Was pick up from my hotel on monday at 11 a.m. Thought it would be better to be early enough at Birmingham airport and check in. Want to to drink something at the nice hotel loungebar in Novotel Airport. Know this one because it was my refuge in may this year after the UKIPT Notts when I"d problems with the ashclouds and my flight was cancelled.
But when I arrived the counter the lady said that there is a short delay but the"re no problems with my flight. So after my drinks in the hotellounge I went to the secure check and was hopefull to leave England with max. 1 hour delay. But my first look to the departure screen shows a new estimated time which was not just an hour. The new time was announced with 17:25 p.m. So a long waiting was the result. Got a strange feeling because the first plane which was scheduled at 9:00 a.m. was still at the screen with a 7 hour delay so I was afraid that my flight has also such a delay. After a boring waiting the first flight was cancelled and when my estimated time has come a new time was announced again with 18:30. Horrible service at the airport, nobody were there for any information and all the passengers were unoriented and disappointed. So always when the estimted time was arrived a new one was announced. An absolutely unacceptable situation for all the passengers because nobody knows how it"s going on. After hours of waiting I decided to go back to checkin counter but first I have to discuss with security why I want to go back through the secure zone. When I arrived the checkin they send me to the helping desk where I had to wait around 45 min. Then I"d heard that my flight would be cancelled and all alternatives too. Bingo ! Desaster, so I have to stay a night longer at the airport and nobody was able to give you an information how its going on.
So I was still waiting in line and when Im at the counter I try to booked a flight early on tuesday but I was astonished when Ive got the information that they cant booked me in new plane because my flight wasnt cancelled but they cant confirmed me, has the plane now leave my arrival destination to Birmingham to pick me up or not. 2010 and we have computersystems.
Still wondering ! So what to do I ask and they recommended that I have to wait and it would be better to go back through the secure check and take seat at the waiting lounge because it was close to the announced boarding time but they cant give me any binding information because they cant see it in their system.
So I have to hurry up and runs back to the waiting lounge and before I"d another secure check. Then I saw at the screen that the new estimated time was correct again and another 1 hours later, unbelievable. So I was really frustrated because youre waiting hours for hours and there is no result, cancelled or is it possible to fly. Really a disgraceful customer service. The plane later in the evening was then cancelled too but our plane was still at the screen so all the passengers hoping that there is a little wonder. And the wonder happened because we"ve got a call for boarding at 20:00 and all passengers were running to the gate. There we have to wait 20 min again but then all was going quick and the plane started into the snowing heaven to Frankfurt. Arrival time 22:30 MEZ. Flight was ok but at 22:30 we were still in heaven and we"ve got an information from the cockpit. Captain was absolutely speakless, because he has never heard something before he told it to the passengers. The tower has told him that there is now parking position available and he cant start with landing there. He has to fly orbits for one hour before there is a opportunity to park the plane at Airport Frankfurt and so we fly 1 hour like a horse runs in the circus.
Strong snowing in heaven there but we all were happy after landing. After I"ve got my baggage I went to the railway station, crossing the terminal and hundrets maybe tousands of passengers and problems with their flights and was shocked to see that there is no train for the next 5 hours. So I decided to drink a coffee and cool down. Take seat for hours in the airrail zone and went to the track where my first possible train should arrive. It was 3:45 a.m. when there was announcement that the train has a 45 min delay because there were technical problems. Perfekt I thought and I felt a deep tiredness at this time. But no alternates and so I was waiting at a cold freezing track for my train. Unfortunately it was not a highspeed train, it was a train which needs around 2,5 hours. Sadly my ticket has only an availability for monday and so the conductor want to see a effective ticket but after a short discussion he said that I"m able to go with my invalid ticket. So I save 60-70 Euro. Nice guy ! After I arrived my personal terminal stop and a taxi bring me home. Now I"m at home I"m still hyper although I"m really tired. So my travelling needs a bit more than 19 hours. Now I"m going to bed and hopefully I sleep some hours.
Had a great weekend!
