Every cloud has a silver lining...
the cloud? the combination of Virgin Atlantic and British Airways baggage handling lost my luggage on the trip to Almaty (okay, they use the phrase "delayed baggage"). I checked two items: 1) a rolling duffle bag (an inexpensive one I bought just for this trip) with food, diapers, toys, and clothes for Arman and a few changes of clothes for me; 2) a cheap stroller for getting around Almaty and the airports on the way home. Both items were "delayed" for our entire time in Almaty.
When we arrived at the airport early Sunday morning to check in for our flights home, they excitedly reported that my baggage had arrived. Woo hoo! They encouraged me to use the stroller in the airport (which I must admit was a nice treat) and to re-check the duffle bag through to Newark Airport (let's keep suspense at a minimum: the bag was delivered to me in Ithaca by Fed Ex five days later). When we gate-checked the stroller as we boarded the flight, there was confusion about whether we could use it in Heathrow or wouldn't see it again until Newark Airport (again, I'll give away the ending here -- we still haven't seen that stroller).
The silver lining...
British Airways upgraded us to Business Class for the 10-hour flight from Almaty to London. We had an empty seat next to us and great flight attendants so had a great flight.
The transfer from Terminal 4 to Terminal 3 in Heathrow was not so great (I would recommend staying on one airline for the entire trip, if you can). We did have a bulkhead seat with the bassinet (and an empty seat next to us) for the flight from London to Newark.
Arman was a very good travel partner -- he charmed everyone around us on the plane! And on the evening of August 26th, when the plane touched down on U.S. soil, Arman Jonathan Froggatt became a citizen of the United States...
Next stop, Manhattan!
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