Newcastle International Airport or NCL has a silent policy-all flight announcements are confined to screen information except
in extremis when they use a Geordie lady in impenetrable dialect distorted by an excess of woofer. Its fine if you are not visually impaired (or plain blind) and have brought your glasses. We obediently followed all screen prompts and boarded with the rest of category C and scrambled for good seats as no seating is 'preallocated' All on time-Well done Easy Jet; Paris here we come. Premature.
The pilot took some satisfaction in informing us that we were cleared for take off-good news; bad news: 8 passengers missing and 'we have no idea where they are'. Be patient. The Geordie lady must have gone ballistic with her appeals for 'the last remaining passengers' to proceed to gate 20 where the plane is itching with impatience, to some effect as they drifted on in ones and twos to sarcastic comments from the captain. He seemed a bit disappointed that he had to announce all present and correct (hoping for a wild night in NCL perhaps?) and we sped into the night.
Previously our wait in the departure lounge was enlivened by a pre recorded tannoy announcement to the effect that there was an emergency somewhere in the airport and to await further information. This was repeated in most known languages, over and over, until some one switched the hysterical female off Not that anyone took any notice. Later it was explained that it was a false fire alarm and inconvenience etc much regretted.
A bad night for the World's quietest airport.
