Snow storms Rule OK ?Posted on 4:24am Saturday 9th Jan 2010 After being delayed for two days, we finally left Toronto Airport and arrived at Gatwick Airport.
Our flight was due to leave Toronto Airport at 8:30 pm, on Thursday. At checkin, one was given a hotel voucher and meal vouchers. The London in-bound flight had not been able to leave Gatwick Airport and would be flying out of England, weather permitting the next day.
We were checked into the Sheraton Hotel at Toronto Airport , for Thurday evening. After spending the whole day in Toronto, checkin opened at 4:00 pm. The counter staff of the airline said the plane was due to arrive around 7:30 pm and we were to proceed to passport control and security.
The flight arrived from London at 9:30 pm. At 10:30 we boarded and took off for London at 11:30 pm. The Captain apologised for the 27 hour delay of our flight and said we were due to arrive in Gatwick Airport at 11:30 am on Saturday morning.
Landing was very rough and below the aircraft one saw snowblowers, snowploughs, gritters and salt trucks. There was more snow in London than in Toronto Airport. Toronto was also warmer than London.
The plane was not scheduled or expected to arrive at 11:30 am. We were deplaned and made our way to Passport Control and baggage claim. Passport control was very brief. Too good to be true.
In the baggage claim area, we waited for 1 1/2 hours for our baggage .
The baggage handling agent said firstly they had frozen baggage handling equipment which was unsafe to operate.
A further announcement was made saying the agents were not expecting our flight at that time and were doing their best to off - load other planes before our plane was offloaded.
Minutes soon became a 1/2 hour. Baggage station number 4 was allocated, with no baggage coming out onto the baggage machine. 1 1/2 hours later, the bags arrived.
The terminal was freezing inside and outside even cooler than in parts of Ontario. I was pleased I had brought my Canadian gloves, sweaters, coats and boots.
Then there were problems with the trains due to the weather. The Circle and District Lines we also disrupted by the weather.
As an aunt of mine said when she flew for the first time at the age of 65, "there is no luxury or joy in flying !
My own experience backs up the thoughts of my aunt.
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