Ship ahoy or How to get to London the difficult way

[Threviel]

I think Mstr is Master which is a (very formal) title for a boy. I'd check with BA but I don't think you need to change anything.

Their website won't let me put in his pre-flight passport details because of the gender and I can't change anything with regards to title. Could probably be fixed at manual check-in but I want this fixed beforehand. I won't be there when they check in.

[Josquius]

Mstr/master is pretty standard for little boys. My son always gets this automatically.

I think my savings account I've had since I was a kid still says that, it's why I don't have the heart to close it.

[The Larch]

If you're close to the airport I'd go physically to it and look for a BA office so you can talk directly with someone rather than an automated reply system, which is incredibly frustrating if you need something done urgently.

[Threviel]

Airport is 1.5 hours away in a direction we're rarely going, so no go on that one.

Incredibly strange that it doesn't work if Mstr is a male title.

I just don't understand why I had to put in title in the first place. Who cares? What is the point? Why have some weird irrelevant shit that can only cause problems?

[Threviel]

I'll guess I'll have to call the British support service number and try to get them to understand my issue. Say something like "Oi Guvnor, my flight info is bad, it seems your automated system takes the young master for a girl!"

[Threviel]

I called BA. Apparently Heathrow has the same issues as Arlanda in Stockholm. Covid ended and no-one was prepared so long queues and waiting times.

Also I could barely understand what the automated recording was saying, low sound quality and some weird dialect. She spoke about rumors of problems at Heathrow this summer, but I didn't understand.

And if I'm not flying within a month I can fuck off, they are busy.

[Threviel]

BA has a chat that can be accessed when logged in and I got to talk over text to a brit. Everything was cleared up without issue.

[The Larch]

[Sheilbh]

Glad it's sorted

Going on holiday in a couple of weeks and absolutely dreading the airports. Everyone I've spoken to who's been in an airport (all the main London ones, Amsterdam, Dublin, Athens) have said it's absolute carnage at the minute. My assumption is that, like the airlines, they fired loads of people during the pandemic and are now surprised people still want to travel.

I'm planning to arrive with plenty of town but it sounds like a bit of a shitshow - definitely in the London airports I'm afraid

[Threviel]

Well, fuck me then. We'll be flying at 20:45 on a Sunday. A long long day for the kids and I'm not looking forward to spending the evening in queue hell.

Our local airport is ok, but the main Swedish hub at Stockholm is also hellish right now.

Apparently the Norwegian one is doing ok, they spent covid investing in more modern and more efficient equipment to handle security checks. Seems to be a European wide pattern where the air ports that invested during covid are doing well now.

[Threviel]

Investigating a bit it seems not exactly horrible at Heathrow, but pretty bad. Sundays seem to be very busy and August is apparently holiday time for Brits.

Heathrow chaos as hundreds lose luggage and airlines 'fish passengers out of queues'

https://mightygadget.co.uk/heathrow-airport-busy-times/

We're flying out at 20:45 and at least three hours are recommended to come through security and check-in. I want to give it two hours more, I'm working the day after and I will not miss my flight. Of course we can't check in to early either.

So I guess we'll be at Heathrow from 15 to 21 or so.  We'll probably get through in 30 minutes or so forcing us to spend 5 hours in the terminal. Time to check som lounges.

[garbon]

Heathrow does have lounges you can pay out of pocket for.

Or maybe I should say that at least once upon a time, they did.

[Berkut]

Naval reading:

https://www.amazon.com/Rules-Game-Jutland-British-Command/dp/014198032X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1657028394&sr=1-3

[grumbler]

Naval reading:

https://www.amazon.com/Rules-Game-Jutland-British-Command/dp/014198032X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1657028394&sr=1-3

Yeah, but that's a preyty hefty volume to be carrying around on a cruise.

For Age of Sail naval reading, nothing tops the Bolitho series.  To Glory We Steer is probably the best, but Command a King's Ship and Passage to Mutiny are right up there, and can be slipped into a pocket when necessary.  In passing, I'd note that "Alexander Kent" is a pseudonym for Douglas Reeman, if you've read any of his books.

[Jacob]

Naval reading:

https://www.amazon.com/Rules-Game-Jutland-British-Command/dp/014198032X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1657028394&sr=1-3

Yeah, but that's a preyty hefty volume to be carrying around on a cruise.

For Age of Sail naval reading, nothing tops the Bolitho series.  To Glory We Steer is probably the best, but Command a King's Ship and Passage to Mutiny are right up there, and can be slipped into a pocket when necessary.  In passing, I'd note that "Alexander Kent" is a pseudonym for Douglas Reeman, if you've read any of his books.

How would you compare the Bolitho series the Hornblower and Aubrey-Maturin series?