Iberia Airlines – We don’t Really DO Baggage

Just received a message from a very good friend of mine who is visiting her parents in Italy.

She flew there successfully with Iberia Airlines… unfortunately her baggage preferred to go to Madrid…

From Alessandra:

Very jet lagged! Just making sure I got it… And testing yr patience!
And, be nice, cause I am still in distress for Iberia losing my luggage. I am wearing my mum’s clothes

From me:

Hi Alessandra,

Hmmm… A couple of points come to mind here.

Re: Iberia. I flew with them in about 1979 from Barcelona (or should I say Barthelona) to Athens. After checking in, all the passengers were then herded onto transit buses and deposited on the tarmac at the back of the plane. At that point I noticed that the check-in procedure hadn’t actually involved taking baggage from anyone and in fact everyone still had their baggage with them.

(Possibly Iberia just don’t DO baggage.)

I also noticed that some people were clutching livestock mainly in the form of chickens. How quaint I thought. Coming from Australia I felt pretty certain that we didn’t DO livestock on passenger flights. I swear I I heard a goat or a sheep during the flight but could not confirm it for reasons that will become obvious.

The signal to board the aircraft basically involved the tail end stairway being lowered and ground crew frantically waving to the passengers to get on to the plane. What followed would best be described as a stampede because after all, it did involve livestock. However it was a kind of slow motion stampede becuase everyone was still dragging their luggage… and chickens.

Although everyone had numbered tickets that system broke down in a nano second and finding a seat was a matter of identifying someone physically weaker than you and staking your claim. As the plane filled so did the center aisle… with all the baggage.

Miraculously everyone got on board and off we flew to Athens although that was the last time I was ever on a flight that had:
a. Live chickens.
b. People standing for the entire flight.
c. Children sleeping on piles of baggage in the center aisle.

Combining this experience with yours has led me to two thoughts:
1. I AM surpised Iberia are still operating.
2. I am NOT surprised they lost your luggage.

Regarding wearing your mother’s clothes… do we get photos?

Later the same day…