Your Luggage story cracked me up - any chance it's related to the Luggage of Discworld fame?

Also, totally relating to the e-ticket issue: I had the same thing happen in Johannesburg. I ended up paying, simply cos I was in Africa alone, and I had an exam to get home for... grr arg! The concept of e-tickets is great - no ticket to lose, hooray for colander-brains like me - but what is the point if they deny your ticket's existence once you get to the airport?!
Whoa, rant alert! :D