Hmmmm Better Than Expected

These days many people dislike flying because of all the hassle of checking in, security rules, waiting and hoping for your luggage and all the time consuming parts of a flight day(s).

Try flying three times in one day! I don’t mean transferring planes and having two layovers. Other than the getting to the airport part, I am talking about checking in, being questioned at passport control, going through security, and picking up your luggage, along with the actual re-boarding and flights. When you fly with three different low-cost airlines you save money, but your potential for things to go amiss increases significantly. I have to say it was one of the first times flying that I was nervous about how it would all go.

Moscow → St. Petersburg (Nordwind Airlines) 

My first airport experience of the day was at the Moscow airport with a taxi driver that couldn’t find my terminal. I showed him my phone to prove it was indeed Terminal C based on the airport’s website. He proceeded to take my phone and leave the car. I thought “oh great I am getting my phone stolen only 30 minutes into my trip!” It appeared he was asking a worker directions to my terminal. I was convinced he missed the exit and we would have to leave the airport and come back in…..and hopefully still get my flight. He came back to motion that there was no Terminal C. The object of my concern quickly shifted.

After my typical mad dash around the airport (made longer by trying to find which terminal I needed that actually existed) to check-in, go through security, find food and use the toilet I checked-in and got on the bus to take us to our gate. On the bus I realized I forgot my bag of food. What do you think I did: go hungry or say oh well I can’t possibly get off the bus, tap on the one way door to get someone’s attention to get back inside, talk to three Russian agents before they figured out what I was saying, run back to the toilet stall where I hung my food bag up on the hook, run back to the check-in desk where they were madly rushing me through the doors and jump between the doors one second before they closed???? Ah the things I do for food.

The first bus was still unloading at our plane as the second bus that I was on arrived at the plane and stopped. Shortly after stopping we did a lap around the airport and back to the exact same plane….trying to entertain us???? Why were we in such a hurry to leave if we were going to drive around the tarmac?

Once on the plane I found my assigned window seat to be occupied. Score! I got the aisle seat! The airline agent told me that there were only window seats available because the entire plane was booked. Lies…..I did a rough count on my journey to the bathroom and there was at least 25 empty seats. It appears Nordwind Airlines representatives know as much as Aeroflot representatives.

St. Petersburg → Barcelona (Vueling Airlines)

Following a very successful gathering of luggage and re-checking in I had a very pleasant pre-boarding and flight experience on Vueling Airlines. The most eventful part was when a lady asked me to video tape her son handing me my water bottle from the vending machine before boarding. Maybe I am celebrity somewhere now!?

Barcelona → Arrecife (RyanAir) 

This airport transfer was a bit tricker because I had to get a bus to a different terminal. With only one hour before my flight the RyanAir flight attendant gave me a run for my money, literally. She told me I would need to go pay for a boarding pass (I know stupid mistake that I forgot to print it) and pay to be able to take a personal item AND carry-on bag into the cabin. She gave me a slip to take to the payment desk. When I returned after paying she proceeded to get upset with me because I didn’t pay for the two pieces of luggage and told me it was my fault. But she wrote me a ticket and only included one of the items I needed to buy? The receipt said two pieces of luggage. She couldn’t explain to me what I paid for and sent me away again.

Oh RyanAir! Very trying situation to say the least. But hey I got pulled over in security and had an amicable guard that spoke Spanish to me the whole time. Way to go me, went through an entire airport questioning in Spanish!

Once in Arrecife I got out of the airport and took a taxi to my hotel in about 40 minutes. No-one was at passport control and the whole airport was dead. I thought Milwaukee, WI airport was fast!

After 16 hours of travel I have arrived in Lanzarote….one of the seven Spanish Canary Islands to the west of Africa!!!!! Did you guess correctly!? 

I haven’t been up this late in forever….oh wait since the last time I tried to fly somewhere…..

Conclusion: Looking back I am glad I took the three low cost airlines because I saved a good chunk of money, but let’s just say I am not going to rush to do it again. If it is the only option due to your finances, you should definitely do it. It takes more time, there is more potential for things to go wrong and it is a lot more work, but it will ultimately get you were you want to be.

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