Checking in Air Afrique way

I had just ended my one week mission in Chad and was about to take the 2 times weekly Air Afrique flight between Ndjamena and Niamey.. in Niger...

On advice from the team from our local office I arrived 3 hours before takeoff. On this particular trip while flying business class on the long-haul flights I had not qualified for a business class ticket on the 1 hour flight I would be going on. Price wise it had however not mattered so the travel-unit had kindly booked me in the higher class.

Little did I know that this move would end up saving me either one week in mission time or a lot of money as it happened.

Standing in in the cue-line as the 2nd passenger to arrive to the airport I was just soaking in the athmosphere at the airport. While small, it was a busy place, with people shouting across the whole departure areas as there seemed no need to go close to a person to talk to them.

I looked around and all the doors to the check-in was closed with no presence of anything than guards giving away a sense that something should start soon.

There was a solid fence and a locked cage type door which would have to be passed with the normal x-ray before even checking in the luggage. Me and a colleague from another UN agency sat there waiting.

The flight we were both booked on was a large 747 which was doing a run from Paris, via Niamey to Ndjamena then with a continuation straight to Paris again.

While waiting we started to notice that one of the conveyor belt doors for the luggage was open into what seemed the back office of the check in area.

We saw no Air Afrique staff but we started seeing a number of normal people just enter through the hole and it they came out with boarding passes !? We could not see if it was for our flight or another one but it was just giving me a strange feeling. After seeing this practice on several occasions I asked my driver if we should not also go in there and just get our boarding pass... nononono he said.It was not for our flight we should just wait in line.

Seeing an endless line of people entering the small hole was quite comical but it kept giving me an uneasy feeling.

Once the actual door opened and the Air Afrique manager came out he simply explained in french that the flight was full and we could go home!?

Hmmm...that is not exactly what I had in mind... neither my colleague. Together with our respective drivers we started and seemingly endless discussion about getting a seat.. Mind you we had both reconfirmed our tickets 72 hours before as we knew we had to..

the manager was adamant, the flight was full and that was the end of story as far as he was concerned. Then suddenly he noted that my ticket was a business class ticket while my colleagues was an economy.

He took both tickets and disappeared for about 10 minutes only to return with a boarding pass for me in first class. My colleague was simply informed that there was no seat. the same was again reiterated to all the people behind us in the cue-line. The majority of these people had also re-confirmed their ticket. I was quickly whisked through the security and in to the lounge area.

While sitting waiting almost an hour my colleague finally made it in to the lounge... He was not very happy. He had been refused with no chance on getting the flight and had basically been forced to buy an alternative ticket.. Chad - Niamey via PARIS!!! As he was the main presenter at a meeting in Niamey the next day, with participants having flown from 10 different countries just for him, he had no other option.

We parted way and I went over to the Immigrations officer to get my passport stamped. The immigration officer asked me for my visa paper. I said the visa is in the UN passport as we could both see. nonono he says there was a paper I was given on arrival in two copies of which I needed one... If I did not have that I would have to pay a fee..... Hmm what fee? I had asked the office staff if there was anything needed and they had told me no. nothing.

hmm... We argued for about 10 minutes and then he let me through without stamping my passport...hmmm...

On arrival at the gate there was still time so we all had to wait. Once we started boarding, again immigration was there wanting to see the passports. Once they saw mine of course there was discussion and they asked me to step aside... everyone else boarded and they still held on to my passport asking for the paper and in connection with that ..some money to solve the problem... Being stubborn as I am I figured if they really stop me and make me miss the plane there will be a record of an event that would lead to more problem for them than me so I managed to keep my cool. Even though not understanding half of what they said as it was in french made it a bit difficult.

Finally the purser came out asking what was going on and somehow managed to convince the immigrations guys that it was not a very good solution to retain me to miss the flight and they gave in. Once more I was on my way.

Mind you last time I was in Dakar I saw about 10 Air Afrique planes on the ground seemingly with no way to get in the air again as the company went bankrupt.... wonder why?!

Dont try so hard :-)

I was about to end a mission in West Africa which had seen me covering 5 countries in less than 3 weeks. For once I had the luxury of flying business class. Working for a large humanitarian organisation we normally only get that treat if it is more than 9 hours flight. On this particular trip I would spend an estimated 17 hours in the air.

Routes

Bamako - Paris

Paris - Gatwick

Gatwick - Entebbe

What happened is an entirely different story....

Looking at the above itinerary do note that to get from West Africa to East Africa the fastest and most reliable way is, through Europe or via South Africa!

I boarded the Air France plane in Bamako and settled in fast, drinking some champagne, thinking back at a very interesting mission. As normally expected the takeoff was about 1 hour late. With the 3 hour transit time I would have enough time to make it between the gates even if we were a bit late, so I had my dinner and fell asleep.

The flight was event less and we landed with just over 1.5 hours time to transit. Since I had a full business class ticket all the way I approached the guys at Paris asking if there was a fast way to get me over to the Gatwick flight fast.

But monsieur you arrived on a Air Fraaaaance flight and now you will fly on British Aiiirways.
We do not -ave any shuttle for fast transit when you change airlines... why don't you buy a full air fraaaance ticket all the way, monsieur.

Not going into the details of Paris airport but it is the most confusing airport I have seen. It took me almost 1 hour to get from my arrival gate to the gate I am leaving at. I could not see any transit centres so I went to the gate as time was short.
At the gate they tell me - sorry Monsieur but you can not board as we are closing the gate in 5 minutes and you have to go to transfer desk first.... !!! I am here. I have my ticket. I have no luggage.. I am in business class.... nothing worked.

I look over and see that in 20 minutes there is another flight but to Heathrow.... aha. with my business class tickets I should be able to get on that one and then get between the airports in London within an hour.. It used to be 45 minutes transit...I remembered.

I run down to the transit desk they so kindly pointed out to me.. Well it is a 5 minute run on conveyor belts made of.... rubber...

I inform the lady behind the counter that I need to be on the flight BA 234 leaving in 15 minutes! she looks in the computer and says but the manifest is closed... I less kindly inform her that Airfrance do not want to take action and I was in time for a BA flight and they refuse me to board and I will not have any more of that....

Eventually the lady against all the rules manages to get me on the manifest with some kind of fake booking but with a boarding pass with a handwritten seat number on. She tell me to run to the flight which I did and on arrival the ladies at the check in is already complaining before I can even show my boarding card. Well monsieur but of course you can not board as we have no food on board for you as you are too late. I repeat the story of how I have been treated by Air France and BA in various periods on the flight and am finally allowed on board.

We take off and I sit in my business class seat and had... breakfast.....

On arrival at Heathrow I run out of the plane and grab the first BA person I can find on the ground to get me a boarding pass on the Gatwick flight ;-)

The answer was of course. - there is two hours left to the flight we will not confirm your seat and by the way there is a jam on the roads due to construction so you will not make it.

No one can tell me I wont make the flight, I think to myself, while running through another airport. I had only hand luggage (mind you it weigh about 10 -12 kilos. Exhausted as I was, I found the shuttle bus terminal. I just saw a buss pulling away so it would be 15 minutes to the next one, I was told.

No worries, the taxi stand was just 2 more minutes away and luckily no cue there so I got into one of the standard London taxis.

The driver with his wide Scottish accent kindly informed me that there is a bit of a traffic jam so he thought it would take a while to reach there. I informed him that I only have one hour to spare and even then I would be cutting it close. With the enticement of a bonus :-) he agreed to try avoid the worst jams and we were on our way.

I then turn to organizing my papers to get ready for the arrival at Gatwick only to find that I had lost my national passport. Hmm... now were did that happen. Well nothing to do as I would most likely not find it back even if returning to the airport so did not worry the driver with that fact...

(Tracing my steps back it was clear to me that I had forgotten it at the bus terminal as I was tying my shoelaces while they guy was informing me of the time for the next bus ..)

Looking a the situation I tried to remember if they actually check passports when you leave UK. I knew I had been stamped in to the country. Since I had my UN passport I should be able to get out of a country but there might be some explaining to do as they don't necessarily like UN passports in countries close to home, for some mysterious reasons.

With 45 minutes to spare before planned takeoff I arrived at Gatwick and ran to the check in desk.
- What flight are you on, Sir.
- Entebbe in 42 minute I said I hope I can still make it.
- Well Sir you know you should be here at least 2 hours before.
- Yes Sir I am aware but it seems that there was a slight delay on my BA ticket and no support to get me between the airports, I countered.
- Oh what a pity but let me see. Oh yes it is still possible to check you in if you have no luggage and if you can run to the gate.
- Sure no problem... Running.. that is the only way I have seen airports so far today.

I got my boarding pass and ran to immigration, expecting another battle, but to my surprise there was actually no passport control to exit the country?!

I get to the gate and am the last person to board, drowning in sweat by this time as running with 10 kilos of hand luggage through crowds at three airport kind of does that to you.

Got into my seat and they close the door. Yeah I made it!! I think to my self. The crew is busy getting ready for takeoff and then the pilot comes on the loudspeaker.


" Welcome on board. This flight bound for Entebbe has a technical problem. Not to worry as it is just a small technical problem with one of the lights in the console and the spare part is on the way. Once we get the replacement we should be ready for takeoff. It will though take 30 minutes before we get the piece. Meanwhile sit back and relax and enjoy the in flight entertainment."

Haven't we heard that phrase a few times to many ...

After 1 hour!! the Pilot then announces.

" Dear Passengers. We have now switched the light on the console and everything is in order so we can continue with the flight."

The engine starts reving up on one side of the plane. Then instead of hearing the engines on the other side rev up the initial one is turned off...?!

Once again the captain comes on the loudspeaker with an entirely different voice.

" Dear Passengers. It seems that the indicator light has once more come on as soon as we started the engine. This unfortunately means that the flight will be cancelled. The good news is that we will re-instate this same flight in 24 hours and we will arrange accommodation for you. For those who need to be re-routed sooner please contact the transfer desk. Everyone else please remain in the plane until our shuttle buses has arrived."

Hmmm... What to do I am thinking. I have come this far , lost my passport, paid heavy on the taxi, run through 3 airports only to be waiting 24 hours.... No way was the answer- I am going to Entebbe.

I get out of the plane and in rapid pace, head over to the transit desk and explain to the lady that I have to reach Entebbe in shortest possible time.

Ok we have the following option we can offer, she says.

You take the next plane from Gatwick to Amsterdam which is in 35 minutes then you will have to wait there 1 hour before the flight from Amsterdam to Nairobi. And finally wait another hour for the last leg between Nairobi to Entebbe. I asked if it was the fastest way and she confirmed.

Great now we are rolling, I thought. I would still arrive in the night even though 8 hours later than originally planned.

The flight between Gatwick and Amsterdam was uneventful and for a change, on time!

I get on the flight to Nairobi noting that business class in this plane is not really the same as BA but if it is on time at least there is one plus :-)

The arrival into Nairobi was uneventful even though with a 30 minute delay due to headwind. As we were quite a large number of passengers continuing to Entebbe they announced that the Kenya Airways flight would await our arrival even if we were a bit late.

Once out of the plane the scramble for the Entebbe gate starts only to find that the plane has already left (despite what we had been told)

It is now 0230 in the morning and KLM inform us that they would take us all to a hotel and then return us well in time for the flight at 0900 in the morning.
As luck has it of course they could not arrange transport for so many people and we actually did not arrive at the hotel until 0330, check in took another 30 minutes. Thus fall into bed a 0400 only to wake up again at 0630 as we had to be at the airport at 0700 even if the had all our papers... Thus sitting waiting 2 hours while still being in zombie mode.


The final leg................don't remember anything from the flight but at 1000 I arrive in Entebbe completely exhausted.

The BA plane from Gatwick landed 2 hours after I had arrived in Entebbe, sighhhh.

The lesson learned... When things start going wrong.. don't fight it ... go with the flow and see were it takes you :-) You might get more sleep :-)