An interesting debate – what is essential?
On checking in for our flight for the second time we were told it wouldn’t be guaranteed that our luggage would be on the flight, in fact highly unlikely given ours were with over 60,000 other bags in a suitcase mountain somewhere in LHR. We were told that they would be on the next flight to Lemnos, once they had been found. When is the next flight? They couldn’t confirm or guarantee…. so probably the same flight next week!? I’m sorry madam, I couldn’t comment.
We were advised strongly to go and buy the essentials. 
But what are essentials? 
Toothbrushes, toothpaste, a change of undies?
Fine for one night…. but if your luggage isn’t ‘guaranteed’ to arrive at all? The list gets bigger and therefore the debate. Fortunately, yesterday, we had had the foresight to grab a swimming cossie and spare t-shirt from the bags just as we handed them through the screens to disappear and added to the bag mountain, obvious to us they wouldn’t be with us any time soon.
But I felt panic set in when I realised I had no undies, not enough non toxic anti aging skincare or a razor. Not quite sure what that makes me…? A prude? Vain? Hairy? 
Strangely, Clothes didn’t bother me too much – happy to wear some Greek market dresses and flip flops! But we all needed one change of clothes having been in our current gear for 2 days and even slept in it! But what will BA and the insurance companies see as essential? Terminal 5 only has top brands… my suitcase may be filled with dresses and shorts from asos, Topshop and Zara but there’s only the finest in T5… Prada, Harrods, Max Mara, Missoni, Gucci, Cartier and with the ‘cheapest’ brands being Reiss and Paul Smith.
But no undies.

And no kids clothes…

Anywhere.
Overhearing other families, flip flops and swim shorts were young one boy’s priority… holiday essential clearly! Cycling kit – was it really worth going asks another Dad? Or could they be happy just sailing for the week? Another family stood outside the plane doors arguing whether to get on or not… trying to convince one son it was it worth it without his special trainers!  
On boarding the flight, we were told that the luggage was definitely not on board. 
It was the families with babies I felt for, running out of nappies, formula and one lady her babies’ special medicine.
After 28 hours delay, we did take off. The patient, polite cabin crew having sorted out crazy seating allocation as all families weren’t together; the 4 of us dotted all round the plane and with nervous flyers, the tension only mounted… 
And then the announcement, there would be no catering on this flight. All food and alcohol padlocked up and no keys. 
Seriously??? Where was our free champagne or beer? And at kids tea time?    
If you don’t ask, you will never get. A quiet word with a flight attendant and the Big Man manages to work out there is wine! Only a few bottles! It may be warm wine…but as the word ripples out from row 21, it is in high demand! There is a very British jolly grey market onboard this BA flight…. and the mood lifts.
Wine is clearly an essential for some of us…. especially to celebrate the fact that we are airborne! 
As for my personal travel essentials, my BF says pants are overrated, I found a razor, some high priced non toxic skincare and a couple of outfits worth more than my entire case full of clothes!