I was recently on a number of connecting domestic flights to and from Fuertaventura and I could not help but noticing the hand luggage frenzy travellers get into nowadays.
One minute they are sitting at the bar leisurely using the IPads and Iphones, the next they have gone stark raving mad grabbing their hand luggage and rushing to the gate - the plane is not going to leave without you! But no, it’s the battle to get on as quickly as possible in order to find the right amount of space for the 20 kilos suitcase they are taking on board as “hand luggage”. So, what happens to those more relaxed passengers who are not frothing at the mouth and jumping from one leg to the other in front of the desk, staring the airline staff out as if that will make them open the gate earlier? As panic sets in at the front and we shuffle into the various queues depending on one’s group, the calm travellers get sandwiched between the nutters preparing to storm the flight at the front and the late arrivals packing more than a Sherpa going up Everest who have suddenly joined the rear of the queues and who are freaking out because they know they are going to have be parted from their hand luggage, while the stewards try and find space for the carry on trunks in other parts of the plane. Failing that, a perfectly normal and rational looking person opens the overhead locker, finds if full, snaps and smashes the living day lights out of his or her hand luggage causing serious damage to items already stored inside. More controls please.