Jobs worth at Birmingham Airport
Jobs worth at Birmingham Airport
Author
Discussion

Markh

Original Poster:

2,781 posts

304 months

Wednesday 26th November 2008
quotequote all
Trying to check in at Birmingham airport this afternoon to fly home to Belfast and having only hand luggage (samsonite carry on, flight approved) some jobs worth informs me that I can't, reckoned that it was 25mm to long and that I had 'no alternative' but to put it in the hold (bag contained 2 laptops , a camera and an external HD so not suitable for the hold in my opinion ) This is strange, because they carried me out on the day before with no problem!.
The bit that really gets me is being told that I have 'no alternative' what ever happened to the customer is right!, as it is I did have an alternative, I went to another airline who where more than happy to carry me and my bag. We as a company spent in excess of 30k with this airline this year, I have spoken to our FD and will no longer be using them, all because of one tosser!

chr55y

1,945 posts

216 months

Wednesday 26th November 2008
quotequote all
Markh said:
Trying to check in at Birmingham airport this afternoon to fly home to Belfast and having only hand luggage (samsonite carry on, flight approved) some jobs worth informs me that I can't, reckoned that it was 25mm to long and that I had 'no alternative' but to put it in the hold (bag contained 2 laptops , a camera and an external HD so not suitable for the hold in my opinion ) This is strange, because they carried me out on the day before with no problem!.
The bit that really gets me is being told that I have 'no alternative' what ever happened to the customer is right!, as it is I did have an alternative, I went to another airline who where more than happy to carry me and my bag. We as a company spent in excess of 30k with this airline this year, I have spoken to our FD and will no longer be using them, all because of one tosser!
Everybody just loves a jobsworth, they makes peoples lives so much happier knowing they think they are doing the right thing. What a Tcensoredr, with luck your companies loss of business will make a difference, but doubt it will affect the jobsworth one little bit.

jamoor

14,506 posts

244 months

Wednesday 26th November 2008
quotequote all
i met a jobsworth who asked to see my passport just before checkin, and he wasn't wearing his ID badge, so I got pretty suspicious as all airport staff always wear a very obvious ID badge.

He was annoyed to say the least hehe

TheEnd

15,370 posts

217 months

Wednesday 26th November 2008
quotequote all
I expect you will send in a letter of complaint.
Make it known that one person's inflexibility has cost the airline a fair bit of money.


off_again

13,917 posts

263 months

Wednesday 26th November 2008
quotequote all
I have to say that these bags (typically they are big, square or rectangle and have bloody wheels and a handle) are a curse upon the modern air traveller. Yes, for some they are brilliant.

For others they are a curse, no they are satans spawn itself. I am sick and tired of being tripped up, delayed, slowed down or generally inconvienced by people who simply have no understanding what they are doing with these things. The consume the space of two people, act as a moving trip / comedy prop and in many cases DONT FIT THROUGH THE BARRIERS ON THE ESCALATORS! Still, doesn't stop people from bloody using them though..

Then you get to the people who insist that the 10 minutes they can save at the airport by NOT checking their luggage in is well worth it. So on they storm with half a dozen bags (flight approved of course) and then manage to consume all of the overhead locker space. Now, I am sure that they are fine and happy but what about the other travellers? What about their SINGLE bags? what about the jacket they might like to store above them? Nope, some greedy git wants to shove all of his jam packed bags into the overhead space and sod the rest of us.

Of course, the airlines provide this space and the flexibility to take on 2 bags of hand luggage, so how can I complain? I mean, its the deal that you pay for so that's OK then? Well yes and no. Because if a flight is lightly loaded then its not normally a problem. If its nearly full then it starts to become a BIG problem. Now you have the issue that some people cannot even store their single small bag, and other people lose out. Its hardly fair.

Your flight might have been empty and therefore it doesn't matter - but I think you will find that the airlines are starting to clamp down on these things. Maybe you got away with it on the flight out. But increasingly they are starting to stop the misuse. I have seen lots of people getting stopped at check-in now and BA are starting to enforce their bag size thing (as are EasyJet).

Jobsworth? Maybe - but its happened for a reason, and that reason is because the option of 2 bags has been abused beyond what could be considered reasonable. Sorry. But its just the case.

As you might gather - my personal bugbear and I have been prevented several times from placing my single bag in an overhead locker. Causing it to be stored elsewhere and then delaying me considerably when getting off the plane - Just because some ignorant git can't be bothered checking their sodding sweaty pants and socks into the hold.

Phah - be prepared - it happens.

Slaav

4,370 posts

239 months

Wednesday 26th November 2008
quotequote all
Birmingham(ish) Moutain(ish) Idiots(ish)?

chr55y

1,945 posts

216 months

Wednesday 26th November 2008
quotequote all
jamoor said:
i met a jobsworth who asked to see my passport just before checkin, and he wasn't wearing his ID badge, so I got pretty suspicious as all airport staff always wear a very obvious ID badge.

He was annoyed to say the least hehe
laugh

HRG

72,863 posts

268 months

Wednesday 26th November 2008
quotequote all
Markh said:
Trying to check in at Birmingham airport this afternoon to fly home to Belfast and having only hand luggage (samsonite carry on, flight approved) some jobs worth informs me that I can't, reckoned that it was 25mm to long and that I had 'no alternative' but to put it in the hold (bag contained 2 laptops , a camera and an external HD so not suitable for the hold in my opinion ) This is strange, because they carried me out on the day before with no problem!.
The bit that really gets me is being told that I have 'no alternative' what ever happened to the customer is right!, as it is I did have an alternative, I went to another airline who where more than happy to carry me and my bag. We as a company spent in excess of 30k with this airline this year, I have spoken to our FD and will no longer be using them, all because of one tosser!
I hope the FD will let them know how much this Jobsworth has cost the company in lost business wink

Markh

Original Poster:

2,781 posts

304 months

Wednesday 26th November 2008
quotequote all
off_again said:
I have to say that these bags (typically they are big, square or rectangle and have bloody wheels and a handle) are a curse upon the modern air traveller. Yes, for some they are brilliant.

For others they are a curse, no they are satans spawn itself. I am sick and tired of being tripped up, delayed, slowed down or generally inconvienced by people who simply have no understanding what they are doing with these things. The consume the space of two people, act as a moving trip / comedy prop and in many cases DONT FIT THROUGH THE BARRIERS ON THE ESCALATORS! Still, doesn't stop people from bloody using them though..

Then you get to the people who insist that the 10 minutes they can save at the airport by NOT checking their luggage in is well worth it. So on they storm with half a dozen bags (flight approved of course) and then manage to consume all of the overhead locker space. Now, I am sure that they are fine and happy but what about the other travellers? What about their SINGLE bags? what about the jacket they might like to store above them? Nope, some greedy git wants to shove all of his jam packed bags into the overhead space and sod the rest of us.

Of course, the airlines provide this space and the flexibility to take on 2 bags of hand luggage, so how can I complain? I mean, its the deal that you pay for so that's OK then? Well yes and no. Because if a flight is lightly loaded then its not normally a problem. If its nearly full then it starts to become a BIG problem. Now you have the issue that some people cannot even store their single small bag, and other people lose out. Its hardly fair.

Your flight might have been empty and therefore it doesn't matter - but I think you will find that the airlines are starting to clamp down on these things. Maybe you got away with it on the flight out. But increasingly they are starting to stop the misuse. I have seen lots of people getting stopped at check-in now and BA are starting to enforce their bag size thing (as are EasyJet).

Jobsworth? Maybe - but its happened for a reason, and that reason is because the option of 2 bags has been abused beyond what could be considered reasonable. Sorry. But its just the case.

As you might gather - my personal bugbear and I have been prevented several times from placing my single bag in an overhead locker. Causing it to be stored elsewhere and then delaying me considerably when getting off the plane - Just because some ignorant git can't be bothered checking their sodding sweaty pants and socks into the hold.

Phah - be prepared - it happens.
I hear what you are saying, I had just the one bag and was bought because in was cabin approved. I have written to F***e but I'm pretty sure it will get me nowhere

off_again

13,917 posts

263 months

Wednesday 26th November 2008
quotequote all
Markh said:
I hear what you are saying, I had just the one bag and was bought because in was cabin approved. I have written to F***e but I'm pretty sure it will get me nowhere
Given the pressures on airlines in the current economic climate, expect to have this and other flexibility options taken away. Its bags and luggage weight (BA dropped their standard maximum in-hold luggage weight) and next it will be other things.

It makes for an interesting time for competition, but we will see plenty more airlines going to the wall first though.

holmzy

52 posts

215 months

Wednesday 26th November 2008
quotequote all
What would happen if everyone on the flight brought a single bag with them that was exactly the maximum size allowed on the flight? Surely they wouldn't all fit in the overhead lockers?

Markh

Original Poster:

2,781 posts

304 months

Wednesday 26th November 2008
quotequote all
holmzy said:
What would happen if everyone on the flight brought a single bag with them that was exactly the maximum size allowed on the flight? Surely they wouldn't all fit in the overhead lockers?
fair point I guess, I did check in 2 hrs before the flight left , my point is the staff attitude towards me, I would of thought in this economic climate airlines would be a bit more customer focused. Perhaps I expected them be like a proper airline (BA, Virgin, Emirates, etc)

DrTre

12,957 posts

261 months

Wednesday 26th November 2008
quotequote all
holmzy said:
What would happen if everyone on the flight brought a single bag with them that was exactly the maximum size allowed on the flight? Surely they wouldn't all fit in the overhead lockers?
They have little trailers they hitch onto the back of the plane for that eventuality.
You've probably seen them being towed around the airfield by those dinky tractor things.