We had more snow on Sunday but the roads were pretty clear when my friend dropped me at the airport (I am perennially early) and I had almost made it to the check in when a line of Swiss police started herding everyone out saying "evacuate, evacuate"! And we were all directed out of the airport (to stand for the next 90 minutes in the snow as it turned out). I eventually discovered that there was an unattended suitcase found outside a bookstore and they ended up calling in the bomb squad and sniffer dogs! The Easyjet check ins seemed to be where it was "all occurring" and most of those flights were UK bound (mainly skiers) so in the end I ended up standing outside in the snow with a group of very good natured Brits, I have to admit! Maybe we're just more used to getting stuck in delays and we're definitely experts at queuing, but nobody got worked up or ratty and one man cracked me up after about an hour when he proclaimed in a very loud voice "well that's the last time I pay for speedy boarding"! We all burst out laughing!
They had a robot x-ray the case and then sent in the dog and the bomb squad and it turned out to be a false alarm luckily! I hope they came down hard on the bag's owner (presuming they found them) as it must have cost the airport/airlines a small fortune! I had resigned myself to missing my flight (and possibly also the funeral) but I have to admit the staff pulled out all the stops (Easyjet ground staff in particular) and I made it to the UK with just a one hour delay!
We're off to Wales on Thursday for the funeral on Friday and then it's back to Geneva on Sunday for me. I don't have my laptop with me so I'm bashing this out one-fingered on my phone! I hope to get back to catching up with my blog reading (and indeed catching up with my own life) next week, so until then .....!
So glad you made it - bloody hell why can't people just follow the bloody rules. I think they should explode unattended luggage no matter what :) Just for emphasis on following the rules lol
ReplyDeleteApparently if there was any electronic equipment in there they would have blown it up but seemingly this wasn't the case. Some people are just thoughtless/distracted I guess. But better a false alarm than the alternative!
DeleteSo glad you made it!
ReplyDeleteMe too - although I did wonder! I was just so thankful I didn't have young kids with me!
DeleteAll travel needs a story right! I'm glad you were able to get there on time.
ReplyDeleteIt warms my heart that the Brits were so good natured about it --- even cracking a joke --- instead of whining. And I'm impressed that Easyjet got you to the UK with only an hour delay.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, and despite the newspapers horror stories, we are a good natured people. Seriously, that is when we are at our best!!
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