chocks, so that was another delay until they were found and the passengers could disembark. We do NOT 'deplane'. Further delays for the baggage to be unloaded and then the last stage home by tram - which was trouble free.
Admittedly, the weather played a big part in delays, and although Aderdeen airport was operational, both runways at Manchester had been closed for a while leading to numerous delays .
I'm glad this happened yesterday because it is snowing heavily here and there's no way I want to drive in this weather.
