VanMan
Oct 3, 02, 6:45 am
India has recently introduced new securiy restrictions on carry-on luggage, which includes, among other things, a ban on jars of pickle and containers of masala spice. Having neither of these at Bombay airport last night, I wasn't too concerned when I strode up to the security check on my way to catch CX 750 to BKK.
The top outside pocket of my TravelPro carry-on was opened first, to reveal my tiny (6 inch long)foldable umbrella. Sorry Sir, she said, you can't bring that on board!! Are you sure?, I said. After waiving the folded umbrella at at an elderly uniformed gent, who made that unique-to-India head sideways-nod-shake, she said: "I'm sorry, Sir".
What to do? said I. We'll check it to Bangkok, where you can pick it up, said she. So, signing the receipt, and giving it little further thought, I headed to the Clipper Lounge, where I had a late night/early morning (4:00 am) scotch.
I did my best to sleep through the four hour flight to BKK, and when we arrived, I thought about my little brolly. The problem, I now realised, was that I was in transit in BKK, on my way to my home in Singapore. If they had checked the umbrella, it would be in baggage claim, on the wrong side of immigration!
I asked a helpful lady near immigration what to do. She directed me to the CX transit desk, where another couple of helpful ladies, between them, notified baggage claim to direct my little umbrella to Singapore, AND, to compensate me for the inconvenience, UPGRADED me from J to F
After a short wait in the relatively unimpressive BKK CX F lounge, I walked down to gate 53, and immediately boarded the 747-service CX 713 to SIN, and turned left upon entering the doorway.
3K was my seat, and I really wished I was on a 12 hour flight vs. the 1h 56 min down to SIN, so that I could check out the flat bed, and the video system.
However, it WAS lunch-time!
Pre-departure, I had champagne, with a refill, and I perused the menu:
Appetizer:
Salmon with caviar served with potatoes and sour cream
Main Courses:
Chicken with Abalone and Mushooms in Oyster Sauce
Steamed Cod Fillet on Pesto Sauce
Accompaniments:
Potato Risotto, Steamed Rice, Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables, Medley of Vegetables
Cheese Board and Fresh Fruit
The Salmon was delicious, but my choice of the chicken was inedible. The flight attendant agreed to write it up as a problem. It tasted as if it had been frozen, thawed, refrozen and then cooked. Very tough!!
The wine/drink list includes:
Johnny Walker Gold
Gentleman Jack
Hennessy XO
Cuvee William Deutz 1995 Champagne
Louis Max Chablis Gran Cru 1996
McWilliams Mount Pleasant Hunter valley Chardonnay 2000
Chateau Lynch Bages 1994
Gevrey Chambertin La Justice 1995
Henry Bouachon Saint Joseph Roquebrussane 1998
Ramos Pinto Quinta da Ervamoira 10 Year Old Tawny Port
After this too short flight, I disembarked in SIN, and headed to baggage claim.
I found a friendly CX lady standing by the carousel (we usually ignore them, don't we?), who walky-talkied her way through to people who might recognize my little rain protector.
She chatted with me for a while, letting me know she had herself been in BOM three weeks back, and had got very sick. (My, non expert, advise to newcomers to India, just eat what you fancy - if it doesn't taste good, stop eating it! However, Imodium must be in your suitcase.) My colleagues and I now agree, that the excellent food in Bombay will lead definitely lead to weight gain if you're not careful.
Midway through the conversation her radio beeped...a CX cardboard container was arriving on the carousel, she was informed. She and I went to meet it. She picked it off the belt, and opened it - YES!, my 6" umbrella had made it, in style, from BOM to SIN.
I thanked her, and zipped through the non-existent taxi line, and regaled this entire story to my chatty taxi driver, for the whole fifteen minute drive home!
Nice job CX!!!
The top outside pocket of my TravelPro carry-on was opened first, to reveal my tiny (6 inch long)foldable umbrella. Sorry Sir, she said, you can't bring that on board!! Are you sure?, I said. After waiving the folded umbrella at at an elderly uniformed gent, who made that unique-to-India head sideways-nod-shake, she said: "I'm sorry, Sir".
What to do? said I. We'll check it to Bangkok, where you can pick it up, said she. So, signing the receipt, and giving it little further thought, I headed to the Clipper Lounge, where I had a late night/early morning (4:00 am) scotch.
I did my best to sleep through the four hour flight to BKK, and when we arrived, I thought about my little brolly. The problem, I now realised, was that I was in transit in BKK, on my way to my home in Singapore. If they had checked the umbrella, it would be in baggage claim, on the wrong side of immigration!
I asked a helpful lady near immigration what to do. She directed me to the CX transit desk, where another couple of helpful ladies, between them, notified baggage claim to direct my little umbrella to Singapore, AND, to compensate me for the inconvenience, UPGRADED me from J to F
After a short wait in the relatively unimpressive BKK CX F lounge, I walked down to gate 53, and immediately boarded the 747-service CX 713 to SIN, and turned left upon entering the doorway.
3K was my seat, and I really wished I was on a 12 hour flight vs. the 1h 56 min down to SIN, so that I could check out the flat bed, and the video system.
However, it WAS lunch-time!
Pre-departure, I had champagne, with a refill, and I perused the menu:
Appetizer:
Salmon with caviar served with potatoes and sour cream
Main Courses:
Chicken with Abalone and Mushooms in Oyster Sauce
Steamed Cod Fillet on Pesto Sauce
Accompaniments:
Potato Risotto, Steamed Rice, Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables, Medley of Vegetables
Cheese Board and Fresh Fruit
The Salmon was delicious, but my choice of the chicken was inedible. The flight attendant agreed to write it up as a problem. It tasted as if it had been frozen, thawed, refrozen and then cooked. Very tough!!
The wine/drink list includes:
Johnny Walker Gold
Gentleman Jack
Hennessy XO
Cuvee William Deutz 1995 Champagne
Louis Max Chablis Gran Cru 1996
McWilliams Mount Pleasant Hunter valley Chardonnay 2000
Chateau Lynch Bages 1994
Gevrey Chambertin La Justice 1995
Henry Bouachon Saint Joseph Roquebrussane 1998
Ramos Pinto Quinta da Ervamoira 10 Year Old Tawny Port
After this too short flight, I disembarked in SIN, and headed to baggage claim.
I found a friendly CX lady standing by the carousel (we usually ignore them, don't we?), who walky-talkied her way through to people who might recognize my little rain protector.
She chatted with me for a while, letting me know she had herself been in BOM three weeks back, and had got very sick. (My, non expert, advise to newcomers to India, just eat what you fancy - if it doesn't taste good, stop eating it! However, Imodium must be in your suitcase.) My colleagues and I now agree, that the excellent food in Bombay will lead definitely lead to weight gain if you're not careful.
Midway through the conversation her radio beeped...a CX cardboard container was arriving on the carousel, she was informed. She and I went to meet it. She picked it off the belt, and opened it - YES!, my 6" umbrella had made it, in style, from BOM to SIN.
I thanked her, and zipped through the non-existent taxi line, and regaled this entire story to my chatty taxi driver, for the whole fifteen minute drive home!
Nice job CX!!!