In high spirits having my expectations exceeding on my first day down under, I smiled, packed my bag which somehow was out of control after only two nights and made my way to the airport. As it was a domestic flight coupled with the fact I didn’t want to spend money on airport wastage, I got to the airport an hour before my flight thinking I’d swim through; however, I sank like a dead body.
There was no queue, I strolled right up to the desk, my passport was fine, I was at the right airport on the right flight. As she went to conveyor belt my luggage she says “oh your bag’s are heaps over the allowed limit”. I’m like, I flew here on this airline and they didn’t say anything so I assume my bags were fine. She checked my previous booking and yes, sure enough, I hadn’t been charge or warned. If I’m honest, I wasn’t shocked, I knew my bag was massively over but felt I could blag it like every other aspect of my life, although the fact she was female, was extra pressure for me.
Not budging, she went to speak to her Manager to tell her my situation about not having my bags stopped previously and about my flight being cancelled causing an inconvenience.
That’s when I saw it, her face, she was a terrible person. Sympathy, empathy, any of the ‘pathy’s she wasn’t. I knew I was in hot water and she certainly wasn’t afraid of leaving me there to stew. The check-in lady made her way back and it was bad news, she had hit me in the face with a wet fish, I had to pay the extra! The Manager had told her this is a different flight, different day so I need to pay. Feeling the extra heat form arriving at the airport so late, I knew I didn’t have a lot of time on my hands now, I had to think quick. She weighed my bag and even my hand luggage fully raping me of any excess and then announced, yeah that’s $240!!! Was she for real!!
I refused to pay and said id look into another flight in an attempt to call their bluff. I had really pushed the boat out up until now in terms on saving my money by not eating out, not getting taxis but this would destroy my efforts, I thought, shall I wave the white flag or go down with my ship?
With 20 minutes left before the sinking sand I stood in would consume me, I went and spoke to the manager myself. I knew this was my last shot and I decided to go for “”Mrs Nice” which was a huge mistake, remember Katie, she has none of the ‘pathy’s! Failing miserably when asking her it’s down to her discretion and hearing her reply, “it is, and I’m saying no”. I could not believe her, I stared at her and said “wow, really”. I’d got some satisfaction though, when she hit me with that last line she lost eye contact and looked down which showed me she lost confidence and didn’t have complete conviction, absolute coward.
Reluctantly paying the fee two minutes before the desk closed, I was relieved to have a new guy checking me in partially being able to keep some pride intact. I had told him about his Devil Manager and to my surprise, he agreed she isn’t well liked and after a big bitching session, I felt a bit better whilst thinking, how dare she do her job so rigorously.
Final boarding calls were sounding which didn’t stop me heading straight to the bar to get a beer, I needed it. Necking the beer, I walked to the gate and was last to board the plane which I might add, was only 20 percent full, what an absolute bitch, I could have packed a mini convertible and still had room for her dead body.
Katie Babb 