After a 12 hour flight Shanghai to Paris and a 4 hour wait at CDG airpo
rt I was relieved to be on the plane and ready for the 45 minute hop across the channel to Blighty. All belted in, we sat back and waited to taxi. We waited and we waited a bit longer and then a few uniformed people started walking very quickly up and down the aisle looked concerned. What could be the matter?
After a few minutes the pilot informed us that there was a sick passenger who was too ill to travel. He had to leave the plane but unfortunately as he also had baggage in the hold, that would have to be found and unloaded. So we were to wait 10 minutes while this was done. 20 minutes passed and still no movement.
“I’m afraid we are having problems finding his bag. We will have to wait a further 10 – 20 minutes”
We all sat patiently and started chatting to the people in the seats next to us. I was sitting next to two American, Bob and Betty from Arizona, who were on their first trip to the UK. Typically American, they planned to see everything there is to see in the country in 5 days.
“I’m sorry we still cannot find the passenger’s bag. We will have to unload all the bags in the hold and look for it”.
More time passed. Bob had a pace-maker and a hearing problem. Betty belonged to a country club and liked making sugar craft cakes.
More time passed
“It seems the baggage handlers still cannot find the bag so we are going to line all the luggage up on the tarmac. Then each passenger will come forward and reclaim his own bag. It will then be clear which bag belongs to the sick passenger”.
We waited for the luggage to be lined up on the tarmac.
Bob and Betty are travelling with a company owned by a friend of their neighbours and so they have received a 5% discount.
More time passed
“I’m pleased to say that we have now found the passengers bag and after the rest of the baggage has been reloaded into the hold we will be off.”
2 and a half hours late we took off “Do you think we’ll be able to see Windsor Castle” asked Betty.