Has the Minister been reading?

I often wonder if our politicians take time out to read newspapers and articles let alone blogs. I was in the Airport a few days ago when the New Minister of Aviation the blue blooded Princess herself paid a visit to the International Airport. As with Ministers before her, and possibly a lot more after her, she went around the Airport with a 'Congregation' of airport / ministry officials and was probably disappointed in the state of facilities.

The question "Has the Minister been reading" has to do with her proclamation that the Underground Car park should be reopen almost 20yrs after it was closed!! Well, cool as that may sound, it is still a political statement as we all know the difference between the 'political will' and the 'practical ability' to make changes. This underground car park as i said a couple of weeks back can ease the movement in and around the airport area, as the new Car park doesn't look anywhere close to completion. The make shift one / staff car park are in terrible conditions as well.

Parking in and around the Airport area is a major eyesore, with many vehicles Jeeps, buses and others parked along the road limiting a two-lane road to one. It stretches from the "D" wing to the "E" wing and gets worse towards the "E" wing with double parking at that end. What this does is limit other passengers and staff that try to leave the airport area for upwards of 30mins to an hour for a stretch of less than 100metres!

There is no gain saying the people that suffer this indiscipline by official and private vehicles that park indiscriminately along the roads are passengers (leaving the designated car park) and staff (that may have been at work for between 6 & 12hrs) only to be held up by vehicles picking up their "OGA's" on the road instead of using the car parks. The towing vans that are suppose to move cars parked along the roads are overwhelmed by the number and status of the car owners. They just drive around to scare the commoners from parking in this zones.

I am not holding my breath as regards the "Pronouncement of the Princess" as politicians have to make such statements so as to look good on T.V during the news.

STRANGE BUT TRUE (1)

In this industry, there are many occurrences that just baffle you on a daily basis. Sometimes its the simple, sometimes its the mundane, other times its outright STUPID.

The strange but true stories would be short stories that occur at the airport that just baffle me.
This story is about ignorance, its too often to see passengers that think they know it all. When you ask them questions (cautionary and security) they tell you how they have flown many times. How one was not born when they started to fly. So we tend to analyse passengers and ask such questions in a stylish manner.

So this passenger walks up to the check in desk, confident as usual, trying not to look like a first timer (like its a sin to be one).
Agent: "Goodmonrning sir, may i have you ticket and passport"

Passenger: Here, he says.

After asking all the questions, and bag placed on the belt to be sent to the baggage hall, his boarding pass, passport, ticket and departure form handed over to him.

Agent: Sir, please proceed to the boarding area.

The passenger, climbs up the belt and onto the conveyor belt only to find his way to the baggage hall.
Guess he thought that since his bag went down that way, that means that's the way to get to his destination.
Although his motives were questioned as passengers are not to go down like luggage. Airport security picked him up to question him.

So please, if you do not know the way to the boarding gates when travelling, and you cannot read the signs, please ask ground staff for directions. Don't go down the belt in an effort to get to the aircraft.