It's 6:30am, I'm in Singapore Airport and Mastodon, do I have a story for YOU.

It all began... with an asteroid grain. Again.

Having written off my taxi driver, who had blithely told me he had never heard of the Hayabusa2 mission, I entered the airport carrying an asteroid grain in its protective case, and a small-scale model of the Hayabusa2 spacecraft.

Full of confidence after completing a similar trip to France, I headed for customs.

Which was completely unstaffed.

An awkward phone conversation ensued, which began in Japanese, ended in English, communicated nearly nothing but did summon assistance.

Customs were a much better audience than on my previous trip.

Asteroids were admired, models were gawped at. I nearly had the opportunity to whip out a multi-hour presentation on asteroid exploration missions. What was not to like?

Then forms were stamped, and I headed to the check-in counter.

WHAT A BREEZE. I was feeling confident!

And that, my friends, was a mistake.

The spacecraft model is too delicate to be checked baggage, or placed in the overhead bins.

An extra seat had therefore been purchased. Hayabusa2 would sit beside me, and take the chicken for dinner.

Or... neither of us would fly.

It transpired the extra ticket should have been purchased as a "cabin bag ticket", not as a "human-be-flying ticket".

Now you'd think as the latter is more expensive, and the seat clearly reserved in my name, this wouldn't be a big deal.

OH SO WRONG.

@elizabethtasker
about 20 years since I took aviation, and while reading you most interesting story, I wondered if it's more about a centre of gravity and centre of lift issue? I mean for 1 parcel it hardly seems an issue, but if everyone... hahaha

glad you made it, but what a saga!