It’s raining on this parched, sun-soaked, mine-infected wasteland in this corner of north-east Libya. Here, in April, it is a pleasant daytime of low 20s celcius and cool nights. However, the Scotsmen in our crew whinge it is too cold as soon the sea winds pick up, wrapping themselves as if they were in Greenland. Me, hailing from the land of the Geordies think it is just right, so the mandatory all-season t-shirt stays on.

This is a new block, near the sea town of Tobruk, near the Egyptian border, and it is still a desert, it is still a world away from the deserts of Obari, as these pictures from my gallery shows. The first thing that struck me just how ***flat*** this area is. I thought Holland was flat until I saw this.

Alison Byran summed up well about the problems of accessing videos on BBC website – there are no sign language on them (I’m not a sign language user myself but not having access is putting disabling into the word disability) and minimal subtitles.

Increasingly I’ve noticed articles on BBC News online are in video only, with no text articles (I can’t seem to find them anyway).

I’ve personally contacted the BBC about the online subtitling trial, saying I am very happy that it is happening, but they should really look at news videos as well.

So get mailing to the Beeb and let them know what you think! The BBC has a chance to clear the way ahead and it will do them good if they take this with a more serious eagerness than before.

Reading BBC News’ acticle – http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6540385.stm – about a proposed Code of Conduct for blogging.

Is it me or is this soft censoring through the back door? In it, it proposes that annoymous comments should not be allowed. I don’t see how this is significant – anyone can create a random email account so this is defunct out of the hat right away.

It proposed that blogs containing offensive materials (I’m talking about swear words not porn) to contain a public health warning. Well, tickle me sideways with a hedgehog! The internet should be a free, open platform and people need to have a thick skin in browsing the web as it depicts wildy different attitudes and cultures. If you are easily offended or worried about your unsupervised kids, what are you or your unsupervised kids doing on the internet in the first place?

I was reading this article – http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/6524495.stm – about plans to install more “talking” CCTV cameras that barks order if someone did something a wee bit naughty but not worth involving the police, such as dropping a piece of litter.

What happens if its trying to “talk” to a deaf person? Will it pop up a wee TV screen to show the CCTV operator’s face for lipreading, or a signed instruction?

Hope it doesn’t become an offence to ignore CCTV orders in this nanny state country or we’re in big trouble! Not that it gives deaf people a licence to do whatever they like (although that seems to be the case when a deaf man was “too deaf” to face justice), but it’s hardly an accessible way of communicating with the public.

Monday morning, I arrived at the airport early at 4.30am, as advised by BA Enquiries.

Swissport desk is open, along with the likes of Jet2 and various other airlines. But no BA rep at Swissport desk. “Oh, he does not come in until 5:30am”.

About 5.40am, the same girl who told us there’s no BA rep until 5.30am, dealt with us and revalidate our tickets. I was not going to make a fuss, grateful that I got a ticket.

Checked in, confirmed that my luggage is to remain airside while I make a connection flight from Heathrow.

Gate opens on time, all of us got on the plane on time, but we weren’t moving. I don’t know the reasons, I guess it was fog or something. It just gone past 8am, my connecting flight at Heathrow takes off just after 9am. I thought I’m not going to make it as it takes around an hour to get to Heathrow. Then one of the BA staff came up to me and said “Mr Sterry, I understand you got a connection at Heathrow for Tripoli. You’ll be happy to know that this very plane is bound for Tripoli after landing at Heathrow, so you will not miss your connection!”.

Got at Heathrow, and was told by the BA staff I have to go via Flight Connections and come back, rather than wait at the gate. As I completed the route, I was back to where I started without needing to show a ticket to anyone except the gate staff. What a pointless run-around the airport.

My ticket was rejected at the gate, and I thought, here we go again. I was put aside, and made to wait while the staff ran off to do something. He came back and put me on board.

Arrived at Tripoli, all went smoothly as it could be expected at Tripoli airport except my luggage never turned up. Bloomin’ great. BA rep at Tripoli was nowhere to be seen, so I went to the general lost and found office, and annoyed the Libyan staff who gestured I should speak to the BA rep adjacent to their office but I tried to say no one is there. Eventually they managed to bring over the BA rep and I dutily filled in a missing luggage form. Now lets see how long British Arseway can bring their arse together.

Thanks once again, British Arseways.

Addendum:

A day after this post, BBC News online published an article saying how BA is the worst of European airlines for lost luggage last year: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6524639.stm

Update:

I got my luggage two days after landing, intact with a “Rush” tag. It appears it got left behind at Heathrow during the connection. I suspect that because the Necastle plane was late, and it was due for Tripoli, they rushed to get all the luggage off and dump it in the baggage hall to satisfy late passengers.

On Friday, I went to the BA enquiries desk at Newcastle airport to pick up tickets for my flight to Libya Monday coming.

“Sorry, your name is not in our database.”

So I went home, got my mum to telephone BA Enquiries, and they said that because I did not show up for a flight on 21st March, the 2nd April ticket has been cancelled. This was because the ticket was an “iternary” ticket, which if one part is not used, then the rest is cancelled. It was explained to BA that the 2nd April booking was only made after it was decided 21st March was too early – in effect, a re-booking. BA insists the third-party travel agency did not make it clear to cancel the 21st March flight, and that it was their fault, and they should book a new ticket.

So I contacted Tripoli offices (work) who promises to sort it out. On Sunday, I get an email from Tripoli that they contacted the agency and that it is all sorted out now and ask me to confirm my seats on telephone to BA Enquiries.

That Sunday morning, BA confirmed that my name was on the flight to Tripoli.

I went to Newcastle airport, and noticed the BA Enquiries desk is now closed and moved to Swissport desk. There, the lad said that they do not hold any tickets for me, and cannot issue any for me for my flights tomorrow, despite confirming a reservation hours earlier on the phone to BA enquiries.

Got home that afternoon, and mum rang BA again. They said they have now been instructed not to release tickets to me because of my no-show on 21st March.

Back to square one.

I asked them about my unused return ticket from February, and BA Enquiries say that it could be revalidated as it is within 3-months of the first flight in January but only the local (Newcastle) airport can do that and they can’t contact the BA desk.

Contacting them again, they realised the BA desk is shut and its now Swissport. They said just to turn up tomorrow morning and ask the check-in staff to revalidate my tickets, but it is up to them whether to do it or not. I think it’s unlikely that they will be able to do it, as its the first Monday morning flight to London, a very busy flight, and they admitted there’s not much chance of getting it re-validated.

Thanks British Arseways, sorry, Airways, for being flexible.