28 March, 2008

Awkward moment #231


In need of cheap flights, ryanair sounds promising.... but is it really worth the hassle?? This study travel, flying from Berlin to London was our first experience with the lovely airline. We had heard stories of the possible hassles, but I don't think we were quite prepared. We have been flying a lot lately and pretty accustomed to walking right up to the desk, handing over your passport, getting a boarding pass with your name, gate, and seat on it, passing quickly through security (of which I have not beeped off in like 10 years), sitting in seats at the gate and eventually boarding the plane. This particular evening though we truck it with all our stuff from the train to the terminal, to find massive waiting line number 1. This is apparently a security check, before security, just to be able to check your bags. So we pass our bags through and are waiting in the long line to check in. Now that we are out of the weather I want to add my jacket to my checked bag so I don't have to carry it on the flight. This was apparently a mistake, and as I am shoving my jacket into my bag, angry man comes over and indicates that I must go back to first security check and pass my bag through again. Finally we get to the check in counter, hand over our passports, and receive the ever so official looking ryanair boarding pass. Aka a pathetic small piece of paper that pretty much just says ryan air, a flight number, and your last name written down in pen. We then go wait in the even longer security line. We soon discover why the line is going so slow is because if they think you even look like you might beep they hardcore pat you down and the next person cannot come through till that person is thoroughly strip searched, gather their things and depart. Well APPARENTLY my belt beeped off even though I'm not sure I even heard it. I get pulled to the side, knowing what is coming because the same has just happened to Lauren, and Jo. Hands up in the air I get the pat down way more touchy-feely then I have ever been patted down before in my life. Less of a pat down, more of an all over grope. Then I am instructed to undo my belt and the lady feels around INSIDE both the front and back of my pants. Needless to say it was a little alarming and uncomf in the middle of the airport. We gather our things, head to the standing area until our flight actually receives a gate, board the plane through the unassigned seat free-for-all. Oh, and then to top it all off we land in London in 30 mph wind, through turbulence about 2 feet off the ground, fish tail like crazy on the run way and all almost die. Strong recommendations for RyanAir!

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