Not so clever

Back home to Sissi and more snow

Remember how clever I was getting direct return flights from Vienna to Washington?

It turned out to be not so clever.

On the way out the flight was delayed for two hours because of industrial action.  Austrian Airlines and its staff have been kicking and biting and scratching each other for some time now and there is no sign of this going away.

Perhaps its is those all-red uniforms they have to wear. I think they are ghastly – I mean who wants to wear red stockings? I would put up quite a struggle to escape from that – but they apparently have great brand recognition.

Anyway – this turned out to be not so bad as it meant that – because Cate was also delayed – we arrived in Washington almost  simultaneously.

Coming home was not so good. This time my flight was cancelled so instead of flying home direct on Austrian I was routed on a United flight to Brussels and then – after a three hour wait – on an Austrian flight to Vienna.

But is interesting to see how people are coping with all this palaver these days.

In the early days of endless delays - endless security lines and endless immigration lines people used to get quite tetchy. Nowadays there is a general acceptance of the fate of the traveler – it is called learned resignation.

You understand that the only thing a display of petulance is going to get you is a discussion with the police – potentially followed by a period of incarceration. Have you ever seen anyone in recent times be rude to an Immigration or Security person?

So endless lines of people shuffle along - staring sightlessly at the people and bags in front of them – knowing that this is the punishment for wanting to leave your own fair shores and expand your horizons.