Tuesday, March 01, 2005

A polite breakfast 3

Edinburgh. Snow fell like snow does, it's very early, I've been up since 0435 and now aeroplanes are frozen on the ground and to it, and I'm in one. Nobody is flying yet.

Edinburgh, 06.35 and I'm sitting on a plane that is going nowhere with it's snowy wings. The captain tells us things will get better once the runway opens. Once it is cleared.

0705, still going nowhere, read the paper, reading a book.

0725, the de-icer truck is due at any moment then we'll be in a queue, once they clear the snow from the runway. Conversations about work, holidays, funny events and more reading.

0745, we must eat a polite breakfast, a hot breakfast which will spoil if not eaten. We must eat it even though we are grounded. No coffee can be served however, only juice, in case of an accident. I eat mine and my fellow passengers eat theirs, quietly as we wait for the next announcement. The breakfast is ok, the weather and the airport are not.

0825, some passengers leave in a herd. Their day is wasted but they have had breakfast. They return to their offices, cars or homes. I'm wondering what to do next.

0905, no queue, no truck, no nothing. Read a book, chat, make phone calls, start to write off the morning.

1000, snow,clearing, de-icer truck has broken down.

1025, stewardess says we can go, I choose to go, we can get off the plane. I ask to go, put my name down, take my boarding card, I will escape. I will make alternative arrangements.

1045, I'm getting off the plane, I'm standing on the slushy steps, but it is raining now.

1050, from the terminal I see the de-icer truck working hard three planes away from the one I was on. They are in a queue.

1100, I am heading for the car park. It was a polite breakfast, shame about the lack of coffee.

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