Page 23 - voices-2022-06

Are We There Yet?

PJ Kleffner, DTM -

Immediate Past District Director

already closed for the night, so we had to sit to the plane. This took much longer than the

on the plane while they recalled the customs normal boarding process, but we finally left
and immigration officers because most of us Vancouver.
on the plane were not Canadian citizens. I We arrived too late for my connection in
arrived at my designated hotel at 5:00 AM. London. After more hotel and meal vouchers,

This hotel was of the Motel 6 variety, so I was finally on a plane to Johannesburg. We
there was no restaurant. They had vending sat there for another hour before the crew
machines, but I had no Canadian money, and told us there was a problem with the luggage.
the night clerk said he had no change. I went All 747s use a container system for luggage,

to bed tired, hungry and very unhappy with and they somehow
British Airways. managed to get one
The airline told us to call the airport about
noon to check the status of a make-up flight.

Calling at the appointed hour, I was told we
would leave at 3:00 PM. I found a place for
lunch then headed to the airport. After check
in, we waited and waited at the gate, but no

one came to begin the boarding process. When
the gate agents finally arrived, they told us the
delay was because this was an unscheduled
flight and they didn’t have any extra people

to handle it. They also informed us that
the jetway was broken, so the hundreds of
passengers had to go outside, down the
stairs, and back up the portable stair ramp

VOICES! | JUNE 2022 23