Slightly odd experience yesterday evening returning from PMI to LGW. First up the aircraft had no working APU, so we needed to start one of the engines on stand and then get ourselves going in the right direction after pushback. Anyway, if only it was that simple and a mere 5/10 mins adrift, but no. To start the aircraft arrived a little behind, only 15-20 mins, no issue with that at all.
It was a busy flight, 158 onboard and inevitably some bags relieved from passengers, this slowed things with one individual trying everything to stop his bag going below, but we got there, however even despite this we were to be going nowhere, the reason - too many bike boxes and gold club sets. Now as I understand it when you want to fly a bike box you have to let BA know and effectively book it right? Is it the same with Golf club sets?
The reason for the protracted delay was given as trying to accommodate all of the boxes and clubs, and this was clearly causing some headaches, with the turn around manager of Iberia back and forth into the flightdeck like yo-yo. There were 3 pilots in there, two of them with two stripes each so I guess it was also a training flight.
Anyway everything took an age but we finally got going, topping of the list of ‘what else could possibly delay us’ a lightning storm passed by the airport. 😂
Anyway the question I have really is why were they seemingly caught off guard by all the boxes and clubs when they are all pre booked? Any ideas?
And finally, yes I do know that the golfers may not have been cycling and vice versa
