There was the usual snaking queue at the VAT refund office at the airport.
A young officer was going down the queue checking everyone's receipts to make sure everything had been filled in properly so as to hasten the process at the counter later.
There were 2 women in the line with about 15 or so receipts who asked him if he could let them jump to the head of the queue. The young officer looked perturbed. The women wouldn't let up and kept pestering him to move them first because they had a plane to catch. Finally, he said he would have to check with the rest of the passengers to see if that would be okay. The women were triumphant and said, "Yea, do that!"
At the head of the queue, a lady with about 50 receipts, hemmed and hawed. It was obvious she didn't want to let them get ahead, but didn't know how to say it. I was second in line. There were 5 people in front of the women. So if all 5 said yes and I too, the 2 women would be able to go to the counter to have their VAT refunds processed first. If anyone said said no, then there would be no deal.
I politely asked the women what flight they were on and what time it was leaving. The 2 women told me it was "none of my [your] business." They gave me this blasé look and added that I only needed to know that they had a flight to catch soon.
So rude! What the hell.
Uncharacteristically, I firmly objected. I raised my voice to ensure that the entire queue heard what I had to say. "Then NO. If you want the VAT refund this badly, you should have had the sense to arrive at the airport much earlier to queue, like how the rest of us have done. We've all got planes to catch. If you're out of time, you're welcome to leave the queue, forget the VAT refund and run for your plane."
The man behind me applauded and said, "Hear hear!" The rest of the queue nodded in agreement. The young officer heaved a sigh of relief and moved on.
The 2 women threw me looks that could kill. But they stayed in the queue. Obviously, they weren't really in that big a hurry to catch their plane.
A young officer was going down the queue checking everyone's receipts to make sure everything had been filled in properly so as to hasten the process at the counter later.
There were 2 women in the line with about 15 or so receipts who asked him if he could let them jump to the head of the queue. The young officer looked perturbed. The women wouldn't let up and kept pestering him to move them first because they had a plane to catch. Finally, he said he would have to check with the rest of the passengers to see if that would be okay. The women were triumphant and said, "Yea, do that!"
At the head of the queue, a lady with about 50 receipts, hemmed and hawed. It was obvious she didn't want to let them get ahead, but didn't know how to say it. I was second in line. There were 5 people in front of the women. So if all 5 said yes and I too, the 2 women would be able to go to the counter to have their VAT refunds processed first. If anyone said said no, then there would be no deal.
I politely asked the women what flight they were on and what time it was leaving. The 2 women told me it was "none of my [your] business." They gave me this blasé look and added that I only needed to know that they had a flight to catch soon.
So rude! What the hell.
Uncharacteristically, I firmly objected. I raised my voice to ensure that the entire queue heard what I had to say. "Then NO. If you want the VAT refund this badly, you should have had the sense to arrive at the airport much earlier to queue, like how the rest of us have done. We've all got planes to catch. If you're out of time, you're welcome to leave the queue, forget the VAT refund and run for your plane."
The man behind me applauded and said, "Hear hear!" The rest of the queue nodded in agreement. The young officer heaved a sigh of relief and moved on.
The 2 women threw me looks that could kill. But they stayed in the queue. Obviously, they weren't really in that big a hurry to catch their plane.
14 comments:
*LOUD applause*
Well done! I would have done the same. :D
~CDR~
Bravo bravo! I think standing up for one's rights is important in the face of unreasonableness. Kudos for that.
~thumbs up!~
omg! So *3 8* these women! Which planet did they come from?
Welcome home dear Imp, safe and sound, cool and collected. hahah.. :)
me? I'd have asked how much they were willing to pay to take my place in the queue.
But good on you! 8D
I was once standing in a queue at a convenience store at a busy train station. A granny tried to cut in to pay for her newspaper. The staff told her to respect the queue. Granny said "but I have a train to catch". Staff simply smiled and said "this is a train station, who doesn't have a train to catch?"
don't forget to wear yr mask on board the plane! <^;^>
i love folks who can put rude people in their place. they deserve that.
CDR + fen + sinlady: I really wasn't feeling kindly that morning!
coolinsider + mistipurple: i refuse to be a doormat!
jomel: judging from their accents and wordings on the passport, i think Planet America.
JM: DAMN! so clever you! i should have thought of that and asked them outright! exactly what a singaporean worth her salt should do.
kikare: the worst are the grannies and grandpas. they think they've the right to EVERYTHING.
cavalock: i didn't wear! i overdosed on vitamins. honestly, i find it difficult to wear a mask throughout a 12/13hr flight. i can't do it. i already have sinus, if i wear a mask, i'll suffocate!
*APPLAUSE*
How much you wanna bet they *still* haven't learnt that the world doesn't revolve around them?
well done you! if they want a favour from everyone else, they really shouldn't be so rude. ugh.
OMG!! I can't believe we were in London at the same time! I left on July 1st and I could totally relate to your experience at the VAT queue. My friend popped ahead of me and this Taiwanese girl stealthily slithered in between us and she picked the wrong time and place because I was already all emotional about having to leave London... Anyway, she wanted me to let her 4 other friends step in front of me. Errr... not today, hon. Thank goodness I didn't because when the guy came around to check our receipts, she had a stack of them! Oh how I wish I knew you were there, we could've met up :)
p/s: love the Next dress. I wanted to buy the blouse in the very same print!
kachunknorge: i can plonk a thousand quid on that bet and win it back triple.
beanbean: exactly. if they had been more honest about being in a situation, i'd have given my place in the queue to them.
geesmo: WHY NEVER TELL ME??!!! we could have met up at Monmouth for a coffee!! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHH! *SULK. MAJOR* i think we might have been able to catch each other at the airport at departure too....had we known! Good on you for not letting the girl through.
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