A PASSENGER flying from Shannon Airport has shared the story of how a taxi driver, flight crew and security saved her day.
Sarah Ní Riain was booked on the 7:50am flight to London Heathrow on Thursday, January 12 when she realized 50 minutes before take-off that she had forgotten her laptop.
With boarding starting at 7:15am and the gate closing 10 minutes later, Sarah began to panic and weighed up her options.
After contemplating getting on the flight without her laptop, Sarah said she couldn’t work for the week without it but she also couldn’t miss her flight as she needed to attend a meeting in London.
She had already checked in her baggage so she came up with a plan of how she could get her laptop and still make her flight.
“I explained my tale of woe to the man at the boarding pass check before security. He said to give it a go. So I did.
“I ran downstairs to call the airport taxi – it was already on a pickup but he suggested I call one of the local firms so I did and thankfully someone was immediately dispatched to assist in my mission.
“I met him outside and we raced over to my apartment complex. I legged it up to my room, grabbed the laptop and then ran back down to the lovely driver Keith who was waiting and keeping the engine warm like a getaway driver on a heist “
After making her way back to the airport, reassured by the calm and kind Keith, Sarah arrived back at Shannon with her heart in her mouth.
“The boarding card man recognized me and cheered me on. Security let me go straight through to airside as the flight was on Final Call.
“As I started running to Gate 8 which felt like miles away I could hear ‘Passenger Sarah Ní Riain please go immediately to gate 8 as your flight is now closing’.
“I was drenched in sweat, my heart was pounding and I was completely out of breath but I made it. The gate crew were so nice and congratulated me and I was just so appy to collapse into my seat and get my breath back and smile with relief.”
Sarah thanked AiroCabs and Shannon Airport staff for helping her make sure she didn’t miss her flight.
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