Officioqantassuspiciograssor
May 16th 2009 06:21
WORD SAUSAGE OF THE DAY:
Officioqantassuspiciograssor
Last Monday, my family had this Word Sausage in their minds, or was it just me? Well, at least we all thought a Qantas flight attendant, or another passenger, had stolen my mother's purse, mid-flight to America.
Officio-qantas-suspicio-grass or
A Qantas attendant who is suspected of being a thief.
Upon landing at LAX (Los Angeles airport), mother discovered her purse missing, informed my sister and brother in law of this fact, and an onboard search ensued, after everyone had been deplaned. The purse was not found. How come I thought? I began to suspect one of the searchers, a Qantas attendant, or a cleaner?
When they got to San Diego, they called me, as some banking cards etc were also missing, as was the $1,500 in cash, in American and Australian money. It was a disaster! I rang the various institutions to cancel cards.
The search of the plane included the cleaners, and a report was being made by an attending Qantas representative, but, no police were involved, and the attendants stood around looking sheepish, after a short search. Mother left the plane empty handed, except for a unamed person handing them a card with contact details for the baggage centre, and they never answered the phone!
Materfiscusfurtumtardus
Mater-fiscus-furtum-tardus
Mother's purse is stolen in flight.
Why would the thief leave the plane with the purse, I asked my sister? Surely he/she would dump it on the plane, with the cards, just in case everyone was searched at the customs barrier?
None of that happened. No customs searches. Mother went to bed depressed, facing a two week wait for a new card, and the fact she lost all that money. I then realized I had to arrange to have the household electronic security key on her keyring disabled, and a new one set up, so the alarm systems would be protected. Changing the security system codes etc was going to cost me a couple of hundred dollars at least.
I was really depressed.
My sister told me to wait, in case someone handed it in... she then finds out, when she calls back five hours later as requested, no one had reported the incident to the airport security or to the Qantas management at LAX!!!
I smelled a rat! Or was that Stella, the wonder pug?
I rang Qantas and demanded that they fix the problem to mother's satisfaction, considering protocol was not followed, as far as I could see, and underlined the fact she was in their care mid-flight, until deplaned, and she was 87. I also indicated that the public relations aspect of this would not look good for QANTAS. They were very apologetic...
We all had to deal with QANTAS in Sydney, (and Brisbane due to their phone operators), as the LAX side of QANTAS does not have a Customer Relations number you can call. Shades of things to come (here) I expect.
My sister rings the next day, I had held off calling the security company till I heard back from her.
"Are you sitting down? Mum found the purse and all the contents intact, it was hidden in a zipper panel in her bag!"
A moment of relief.... thank heavens! I had been so depressed for her, imagine the beginning of your holiday overseas starting with your bag being snatched? I was about to send her money to tide her over.
However, after that initial wave of relief, then came the annoyance and the exasperation, that usually follows one of these 'moments', which I have to deal with from time to time.. "I have ALREADY looked in there!!" Mother bellows, as I try to look inside her coats for her keys, glasses, or whatever...and often, there they are!
Materobliviosus!
Forgetful mother!
MEA CULPA QANTAS!
MATER MEA CULPA QANTAS!
(My mother's fault Qantas!)
MEA CULPA MEA CULPA MEA CULPA!
(My Fault!)
QANTAS, all is forgiven, and I apologize, unreservedly, on behalf of my mother, and myself!
Officioqantassuspiciograssor
Last Monday, my family had this Word Sausage in their minds, or was it just me? Well, at least we all thought a Qantas flight attendant, or another passenger, had stolen my mother's purse, mid-flight to America.
Officio-qantas-suspicio-grass or
A Qantas attendant who is suspected of being a thief.
Upon landing at LAX (Los Angeles airport), mother discovered her purse missing, informed my sister and brother in law of this fact, and an onboard search ensued, after everyone had been deplaned. The purse was not found. How come I thought? I began to suspect one of the searchers, a Qantas attendant, or a cleaner?
When they got to San Diego, they called me, as some banking cards etc were also missing, as was the $1,500 in cash, in American and Australian money. It was a disaster! I rang the various institutions to cancel cards.
The search of the plane included the cleaners, and a report was being made by an attending Qantas representative, but, no police were involved, and the attendants stood around looking sheepish, after a short search. Mother left the plane empty handed, except for a unamed person handing them a card with contact details for the baggage centre, and they never answered the phone!
Materfiscusfurtumtardus
Mater-fiscus-furtum-tardus
Mother's purse is stolen in flight.
Why would the thief leave the plane with the purse, I asked my sister? Surely he/she would dump it on the plane, with the cards, just in case everyone was searched at the customs barrier?
None of that happened. No customs searches. Mother went to bed depressed, facing a two week wait for a new card, and the fact she lost all that money. I then realized I had to arrange to have the household electronic security key on her keyring disabled, and a new one set up, so the alarm systems would be protected. Changing the security system codes etc was going to cost me a couple of hundred dollars at least.
I was really depressed.
My sister told me to wait, in case someone handed it in... she then finds out, when she calls back five hours later as requested, no one had reported the incident to the airport security or to the Qantas management at LAX!!!
I smelled a rat! Or was that Stella, the wonder pug?
I rang Qantas and demanded that they fix the problem to mother's satisfaction, considering protocol was not followed, as far as I could see, and underlined the fact she was in their care mid-flight, until deplaned, and she was 87. I also indicated that the public relations aspect of this would not look good for QANTAS. They were very apologetic...
We all had to deal with QANTAS in Sydney, (and Brisbane due to their phone operators), as the LAX side of QANTAS does not have a Customer Relations number you can call. Shades of things to come (here) I expect.
My sister rings the next day, I had held off calling the security company till I heard back from her.
"Are you sitting down? Mum found the purse and all the contents intact, it was hidden in a zipper panel in her bag!"
A moment of relief.... thank heavens! I had been so depressed for her, imagine the beginning of your holiday overseas starting with your bag being snatched? I was about to send her money to tide her over.
However, after that initial wave of relief, then came the annoyance and the exasperation, that usually follows one of these 'moments', which I have to deal with from time to time.. "I have ALREADY looked in there!!" Mother bellows, as I try to look inside her coats for her keys, glasses, or whatever...and often, there they are!
Materobliviosus!
Forgetful mother!
MEA CULPA QANTAS!
MATER MEA CULPA QANTAS!
(My mother's fault Qantas!)
MEA CULPA MEA CULPA MEA CULPA!
(My Fault!)
QANTAS, all is forgiven, and I apologize, unreservedly, on behalf of my mother, and myself!
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