Hi!
This weekend I flew to Glasgow using Ryanair to get my pipes serviced.
Between two of us we had two sets of bagpipes and a guitar (in solid hard case). I decided on the way back that I'd put one set of pipes in the hold to keep the guitar company. So we duly trudged up to the plane with cases and sorrowfully handed them over. The lady that took them plonked them down on the tarmac next to the conveyor and waved me on. I refused, saying "I'm waiting for my pipes and the guitar to be put on the conveyor, I'd like to see them loaded, please". The lady, said, "no they are going on last". To which I replied that "I am not leaving my pipes on the tarmac" to which I was stearnly told "get on the plane or I will offload you". What could I do, I boarded the plane and was lucky enough to be able to watch my pipes eventually being slung on the conveyor from the window.

As I walked up the steps to board the plane I asked the hostess, "I have just walked a set of bagpipes and a guitar to the plane, where do I wait to get them off when we land?" the hostess helpfully replied that I would be able to get them off the carouselle. When I pointed out that I had just walked the instruments to the hold and that I expected to pick them up from the hold, she said "if there is no-one around I'd just have to get them off the carouselle". I tried to tell her how stupid this was and that I was not allowing my pipes on the carouselle, but in the end had to just walk away, what can you do?

So on landing I stood by the plane and got the other hostess to fetch my pipes from the bagage handlers, this was the only waythey could actually stop me going over to the handlers myself.

You can be sure I just won't bother telling the check in lady again that I have bagpipes, when you see the way they throw the bagage around!!! They also point out that once you hand over your bag, they hold no responsibilty for it, so if they do break it, it's tough!

>sigh< Rant over, I feel better now. I had to get that off my chest before complaining about their rude bagage handlers and hostesses!

:-?
Vicki