“Luton we have a problem”

Christmas volunteers told ‘no room at the airport.’ Travel coordinator Jackie Johnston picks up the pieces.

Sunday 1pm, at home – I’m preparing the sprouts and listening to a litany of extreme weather woes on the news. Then comes the announcement we had been dreading: “All BMI flights have been cancelled.” I picture the Sierra Leone Christmas volunteer team being greeted with this news at Heathrow, two hours ahead of the scheduled take-off? The team were off to work at  the City of Rest community in Freetown . Were they about to start their fortnight wrapped in a foil blanket on the floor of Terminal 1?

Sun 3pm – I hear from Steve, the team coordinator.  “It‘s chaos“ he tells me. The airport and travel agents are giving them conflicting information. At one point they are herded out of one part of the terminal by staff “to allow the BBC to film“. Oh the irony! Finally they are told they may get to fly “Tuesday or Wednesday if you’re lucky.” Four of the five sleep on a friend’s floor nearby. Rita returns home to Burton-on-Trent and relative comfort to await further instruction.

Monday 4pm, the office - The updates are coming thick and fast – the remaining four have been queuing all day. Finally at 4pm a call: “we’re at the front”. All five are allowed on the Tuesday afternoon flight to Freetown. “come back tomorrow morning…” They are promised hotel accommodation for the night.

9.30am - An update on last nights ‘hotel accommodation’ from Steve. They are shown the floor of a conference room to sleep on. They are barred from buying food or drinks at the hotel bar because they “don’t have a room“. This is turning into a nativity play. Anyway, they’re back at the airport, with Rita en route from Burton.

10.45 - A well meaning employee has bumped the team onto the 11am flight. A lovely thought, but Rita, who has also been booked, is still fighting her way to the airport with 15 minutes until take off. What happens if she misses a flight she didn’t know she was booked on until just now?

11am - Another call from Steve. I know it’s good news from his voice. He’s just spotted Rita rushing towards them as they prepare to board. “I’ve never been so pleased to see anyone in my life” he tells me. Mission Control at Luton exhales together, and thinks enviously of a warm Christmas in shirtsleeves.