I had just spent a wonderful time in Egypt, visiting all of the regular tourist attractions, and tempting to try out some newly learnt Arabic.
I was heading to the airport, which, i might add was a disaster from the start. Due to terrential flooding, and the fact it was rush hour (in a city that copes with up to 15 million people one a daily basis), even the extra 2 hours I'd let myself have to get to the airport, didnt help at all.
All i can say, if thank goodness i was flying business class, otherwise check-in would have closed an i would have been stranded. On arrival a somewhatnondiscript man grabbed my bags from my hands (at first i thought i was being mugged) but then discovered i was in fact being pushed to the front of a huge queue of people being x-rayed before check in. Being the typical toursit that i was i paid him a stupidly high amoutn for this, but was glad to get to check in. Where, even though i had a business class ticket, and a frequent flyer card that allowed me business class check in irrespective of the cabin class i was flying, the woman did not believe taht i was a business class traveller. After a very heated arguemtn, she discovered that in fcat i was flying business and without apologising for the embarassment caused by her shouting at me, she checked me in.
So, i thought, all was well and i would still make my flight. Until i saw the queue for immigration. Unfortunately i did not posess an Egyptian passport, but even so, i dont think i would have gotten through immigration any quicker. It took forever.
OK it hought, that was the final hurdle, i decided to forget the hassle, and just chill out in the business class lounge for half an hour before the flight. I couldnt be bothered with even looking at the shops, with half of them closed, and the other half, well you can imagine the state of them. WRONG !! Even though I'd payed for a business class ticket, i obviously wasn't dressed well enough for the woman at the lounge. If you'd have seen some fo the people she did allow in, i was as smart, if not smarter than them. Maybe British fashion, isnt quite on par with Egyptian.
Luckily i was eventually granted access, due to my frequent flyer privilidge card. Not taht i really cared by that point, i was just ready to leave the airport and get back home. The lounge itself wasnt really anything to shout home about. There was a measly bit of food available. I know each country is different, and i shoulndt compare, but really its the capital city. London, New York, Sydney, Dubai and SIngapore to name but a few, manage to treat their business class passengers like business class passengers.
The final straw, was when we were called for our flight and headed to the departure area. After being looked up and down by the security guards as if i was filth, i continued down a little corrider to the seating area, which resembled a South American bus station seating area, rather than a capital city's airport departure lounge. There were plastic green seats, which were invariably uncomfortable.
I just hope by the time i return to Egypt they have improved their airport service somewhat.
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Jun 15th, 2004
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