The journey back from China into snowy UK over the weekend was a good example of how you need to think ahead and plan for every eventuality! It all started as - after an 11 hour flight we started to descend into Heathrow on Air China CX369. The pilot announced that we had to go to Paris as Heathrow had been closed by snow! Then as we descended into Paris he announced that Paris was full and we had to go to Brussels. The low fuel landing at Brussels into a snowy and icy airport was interesting only to be followed by 12 hours of delays and frustration.As the picture shows - in the early hours of Sunday morning on 19th December - there were NO flights planned from Brussels airport!
Air China do not operate out of Brussels so they first had to negotiate ground staff, then fuel and then a hotel room for the pilots to be able to get their statutory rest! This sequence of events brought me to the conclusion that we were unlikely to leave Brussels until at least Sunday afternoon, even if Heathrow opened again - of which I had my doubts.
I decided that since I only had hand luggage (my general approach to business travel no matter how long I am away now), that I should get myself home!
Talking my way out of the security in the airport and using my UK passport to claim my rights as a European citizen and as such free to travel anywhere across European borders, was interesting!
I then found my way to the train station, caught a train to Brussels central station, bought a Eurostar ticket for the late afternoon and then presented myself to board the 09.30 train to London. The staff told me it was full but that if I was prepared to take any seat they would put me on standby... I got a seat!
As of Monday afternoon the Air China plane was still on the tarmac at Brussels and the passengers still there!
The lessons for me in all this are:
1. don't believe anything officials tell you about what to do and where to go. In a crisis they don't know any more than you do if you have a web based phone and access to the Internet!
2. don't believe it when people tell you there is no food or water - toilets have water and an emergency couple of items in the bottom of your bag (I always have something!) mean that you don't have to queue with 200 other people to get calories.
3. don't believe it when the ticket man says there are no tickets to where you want to go. Buy whatever he has and get to the next place where there will be someone different with a different attitude. Harassed people tell you whatever is easier for them to be less harassed - not what you might need to know!
4. don't believe it when people say trains are full - there is always standing room somewhere and most trains and planes keep a seat for last minute staff transit - if you hold your nerve a friendly staff member will let you on at the last minute.
5. don't believe it when you start to think being resourceful doesn't seem to be working - keep focused on the goal and keep trying. There is usually more than one way to solve a problem.
6. don't believe it when people say "you can't" - they usually have not thought of how you can!
At the end of the day I am home and that is a wonderful place to be for Christmas!
