BS: Thank goodness for Gatwick No. 1!!!

Subject: BS: Thank goodness for Gatwick No. 1!!!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 31 Aug 18 - 06:21 AM

All flights delayed due to earlier broken down plane on runway! Thank goodness for No. 1 lounge, arriving at 10.30 means breakfast up to 11am and lunch thereafter - excellent porridge !!

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Gatwick No. 1!!!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 31 Aug 18 - 06:24 AM

Videos of Richard Thompson Electric Trio & Show of Hands at Shroosberry Folk Festival for our flight to Spain captured from festival live stream!!

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Gatwick No. 1!!!
From: Will Fly
Date: 31 Aug 18 - 11:03 AM

Yup - 2 hour delay today for my son and family flying from Nantes - and for me waiting to collect them.

I didn't mind the delay - got chatting to another delayed chauffeur - but thought the £15 parking fee slightly excessive!

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Gatwick No. 1!!!
From: DMcG
Date: 31 Aug 18 - 11:16 AM

Personal taste, of course, but I don't particularly like Lounge No 1. The food selection was very limited last time I went and it wasn't very clean. By and large, the airline specific lounges suit me better.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Gatwick No. 1!!!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 31 Aug 18 - 11:32 AM

Unfortunately Club Europe was full on our flight to Alicante so we had to make do with BA cattle class.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Gatwick No. 1!!!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 31 Aug 18 - 04:04 PM

Apparently an aircraft broke down on the runway at the time our aircraft was due to cross the runway from BA's routine maintenance sector, and the pilot had to wait over an hour for a further slot to cross over to the stand for our flight - and what a jolly egg he turned out to be!!

What was confusing on the flight indicator board was that it showed "delayed to 12:20", but not that this referred to the time when boarding gate would be known. This turned out to be gate 5 at Gatwick South Terminal, which was a pretty long walk for my disabled wife! Still they agreed Assisted Boarding, so we were second on the aircraft.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Gatwick No. 1!!!
From: Senoufou
Date: 01 Sep 18 - 09:04 AM

I absolutely love Gatwick. I've flown from there loads of times to Ghana, Senegal, Gambia etc., often via Tripoli with Afriqiyah.
I used to get there about six hours early, then spend happy moments watching all the passengers passing by, dressed in all sorts of interesting outfits, and the teams of flight crews in their smart uniforms.

There's Gatwick North and Gatwick South, and a little train runs between the two, which I liked very much.

I only used the ordinary cafés, but their sandwiches and snack foods were always delicious. I'd sit and natter to anyone who looked a bit stressed or lonely.
There's also a nice chapel there, multi-denominational, for prayer and reflection.
I love airports, it's in my blood (both parents were in the RAF!)

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Gatwick No. 1!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 18 - 02:00 PM

I bought some of my favorite earrings in airports in Dallas and Albuquerque, where the Mercado shops with silver jewelry have shops or pushcarts. And I've always been pleased with the food I could get at the ABQ airport. That's because the layover for Southwest was long enough that I had time to eat. The rest of them tend to be a blur.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Gatwick No. 1!!!
From: Senoufou
Date: 01 Sep 18 - 03:14 PM

Ooh yes, Stilly, airport shops are very enjoyable.

I liked having a sniff at all the perfumes (and maybe trying some of the testers - by the time my flight was called I smelt like a tart's parlour!) There are silk scarf shops, fashion outlets, and as you say, jewellery shops.
I never actually bought anything, but I did so love browsing.

I also enjoyed watching all the take-offs and landings, which one can do at certain airports (Norwich, Edinburgh for example)

I have to say, my best memory of all of Gatwick Airport was the moment my lovely husband passed through the Arrivals gate after we'd managed to get our Marriage Visa. It was his first time ever to set foot in the UK. He looked terrified and exhausted, but our joyous hug lasted about five minutes!
Our very kind taxi driver waited discreetly to one side, then drove us all the way back to Norfolk.

Subject: RE: BS: Thank goodness for Gatwick No. 1!!!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 01 Sep 18 - 03:25 PM

When we were waiting for a transit flight at LAX airport to Phoenix back in 1999, my wife bought a teeshirt of such good quality that she still wears it now - and they gave her far too much change, which she never found out until after take off - too late to pay back!!