Air flights aren't what they used to be
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (326340)
Rockingham, Australia
July 8, 2022 8:20pm CST
We took a good friend to the Perth airport in Western Australia a few days ago. She has a friend in Toronto who has early stage Alzheimers. The two met in a kibbutz many years ago and did a lot of travelling together, including walking from Land’s End to the Scottish border.
The only ticket our friend could get took her to Sydney then to Vancouver, Canada, and on to Toronto. We had a short email saying she had missed a connecting flight. Later, we got a slightly longer one saying that, after 48 hours, she had reached her destination but without her luggage. The cord to charge her phone was also in her luggage.
She will be back on 25 July so I hope the rest of her travels goes well. Airport travel is chaotic at the moment. The photo is of our friend on a walking trail in Western Australia.
24 people like this
21 responses
@LadyDuck (459567)
• Switzerland
9 Jul 22
It is a mess right now, they are cancelling flights because of staff shortage and the last today, there is not enough food and drinks before problems with catering. Every time we missed a connecting flight and we had to wait for another our luggage arrived 48 hours after we did.
6 people like this
@xFiacre (12640)
• Ireland
9 Jul 22
@ladyduck We really need to return to the days of more dignified, less rushed travel. Ocean liners were such a good way to travel - slow, dignified and classy. I sailed to Australia in 1970, but that was on an Italian immigrant ship sailing out of Genova. Not very classy! We returned on a ship whose passengers were most gentrified and who spoke in hushed tones and gave off a whiff of mystery.
4 people like this
@Orson_Kart (6139)
• United Kingdom
9 Jul 22
Must be the world over. Here in the UK there have been and will be many more cancelled flights due to staff shortages. Best not to travel unless absolutely necessary until it’s all back to normal. If it ever does!
5 people like this
@Orson_Kart (6139)
• United Kingdom
10 Jul 22
Hi @DaddyEvil I am doing ok, thanks for asking. I took a break for a few months, but I am back for a while at least. Hope you’re doing ok too. 
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
9 Jul 22
I haven't seen you around in a long time, Orson. How are you doing?
3 people like this
@rebelann (111306)
• El Paso, Texas
9 Jul 22
That's usually the way it goes @JudyEv My friends dad had it but no one noticed it until it got really bad but by then he was already in stage 3 and it doesn't take long to get to stage 4 from there but he didn't last long enough to get to stage 4. All too often those closest to the patient won't notice anything until the patient shows really bad symptoms.
2 people like this
@Ronrybs (17892)
• London, England
10 Jul 22
As Anna @LadyDuck says it is all right mess. Massive delays and cancellations in the UK. It is not just the airline and airport companies, and their contractors, at fault, both the UK Government has totally useless in planning and updating
3 people like this
@JudyEv (326340)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jul 22
Vince's brother is flying to Heathrow in a week. Thankfully, his daughter will collect him from there but who knows how such trips will go. There is no parking at our airport in Perth as it's booked out by FIFO (fly in fly out) workers. The new train service which was supposed to help the situation has already been delayed several times.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326340)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jul 22
I hope so too but I guess it would be worse. As long as it turns up at some stage - that would be good.
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
9 Jul 22
At least charging cords for phones are cheap. I hope she enjoys her time spent with her friend.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
9 Jul 22
@JudyEv It wouldn't cost too much to buy a couple of shirts and pairs of shorts or even borrow clothing from her friend.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326340)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jul 22
@DaddyEvil That's true. I'm sure she'll be fine. When our luggage went astray when we went to Ireland, we had wedding finery and gifts in our cases. But it turned up the next day.
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (12640)
• Ireland
9 Jul 22
@judyev Oh the joys of air travel, especially those involving a connection! When I flew London to Delhi changing in Moscow my bag ended up in Karachi and had to go back to Moscow to get to Delhi. I got $US 25 compensation for 5 days with no clothes. I have a relative who went to Paris for his honeymoon (with his new wife) and their luggage didn’t arrive. British Airways gave them each a little pack of toiletries including one size fits all paper undies.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326340)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jul 22
That's hilarious - to an outsider of course. Poor folks. You have to feel for them. When the airline lost Vince's luggage going to Sydney there were very generous. He could have got a new suit out of it as he was going to a conference.
@Kandae11 (53698)
•
10 Jul 22
It can be very frustrating to arrive at your destination without your luggage. It happened to me twice. The first time was not too bad because l was on a flight home , so even though my luggage arrived three days later l had no worries about what to wear.
1 person likes this
@oahuwriter (26778)
• United States
10 Jul 22
Poor thing, she'll need her charging cord, as well as all her luggage. News says lots of cancelling going on and flight crew shortage. Hoping too, things go better for your friend. How are things now?
1 person likes this
@oahuwriter (26778)
• United States
11 Jul 22
@JudyEv
I see. Yes, can purchase things. In time all her luggage will arrive to her.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157692)
• United States
9 Jul 22
I never did like to fly and will not, unless it is absolutely necessary. It seems to be getting worse.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326340)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jul 22
It's not good at the moment. We don't have much option if we want to see our sons.
@FourWalls (62518)
• United States
9 Jul 22
There’s a comedian here named Gallagher. He’s famous for smashing watermelons, but he also has good “real-world” observations. He said once that he checked in at the airport and said, “I’m going to Las Vegas. Send this bag to Denver and this bag to Cleveland.” The clerk said, “We can’t do that!” He replied, “Why not? You did it last week!” 
One of the reasons I don’t fly: I like myself and my luggage in the same place. I hope your friend gets reunited with her luggage soon.
One of the reasons I don’t fly: I like myself and my luggage in the same place. I hope your friend gets reunited with her luggage soon.1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326340)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jul 22
Is it really? She must have got through okay but I hope her luggage turns up.
@JudyEv (326340)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jul 22
I suppose so but it's very inconvenient if you're trying to get from one place to another.
@Beestring (13407)
• Hong Kong
9 Jul 22
Without luggage is a hassle. I had this experience before. The airline sent the luggage to my home 2 days later.
1 person likes this
