Lost in the airport!

During the last weeks in the trains and buses of London was an advertisement with few citizens who declares that they reached their destination without delays but they had to wait for at least 2 hours in order to wait for their suitcases. These are the lucky passengers because there are passengers who reach their destination but they have lost forever their suitcases.
According to a well- known airline “At least 10,000 bags checked in by a well-known passengers have gone missing at airports since the UK security alert began” It also said half of them were still piled up at airports waiting to be delivered back to their owners.
Recent figures from the Air Transport Users Council (AUC) show passengers and their luggage are parted to the tune of 30m lost bags a year.
The AUC points out that 85% of bags are reunited with their owners within 48 hours. But what happens to the remaining 15%?

What a passenger should do after he realizes that he lost his suitcase? Initially it should get in touch with the airline desk, to inform them that his luggage is missing. Present baggage receipts and describe his bag. Take a copy of the paperwork, a telephone number and the name of a supervisor before leaving the airport. Ask about expenses to cover essential items: some airlines offer cash on request.
Two days later: By now, 85% of lost luggage is back with its owners. Keep receipts for essential purchases made during this period and get progress reports if your bag hasn’t been located.
Twenty-one days later: According to the Montreal Convention, your luggage is now officially lost. You are entitled to a maximum of £820 compensation from the airline, exclusive of any other sums paid, but you could do better claiming on travel insurance.

But what is going on with all these lost suitcases? If, after three months, the airline hasn’t traced the owner, they come to auction houses such as Greasby’s, in Tooting, south London. About 1,000 unclaimed items pour into Greasby’s each month. Shoes, electricals, valuables, and accessories are removed from the cases and sold separately; the cases themselves are sold sealed, containing only the clothes.

In case that you still want to try to find your suitcase… the addresses are:
• Greasby’s auctions are held every Tuesday, at 10.30am, at Longley Road, Tooting, SW17 (020 8672 2972, www.greasbys.co.uk ).
• Other lost-luggage auctions take place at Wellers Auctions (01932 568 678, www.wellers-auctions.co.uk ) in Guildford and at BCVA (0117 9533676 www.dnfa.com/bcva ) in Bristol

London 2012 is calling!!!

London 2012… Olympic games will take place to London. But is this city prepared enough?

According to the official website of London 2012 “London 2012 Games don't just mean 60 days of sport and culture. They're an opportunity to transform one of the most deprived parts of London, and to leave a lasting social, economic and environmental legacy for future generations.”

An Olympic park that will be located in the Lower Law Valley, which will be 2 times the size of Heathrow 5 . Also, an extension at DLR will be the main public constructions.

“The aim is 100% of spectators to get to the games by public transport, cycling or foot”. This will happen by using the upgrade railway lines. DLR is being extended with parts, which are connecting Canning Town- Stratford International and a 2.5 km under the Thames from King George V-Woolwich Arsenal. Furthermore, there will be 55 additional rails cars. In addition, they will take care of the signaling system of Jubilee Line. This will reduce journey times. Moreover, a new entry will take place in London buses. “ibus” will help the passenger with improved predictions at bus stops, real time on board buses. And all this visual and audio in order to help disabled passengers and those who will face problems with the language! Additionally, many spectators will have the opportunity to use River services that will help to transport them along the Thames.

According to the official website 8.6 million tickets will be available for the Olympic games, with another 1.5m for the Para- Olympic Games. Tickets will be available from 2011. Passengers will be having the opportunity to use their ticket for the public transport system too, for the day of the event. Details of how to purchase tickets will be announced nearer the time.

The main point is to make sure that every single visitor will feel like at home without finding any difficulties with the languages or the faith, or culture!!!

So the only thing now is to wait and see if all these plans will be ok to the future, if they will reach the deadlines and finally if these Olympic Games would be such safe as all the previous!!!!

When I grow up i will become an arsonist!

Have you ever been in a place where the sky was grey-brown, the air full of smoke and the sun - a dim spot?
I had this experience this Summer.

Disastrous fires that swept through southern Greece in August, destroyed more than 97,000 hectares of forest. The fires in the Peloponnese peninsula south of Athens burned over 170,000 hectares (420,000 acres) overall, including agricultural land mostly covered in olive groves. The fires have gutted hundreds of homes, forcing thousands of villagers to blacken hillsides. More than 800 homes and nearly 800 stables were destroyed, according to the Greek Ministry of Environment, in blazes that raged from August 24 to September 3. Ancient Olympia, birthplace of the Olympics, was in danger too, but firefighters managed to keep it safe.

Firefighting aircraft from several countries were helping Greece tackle devastating forest fires.Water-bombing aircraft from France, Italy and Canada were in action, with more international aid expected. Thousands of Greek firefighters were being supported by 20 water-bombing planes and 19 helicopters. At least 11 countries were helping Greece fight the fires with planes, helicopters and commando firefighters.

There are many reasons for the fires. First of all the "unprecedented meteorological". Furthermore, some "organised plan of extermination of country". That is to say, the enemy that accommodates always us. And finally, a lot of people are asking to have a look at a certain map of auctioning of "Ionias Road", the new motorway of north-western Peloponisso. Do you want to see from the areas that it passes? Gastoyni, Amaliada, Tower, Ancient Olympia, Anemochorio, Samiko, Zacharo, Figaleia, Cypresses, Dorio, Megalopolis, Krestaina etc. So, someone who would try to find an answer would easily understand that the work of manufacture of street that became destruction of environment would bring important delays in his completion. All these before, because now, as from marvel (!) the ground became cheaper and reactions changed orientation. The work of manufacture of street became easier.

The Greek government said that villas and towns must not be allowed to grow in the area, as often happens in these cases in Greece!

In my opinion all of us we will be guilty for the fires until i will see be touched one of the arsonists and be condemned the fair and the clean hearing process.
Your own conclusions…