Section 1- Flight delay at Dublin airport
You won't believe that my story on my return journey from Ireland is really like a plotty drama. It brought me a lot of unexpected excitings and disappointings, alternatingly. Although I felt awful at that time being, I do appreciate it for the amazing memory it brought to me.
This story began with my flight delay at Dublin airport, due to a sudden crash-down of their vulnerable network system. I didn't try to explore the detailed reasons, but I did see for the first time such a crowd of white people at airport with a several-hundred-meter long queue before me. Many thanks to god that I had planned abundant time to check my luggage in. I really doubt the significant utility of the E-check-in machine which could automatically print out your boarding pass. It saved no time for me anyway. Even the order-maintenance girl in red hat I asked had no better answer with one-minute disruption by me from her busy work.
I was in the line for my turn to check in. There were so many counters that I was not sure which one I should follow. Even the two UK girls next to me heading to London had no better suggest, either, just waiting their line under the notice board of destination to Amsterdam/London. Actually, it's me who reminded them to check in their hill-piled bags at another non-occupied counter but didn't seem working for our destinations. It turned out that it worked.
A worse thing happened. The notice screen showed that my flight to Amsterdam was one hour and 10 minutes delayed. I was worried that it could put me in trouble since my transfer flight at Amsterdam would take off in 30 minutes immediately after my arrival with this delayed flight. The counter lady at the boarding gate told me just to wait and the airline will look after the delayed passengers anyway. Also, she reminded me that there was another lady in the same boat with me, by which way I happened to know Ann, a kind old lady from Australia, with subsequent chatting. Roughly one hour later, we were told that the flight was further delayed one more hour and the boarding gate had been changed to the downstairs. Complaints were murmured and anxieties were gradually clear on the faces. A Dutch boy beside me had to call his girlfriend to inform her the altered departure time again and again. But the dissatisfaction was eased a lot by the free five-Euro coupon from the airline. Moreover, I learned from a business man when I was enjoying my cappuccino and muffin. He said that Europe Union has legislated three-hour as the maximal delay for airlines, or else the flight fare has to be fully refunded to passengers who are still entitled to choose to take or not to take the delayed flight.
That business man was correct. The aircraft was ready to embark just half an hour before the delay reached the EU legislated maximum. Finally, it was taking off, in the rain!
