Wednesday, 19 January 2011

Only in Russia...

A friend of mine was travelling back to her country of origin from Moscow for the Christmas holiday. There were various problems on the day of her flight, not least that 48 hours before, the city had been struck by freezing rain which paralysed large areas and had cut power to the airport itself the day before. Streets were unpassable, trees were bent sideways, power-lines had snapped under the weight of the ice; you get the picture.

So she and her family were pleasantly surprised when, having arrived at the airport, they were able to board the plane much more quickly than they had expected; much more quickly, in fact, than they had ever done before.

All was calm, everyone was in their seats, the plane was pulling back from the gantry, when the captain came onto the intercom and made the following announcement;

"Ladies and Gentleman, thankyou for boarding so quickly and efficiently today. We should be leaving now, but unfortunately in their rush to get us on our way today, the ground crew forgot to take the luggage from the inbound flight off the plane. We will now need to return to the gantry to allow them to do so..."


Like I said. Only in Russia.
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8 comments:

  1. Tattieweasle19 January 2011 at 19:40

    Oh but they were keen, there have to be points for being keen!

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  2. Expat mum19 January 2011 at 19:59

    Gah! You just know when it seems too good to be true, it is!

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  3. Iota 19 January 2011 at 20:59

    At least, that was their story. Maybe there was some much more exciting explanation. International terrorist hiding in the cargo hold? Deadly venomous snakes escaped in the cockpit? Pilot needing a quick pee, and preferring the terminal toilets to the on-board ones? Stewardess left her handbag on the gantry?

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  4. nappy valley girl20 January 2011 at 00:31

    I agree with Iota - I wonder if there was another, more sinister, explanation?

    Mind you bizarre things do happen, and not only in Russia. My husband was once on a flight from LA to London..the plane started taxi-ing for take-off and then stopped. They then announced they had too many passengers and there was a 'weight issue'. So about 20 people had to get off.....

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  5. The Expatresse20 January 2011 at 05:32

    My husband was on a flight somewhere recently with a weight issue. I think it was in the US. They bribed people to get off.

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  6. I'm So Fancy20 January 2011 at 08:19

    Oh Classic! But I would call it "Only in Russia...or British Airways." Finally got the last of my luggage back...from December 17. Funny site!

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  7. Potty Mummy20 January 2011 at 08:59

    TW - true, very true!

    EPM, I agree - but perhaps we travel too much in our livs?

    Iota, you know, that didn't even occur to me. I ave to say though that I suspect if it was one of those, it would be the last; as a rule in Russia the powers that be are not that subtle about terrorist threats!

    NVG, a 'weight issue'? Really? God, just imagine being one of the first they asked to leave...

    Expatresse, see my comment to NVG above!

    ISF, thanks for commenting and that's possible (I was supposed to fly out on the 18th December but didn't make it - which turned out to be a blessing in disguise!)

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  8. - English Dad In Moscow -21 January 2011 at 05:13

    We in the same boat on the other side of the parent coin. I am a SAHD in Moscow? Fun ain't it !

    http://www.englishdadinmoscow.com/

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