A fright in Frankfurt

Each year I take a group of students to I.S.L.I - (International Student Leadership Institute - NOT anything to do with Islamic State, as some of my friends think! 😏) - and since last year we have spared ourselves the torture of 2 overnight coach journeys and saved a lot of time by flying with Lufthansa from Prague to Frankfurt & back. Last year, I noticed how busy & laboured the security system was, but it seemed like 2 hours was enough to check in & get through...though our flight was delayed...however, this year was a different story.
Looking back, it was a combination of small things that built up & gradually eroded away our time...
- we missed a train connection from Oberwesel, and were forced to get two more trains to eventually get to Frankfurt
- we arrived there an hour late, but thought we still had enough time to shop, eat etc, which we did...
- a couple of students bought postcards - this seemed no big deal or loss of time, at that moment...
- at Frankfurt station, Honza (my colleague) & a student were frustrated with a new ticket buying system for the short train journey to the airport
- having got to the airport, an escalator was closed, which totally threw me & I led us in a merry roundabout (= I was lost!), before we found ourselves at the correct check-in counter...
- a student had a problem checking-in his luggage (which nearly went off down the conveyor belt without being checked in! Thankfully, it registered that there was no tag!) - the problem was they'd been using last week's boarding pass!
- then someone needed to post their postcard, someone needed the toilet...
...and all the time, the clock was ticking...
By the time we reached the security line, the queues were immense! I really had never seen anything like this! It's hard to describe, but I had a bad feeling about it. I'd love to say how calm & cool I am in these situations...but I'm not. I felt the stress & the pressure.

The queue moved slowly, ever so slowly. Finally, we arrived at the end of the 'S' lines and to the 'start' of the final queue for the security check. I asked the assistant how far our gate was - 'Only 3 mins walk' - 'Do you think we'll make it, with all these people still to be checked?' 'Yes, no problem.' It was now 16.15 - our flight left at 16.45...and still it was painfully slow. We were stuck behind a woman who seemed to have bought gifts for all of her extended family, as she loaded stuff into about 5 grey trays...then a woman who seemed to have a problem understanding that she had to stand opposite the figure on the security scanner, and NOT sideways on! 😠All this ate up the minutes...

Eventually, we all got through & I saw the last student (2 of ours had had to go into the cubicles for an extra scan) coming through for her luggage, and we all ran for the gate - as I got there, a student told me, the gate was closed!! With horror, it dawned on me that the closing time for the gate was not on my boarding pass; I had completely forgotten that - but what could we do? We were stuck in security anyway...
However, it turned out that 2 Asian guys were ahead of us, and one had been allowed through, and his friend, like us, was late - the one guy was the other side of the door, asking the attendant to let his friend through. They probably saved us! 'Please let us through - there's 10 of us!' I pleaded. 'Is everyone here?' she asked. I took a quick look around - 'Yes!' - and so she let us all through...as well as 3 Czech guys who came after us, and down the stairs we all went, waiting for the bus to take us to the plane, which was parked some way away...
Then my phone rang...and a student's name showed...the one I saw leaving last...I was confused & answered the phone...a plaintive voice spoke:'I'm standing here at Gate 13 & nobody's here...' I took a quick look around as this horrible fact registered...'Why are you not with us?' 'They found scissors in my luggage...' 'What???!! Don't worry, I'll come & get you.' I started to go up the stairs just as the attendant who'd let us through was coming down... 'I'm sorry, but one of my students is at the gate - she needs to come with us.' 'The gate is closed - it's too late.'

'You're not serious? I can't leave her here!' 'It's too late, the gate is closed.' By now, I was feeling a bit irate & demanded to see a manager or supervisor, only to be told that that wouldn't help me...She walked away up the stairs - I was feeling desperate, but Honza asked that I leave her to him, and for me to look after the other students, as the bus was due to arrive...which in a minute or two, it did.
I pleaded with the driver not to leave as I was still hoping that two of my group would be allowed to come. 'I can't go until the woman comes,' he replied. So, I put myself between the doors, hoping to stall his departure as much as I could.
About a minute or two later, I saw Honza & the student, flying around the corner, hair flying behind them both - just like a scene from a movie!! I cannot describe the elation that I felt - as they jumped on the bus, the woman ushering them on quickly, we all embraced each other & cheered! Five minutes of horror had ended most joyously!
I asked Honza what had happened - he tried the same tactic as me, wanting a supervisor etc, but she wasn't having it. As they got to the doors, he saw the student & pointed to her saying, 'There she is!' - just then, the student bent down to get something out of her bag...just as the woman turned & could see no-one! She looked at Honza sceptically... Then she stood up again - 'There she is!' This time she saw her, but the answer was still the same - the gate was closed.

Honza played his last card - 'OK, if she stays, I stay.' On reflection, we figured this was the best thing Honza could have said, as technically, the attendant now had a problem - Honza had been scanned, and if he didn't turn up at the plane...? Questions would be asked, leading to why she had refused a young female student access, when she's just let a large group in... She gave in, and let her in!

Our flight took off 15 minutes late, but no-one complained - actually, it looked to me like people were happy & understanding about what had happened to us. The adrenaline was still coursing through my system.
Very often, I have a nightmare/dream where I'm trying to get somewhere, but bit by bit, unexpected things happen & it's like being stuck in quicksand - the feeling of not getting anywhere...and eventually, I know it's too late...that nightmare became a reality. But I also learnt a lesson - so often we plan for safety & security - we do all we can to make sure life is as easy & comfortable as possible - however, when things don't go to plan is when we have the best adventures - they are the moments that we'll remember - not the cosy times when all goes well. And I'm sure this is a moment that will live long in the hearts & minds of all who were there 😊