United Airlines And USA Immigration.

Having returned from a special holiday in America, to celebrate our 40th Wedding Anniversary, I was obliged to write to United Airlines to complain about their service: If I booked flights 6 months in advance and specify we are a couple celebrating an anniversary, you would think they could seat us together. They failed on this most simple requirement. One one 3 hour flight they failed totally, we were allocated seats at opposite ends of the plane. We complained and got seats on the same row but not together, there were two people between us who would not move. On a second 5.5 hour flight they only managed to re-allocate us seats together after we had strong words with them at the departure desk. 

At Honolulu Airport on our return journey, their economy check in was so slow we nearly missed our flight despite arriving at the airport 2.5 hours before the flight time.

I was also disappointed with the performance of the Immigration Dept. at Chicago O'Hare airport, where it took us about an hour and a half standing in a queue to get into America. 16 Desks were available for non US citizens but only four were manned, and the one we were queueing for shut, just as as we got to the front of the queue, so the officer could have his break. By this time, our next flight was boarding and we still had to collect our cases, clear customs and move to another terminal building to catch it. We were not amused.  You would think when they know a 400 seat plane is landing they would put more staff on duty.

Vodafone, do they know what they are selling?

It’s been a while since I posted a blog, I don’t know where the time goes sometimes.

It may be that I’m spending it corresponding with firms that are less than competent.
I have met a few of these recently.

Vodafone are my latest problem.

I wanted an internet ‘dongle’ so I can use my laptop when away from home.

 Looking at all the deals on line, the best offer was a £19.99 ‘pay as you go’ dongle from Vodafone. The web site said it would have 500MB which would be good for 60 days with the price for more being £5 per 250Mb valid for 30 days

 I could have purchased it online but I decided to go to the Torquay shop instead so I could pick it up there and then.

 The shop had the device in stock but it was £24.99. I told him it was £19.99 online and he opened the web page and read it for himself, he then asked his colleague “are these still £24.99 in the shop?” and his colleague said “yes”, so he charged me £24.99 (if I wasn’t in a hurry and didn’t need it urgently I’d have left it in the shop.)

It worked when plugged in but only seemed to have 250MB of data included valid for 30 days, 250MB less than the web site offer. (£5 worth of data) So I appear to have been overcharged by £10 in total.

Two emails to Vodafone have so far failed to sort it out, they suggested I go back to the shop to sort it out, despite the fact they could easily top the device up on line. I won’t be buying a Vodafone mobile phone if that is the best they can do.

Hello Bob,

Thank you for writing Vodafone customer service with regards to the price plan.
I like to inform you that if store person has charged you more than please visit the point of purchase, they will be the best people who can assist you further in this matter. I trust this information will help.
Kind regards,
Ch**  (I've deleted the name)
Vodafone Customer Services

Spooky, or what?

We travelled from South Devon to a family wedding near Ross on Wye in Herefordshire last weekend. The most direct route was via the M5 then M49 and M4 over the Severn Bridge into Wales and onwards via Monmouth to return to England and our destination, Much Marcle.

We have the radio on but it is turned right down, too quiet to hear, as we know it will go louder if there is any traffic news.

About two hours into our journey, as we crossed the Severn Bridge into Wales, (just after paying the £5.70 toll on the bridge - or is that the entrance fee for Wales?) my wife, Glynis, decided to turn up the volume on the radio to see what music was playing.

Just as she did this, Chris Evans put on a recording of a Welsh male voice choir who just happened to be singing the Welsh National Anthem.

I admit I don’t normally listen to Chris Evans Saturday Radio show on Radio 2, so I am not familiar with what sort of music he normally plays, but I believe that most of the time it is pop music.

The following thoughts came to mind:-

- When we set off from Devon the radio wasn’t tuned to Radio 2, it has changed stations on its own on the way up the motorway.

- This is a usually a pop music station.

- We have just crossed the border into Wales.

- Radio 2 is playing the Welsh National Anthem, sung by a male voice choir.

- My wife randomly decided to turn up the radio so she can hear what is on.

I should point out that all my wife's ancestors are Welsh, she has no English blood, she is a medium (and possibly a white witch), and she had a maiden name of Evans! (Same as the DJ)

Furthermore, when we crossed back into England later in the journey, we turned the radio up again and it was playing pop music again (no English anthem!)

Personally I found this a bit spooky!

I voted for AV

I voted yes in favour of the AV system.

I like the idea that in an AV system I will be able to protest about the incompetence of the main parties by making the Monster Raving Looney candidate my first choice. I won’t feel that I’ve wasted my vote, if he gets eliminated in the first round as my second choice candidate will then get my vote.

Just think though, if everyone thought and voted like me, the Monster Raving Looney would win the 50% required and would represent me in Parliament.

I may, of course, have difficulties spotting the difference between him and the MP that previously used to represent this constituency! He though it was ok to spend £80,000 of public money on work at his £1M mansion in Devon including around £50,000 on the 500 trees there, allegedly claiming they were essential parliamentary expenses as they gave off oxygen that kept him alive.

MP gives excuses for spending over £88,000 of our money on his mansion in Devon.

I am a little confused why this particular AV system is the one on offer, as even the Lib/Dems who wanted the change are not too keen on this particular version of AV and would prefer a proportional representation system, like the one used to elect Euro MPs.

British intervention in Libya.

"The world is full of evil men engaged in doing evil things. That does not make us policemen to round them up nor judges to find them guilty and to sentence them. What is so special about the ruler of Iraq* that we suddenly discover that we are to be his jailers and his judges? ... we as a nation have no interest in the existence or non-existence of Kuwait or, for that matter, Saudi Arabia as an independent state... I sometimes wonder if, when we shed our power, we omitted to shed our arrogance."

(Enoch Powell – 1990)

* For Iraq and Kuwait read Libya!

What determines what countries we intervene in, should we not have done something about Mugabe in Zimbabwe by now, or numerous other dictators?

Two Nice Meals Out in South Devon.

We had two nice meals out recently –

Having just ordered a new car in Plymouth we needed somewhere not too expensive for lunch on the way home. Midway between Paignton and Plymouth on the old road out of Totnes, in Avonwick village, is the Avon Inn, a small independant pub that serves food.

We have stopped there once before so we decided to try it again and were pleasantly surprised to find it was open, welcoming and reasonably priced.

We had meals off the ‘specials’ board at two for £10, which were served up very promptly and which were very tasty. I had two big thick slices of lean ham with egg and chips and Glynis had a lasagna which she said was very tasty.

The pub also serves a choice of real ales, as I was driving I only sampled the Otter Ale, which is a tasty local beer from East Devon. There were three other local real ales on the bar, so I think we will have to go there again.

---

To celebrate 45 years since the night we met (Saturday 29th January 1966), we went out last Saturday night for dinner at the “Inn on The Green”, a Marston’s pub on the Sea front in Paignton.

I chose that pub because they serve Real Ale and we could get there on the bus and both have a drink. Again we had two nice meals, well presented and very tasty. I had also forgotten when I ordered the meals that the pub does two for one on meals so the cheaper of the dinners was free which was a nice surprise. I had a nice piece of Sea Bass off the Specials board and Glynis had a Rump Steak. We paid less than £15 for the two meals which was excellent value and we will certainly go there again.

The bar and serving staff were friendly attentive and helpful, and the Hobgoblin and Ringwood ales ( I sampled both) washed the food down nicely.

With the main course savings we indulged in two nice desserts before making our way along to the Spinning Wheel for a quick dance (just like 45 years ago) before we went home. Woke up the following morning with a few aches, thats what 45 additional years does to a body!

As an extra bonus, when I looked up the Web Site address for the Inn on the Quay, I discovered I could sign up and get a free drink, so naturally I did. Now we have to go back there at some time.

We went on the bus and returned by Taxi, but if you take a car you will find that, as the building is on the sea front, they have a pay and display car park. By leaving part 1 of the ticket in the car and taking part 2 in the pub you will find they refund the car park fee agains your purchase.

Excellent customer service, and a history of lockmaking.

No sooner had I got the heating repaired, than the next thing broke, this time it was the locking mechanism on the front door of the house which failed on Monday.

Having dismantled it I could see that a piece of white metal had broken in the gear box and could not be fixed. The house is around 10 years old so the lock must be a similar age.

The only identifying mark to be found on the lock were the letters ‘ERA’ so I googled “ERA locks” on the internet and found this company in the West Midlands.

ERA Security

A quick browse through the site identified that this was the right company as they had pictures of locks just like mine. I called their sales line and spoke to a lady called Karen. I told her the problem, and she said she would send a replacement.
We went though the process of identifying the type of lock I would need and I asked how much it would cost. I can’t remember her exact words but she basically said “It shouldn’t have broken, I’ll send a replacement gearbox free of charge”. True to her word it arrived today and I can see from the stamp that it cost their company £2.23 in postage. I think a free replacement of a ten year old lock is an example of excellent customer service.

(I had noted that on their site they do give ten year guarantees on some of their products, but how often does one have to provide original receipts etc when claiming on this type of guarantee.)
Nothing like that in this case, just:- “I’ll put it in the post now, sir”. I called her back after an hour to confirm the measurements of the lock and Karen said “It's already in our post room, sir.” Karen – you’re a star!

I was also pleased to note that the company is still located in and manufacturing locks in Willenhall, quite near where I was born in Wolverhampton.

Willenhall, has been the heart of the British Lock industry for over 200 years with over 300 lock making companies in the town at one time. It was once known to locals as ‘Humpshire’ due to deformities caused to lockworkers by poor working conditions, the article at end of link below will tell you more. I lived quite near there as a boy and was aware that there were public houses in the town with seats modified for people with humped backs until as late as 1956.

Lockmaking in Willenhall.

The locksmiths house in above article is part of the Black Country Museum.

Rip Off Company of the Year

You may have seen earlier blogs regarding companies who I think are taking liberties and overcharging for goods and services.

It occurred to me that I should decide who is the worst culprit to get the title "Rip off of the year 2010". The short list consists of:

The Hopping Hare, Northampton - £5.45 for a glass of wine (which I have to fetch from the bar myself, I might add)

Exeter Airport for their revised short term parking charges - 11 minutes now costs £2.00 in the short stay.

Admiral Insurance, quoting £740 for a renewal when they can actually do it for £600 if you ask.

Cheltenham and Gloucester for offering a top up of my ISA paying 0.05% interest and neglecting to inform me they are offering ISAs to new customers at 2.5% and 3.5% .

And finally, sneaking in on December 31st, just before the VAT increase, is roadchef at Strensham services on the M5 in Worcestershire. They had the nerve to charge 80pence for a standard size Mars bar and 80p for a four finger kit kat (not even a chunky one).
I know they have to open 24 hours a day but the foot fall during the day is huge and most give them healthy profits at these prices. I now remember why I rarely buy anything at Motorway service areas. If I'd bought the items at Sainsburies where I got the petrol, I'd have got two of each for that price.

For that reason roadchef have won Bob's 2010 award "Rip off Company of the year" and little chance of further custom from me.

I must also try to cure the chocolate craving, or plan ahead by having some in the car.