Libyan
Arab Airlines (LAA) was not the best airline in the world but it was a
reasonably safe and effective one. However, actually getting onto its planes
was always a hassle. No matter how far in advance you had booked, you would
usually arrive at the check-in desk only to be told that the flight was already
full. The root of the problem was not inefficiency but rather the importance
that Libyans placed on friends and family. Foreigners would book their seats
weeks in advance but then the LAA reservation clerks would be approached by
colleagues or other airport workers needing to book a seat for their brother or
their cousin or a friend of their cousin or someone who said he was a friend of
a friend of another of their cousins. Since it would have been unthinkable to
refuse such a request from a fellow Libyan, the clerks would simply add the
names concerned to the top of the passenger list. So each flight would be
grossly overbooked.
I
encountered this problem several times when I had arranged to fly out of Libya
on LAA. Luckily, I was in a better position than most other non-Libyans who had
booked seats: Our school provided English courses to many LAA employees and the
airline’s general manager (Georges H----) was himself one of our students. Although
I never asked any favors of Georges, I wasn’t above using his name if
necessary. This always made for an interesting and enjoyable interaction at the
check-in desk.
Me: Hello.
Here’s my ticket. I’m on the 1:00 pm flight to London.
Clerk: I’m
sorry but the flight is full. You must wait for another flight.
Me: Can
you check the list, please? I’m sure I’m on it.
The clerk
would pretend to check.
Clerk: I’m
sorry. You are not on the list.
Me: Can
you check it again, please?
The clerk
would pretend to check once more.
Clerk: No.
You are not on the list.
Me: That’s
very strange. I made the booking through Georges H-----, your manager. He’s a friend
of mine and a student at my school.
.
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