OK, probably a tad overdramatic, but here it is.

I checked in online for my flight from Izmir back to LHR today. The usual scenario, mobile boarding pass, hand luggage only, straight through security and up to the shared lounge.

The dragons looked at my mobile pass like they’d just seen someone invent fire. Much confusion followed, including waving a photocopied paper pass at me and telling me this is what I needed. An excited call in Turkish followed, where she scribbled down various details from my pass, and eventually I was allowed access.

OK, I get that BA only fly here once a week. But it’s a contract lounge serving many airlines - they didn’t even realise that Club Europe means business class. But craziest of all, is it really necessary to collect pieces of paper in an era where the entire travel documentation process happens online?

Not a major gripe, just seemed silly. If I was in Guatemala or Burundi maybe, but this is Turkey. They may even be in the EU in a few years…