Hello all,

Here begins my tale of woe.!

VV PRG->BSP today, as first leg of PRG-TLV with a LOOOONG layover. (VV is serviced by CSA out of PRG).

Let's start with how I fly (pack) to keep things clear.

I have a PathFinder LT 22" which I normally pack just a tad over the weigh allotment.

For carry-on, I have a Samsonite(*) wheely business roll-aboard in which I place one laptop sleeve (with shoulder-strap) and a shoulder bag.

Typically, if there is any problem with the carry-on as a single piece, I pull the laptop case and/or shoulder bag out to be separate items. I expected to do this today as VV lists a 6kg item limit.

Since there's plenty of space here, I typically put any wee excess in the shoulder bags.

I arrive and am asked to put my first piece of luggage on the belt. Look! 28kg!

This is a little odd. It was not clear whether VV will allow 23kg or 20kg on this trip/routing, but I weighed the PathFinder at the hotel and it said 23.4kg.

OK, so at this point, I begin to unpack my wheely carry-on and prepare to take a few books etc and put them in my shoulder packs.

"Passangers are only allowed one piece of carry-on baggage." And pointing at my trusty if worn Samsonite roll-aboard, "Put that over here."

Now, I like to obey crew instructions, even if grown crew. But this is getting a little pushy.

"14kg! You are 16kg overweight." The guy fumbles with a calculator. "That will be $320!"

Now, up to now, I've done most of this in Czech, so if I hadn't handed over a US passport, I don't know why we're dealing in USD.

And the exact same stuff in the roll-aboard in Brussels a few weeks ago, only weighed 11kg.

I am aware of how this can work, but I'm getting a little annoyed.

Because, of course, to cut to the chase, (and the future), the passengers who will be sitting next to me on the plane, will of course typically have more than one piece of carry-on luggage.

And VV's rules also allow that.
http://www.seatmaestro.com/airlines-...s/baggage.html

OK-- so maybe I only get 15kg total for carry-on, but even if I don't get 23kg for the routing to TLV, I've should have 4kg to spare.

Anyway, just about then was the time to look for a superior. Because in Prague, at Czech Airlines, you'd think there would be someone superior to this guy.

Well, guess what. By the time this guy got to the gate, he (and everyone else-- one of whom was crew to Kyiv) were wearing Aerosvit stuff). So I'm just guessing that on this codeshare VV personnel are doing the front desk work.

In any case I do not get to talk to anyone higher-up, because my luggage is sitting there and I've got a flight to catch and these guys say they're it-- and the next seven CSA booths to the right of 141-143 are alas empty.

Now, I'm not carrying $240. I don't really have much intent of paying $240 to transport my dirty underwear and the Hawaiian beach shirt I got in Acapulco to Kyiv, but upon inquiry,m this guy wants cash.

Odd that. I mean, at a CSA rep, I normally can pay with card. I mean, Ukaraine is a cash economy, in general, but this is a CSA desk.

Following this, though, we have the stare-down. "I don't have $240US in cash." We look at each other. "I have some pound notes. Can you take pounds?"

I swear he considered it.

"Well, you can throw things away."

An interesting suggestion. By this time I'm somewhat fed up. I have two books, signed by the authors who gave them to me(**), in the front pocket of the PathFinder-- I've finished both, so they're the first to go.

I proceed to empty every excess, unnecessary item that is worth less that $20/kg, such as shampoo, that Hawaiian shirt from Acapulco that no longer fits if it ever did, the dirty socks with holes in them, a 10-pack of CD-R media that cost 49CZK at Tesco (wait: how much is that per kg?), various electrical plug adapters that I haven't used in more than a year, two pairs of pants that I also haven't worn in more than a year (did love the orange corduroy, but!).

Eventually, this gets the bag to something that weighs at 20kg, while I suspiciously eye the weight machines at booth 144, wondering if they are on.

Then we have the carry-on problem.

Cutting to the chase--

After some more eying each other, gate agent eventually declares "Tell you what. I'll give you a gift. $60."

I've already told the guy I don't have any USD. I'm tempted to inform him that the Czech Crown is now a hard currency, doing well against the Euro and Dollar in fact, and in fact that I could pay him in USD, he would no longer need to turn the currency in to the Ministry of Finance in exchange for special vouchers.

That's not actually funny, because it did happen and all you got from the vouchers was the privilege of almost having enough to eat, and not having to stand in line half the day to get it-- but it's also becoming clear to me that the odds of this guy being Czech, are not high.

"How much do you want in Czech Crowns?" I ask the guy.

"Seven hundred twenty."

Now, either this guy just came down by nearly 50% again, or he doesn't know the exchange rate very well. But... eventually, you've got to make your flight, right?

So I inquire about the nearest ATM location (to see if he knows) and then proceed to the ATM around the corner, add to my dwindling supply of crowns, and hand him 720.

Then I ask for a receipt and am on my way.

Oh-- yes-- I offer to pick up all the stuff I've dumped in front of the counter.

The guy behind the counter says, "No. You can leave that there."

OK: WHAT'S THE LESSON, FOLKS?

(Discussion questions to follow).



(*) For reader reference-- bought both at the same time, they've done the same duty; the PathFinder looks almost new, the Samsonite is shot.

(**) OK, the second, was not given to be by the author directly, but to a third party... just to be accurate.