Help, Stuck in a foreign country!
Discussion
Please dont stick in travel... need some ideas. I'll keep the situation short...
1) Flight cancelled, last flight of the day
2) Dumped at fleapit motel along with 300 others, airline rep's f
ked off sharpish before they were lynched
3) Airline say they cant do anything as it was booked via an agency.
4) Agency closed till 8:30am (will call 'em first thing)
5) I'm with 5 other people part of the same trip (work outing, im the "boss")
6) Flights with another airline to the wrong london ariport, looking like £400 a head, I cant spring for all of them, and looks like airline wont cover it either.
7) had at least 4 calls with airline, answers were,... Nothing we can do.... Go book another flight up to the price of the original and we will refund.... just wait..... we can do nothing
8) Next flight with this airline that has space is Tuesday 10pm (but they cannot book us on it, as flights were booked via agency)
Other than just waiting to see if they come up with something (and I cant see that happening at all, how can they just magic up an extra plane?) or calling the agency... I'm stumped.
All the internet stuff says they HAVE to provide alternate travel. But they aren't... and taking them to the ombudsman just leaves me stranded!
Who's responsibility is it to get us home? Travel Agency, or The airline?
Worst case, I'll just stump up the cash tomorrow...
All in all a stty end to a good weekend.
1) Flight cancelled, last flight of the day
2) Dumped at fleapit motel along with 300 others, airline rep's f
ked off sharpish before they were lynched3) Airline say they cant do anything as it was booked via an agency.
4) Agency closed till 8:30am (will call 'em first thing)
5) I'm with 5 other people part of the same trip (work outing, im the "boss")
6) Flights with another airline to the wrong london ariport, looking like £400 a head, I cant spring for all of them, and looks like airline wont cover it either.
7) had at least 4 calls with airline, answers were,... Nothing we can do.... Go book another flight up to the price of the original and we will refund.... just wait..... we can do nothing
8) Next flight with this airline that has space is Tuesday 10pm (but they cannot book us on it, as flights were booked via agency)
Other than just waiting to see if they come up with something (and I cant see that happening at all, how can they just magic up an extra plane?) or calling the agency... I'm stumped.
All the internet stuff says they HAVE to provide alternate travel. But they aren't... and taking them to the ombudsman just leaves me stranded!
Who's responsibility is it to get us home? Travel Agency, or The airline?
Worst case, I'll just stump up the cash tomorrow...
All in all a s
tty end to a good weekend.We're all squared away with work, although the guys here are a bit peeved as they are losing a day this week and will have a mountain to catch up on.
No sign of an emergency number, so the agency office is getting a call first thing.
Will update with the outcome!
By the way, were in Rome, so impractical to drive. Although if they say it's the Tuesday night flight we may as well rent a mini van and drive.
No sign of an emergency number, so the agency office is getting a call first thing.
Will update with the outcome!
By the way, were in Rome, so impractical to drive. Although if they say it's the Tuesday night flight we may as well rent a mini van and drive.
HoHoHo said:
I expected somewhere difficult, it's only Rome FFS
Hire a car and drive back!
It may be just a trip around the block to a hardened road warrior like you, but for most people that's. 2 day journey. Hire a car and drive back!
Also there's six of us, which means people carrier, or mini bus. Which makes the whole
Journey even slower if your capped to 60 in a mini bus.
CS Garth said:
I love pistonheads. You and your 5 colleagues are stranded in a foreign country and you're arguing with a stranger on the internet about the speed limitation based practicalities of a minibus which you won't be hiring
haha, to be fair I've nothing better to do at the moment. Made this round of calls to airline and agency and insurance company this morning. Just waiting for some calls Back.Yes, we have worked out a few different travel
Options, but I suppose the big question is,
Should the airline/agency be sorting this, or if a flight is cancelled is it just up
To the individual to sort themselves out.
Pothole said:
I have nothing more practical to offer, OP. I'm really glad you're not my boss, though.
I could have everyone home in a jiffy, but it would cost five grand out of my own pocket.Would you spank 5k on a whim without checking other alternatives, as in, should
The agency be doing this?
Read my OP, clearly says, who should be sorting this, worst case I'll just spend the cash.
Quite capable of booking a few flights, or trains, call me a tightwad, just trying to avoid a ridiculous long drive, 15 hour train Trek or £500 a head flights if possible.
I'm not an expert on European travel law, is your boss?
Edited by ILoveMondeo on Monday 28th November 08:18
Edited by ILoveMondeo on Monday 28th November 08:19
Hugo a Gogo said:
1 minute on google
rome to stansted tomorrow is 86€ each with ryanair
you could probably get it today too, but not on the internet
To be fair I hadn't looked at Tuesday flights, only Monday, as we were supposed to be home Sunday night.rome to stansted tomorrow is 86€ each with ryanair
you could probably get it today too, but not on the internet
I could probably get cheaper next march too,
CS Garth said:
Fair enough! I'd get home having rung round and not rely on them. The best of luck and keep us updated on how you get on
Yeah, I've found some alternative flights, but I have no clue if I should be paying, or the agency, or making an insurance claim or what.Internet says the airline MUST fix this with alternative transport but they are basically refusing.
Gonna give the agency an hour and see what they come up with. They'll have access to more flights than me trying to book s
t on my phone. The Mad Monk said:
1. The agency is open now, what did they say?
2. Do you want me to send you money?
3. If so, how much?
"The flight guy" gets in at 9am... I'll be getting a call shortly after. Is what they said.2. Do you want me to send you money?
3. If so, how much?
Airline have said "there's no special information, we will text you" so basically f
k off, we don't care. MakeYour own way home.
£5000 please, not for travel, they want to go to a lap dancing club.
WestyCarl said:
Your stuck with 5 guys from work in Rome in a situation beyond your control. Most bosses would love this opportunity as it's perfect for team building and having a memorable trip that's talked about for years in the office.
Yeah, were just spending an hour or two cancelling meetings,Etc then we're going to do some sightseeing, we didn't get to go to Russel
Crowes house.
The Moose said:
Oh how I wish you were my boss!!!!
6 people and £500 per head per flight would be £3,000. You're saying it'll cost £5,000. I'd like my salary rounded up in the same manor please!
Seriously though, how much is it going to cost in terms of lost productivity?
I'm not commercial, I can't add up!6 people and £500 per head per flight would be £3,000. You're saying it'll cost £5,000. I'd like my salary rounded up in the same manor please!
Seriously though, how much is it going to cost in terms of lost productivity?
To be honest, I've no idea exactly how much other than somewhere between those two figures, which we looked at last night. Either way I'm not too enthralled at the prospect of shelling out with little or no chance of getting the money back.
Hence I'm waiting to hear back from the agency, they called again to say they are working on it.
The Mad Monk said:
It's already 9am over there (here). it's abroad, remember? Time, that strange concept, is one hour ahead.
Send me your full bank details, including passwords in case, um, er, my payment gets stuck.
You're right, time is tricky, you posted at 8:46 for example! So not 9! Send me your full bank details, including passwords in case, um, er, my payment gets stuck.
They called as promised. They are working on it.
Pothole said:
No idea.
Doesn't your company have any funds in a contingency account for just this kind of, well, contingency?
It was not so much the asking for advice as the arguing with advice given and fairly evident flapping which coloured my opinion.
I'm sure the company could sort some flights, as could I, but again why should they when the airline / agency should be sorting it. Had no clarity from Airline, all the reps fDoesn't your company have any funds in a contingency account for just this kind of, well, contingency?
It was not so much the asking for advice as the arguing with advice given and fairly evident flapping which coloured my opinion.
ked off and agency was closed last night. It's not some ash cloud disaster and there are flights so driving is a bit crap really. Worst possible Method really, after flight and train, ok a boat would be worse.
Was Just trying to find out who "should" be fixing this before I stump up.
Amateurish said:
Outgoing flight: Rome Fiumicino (FCO) London Stansted (STN)
via Cologne-Bonn (CGN)
Monday, 28/11/2016 3:40 PM - 7:00 PMDuration 04:20h
Rome FiumicinoCologne-Bonn Flight is operated by Germanwings
Cologne-BonnLondon Stansted Flight is operated by Germanwings
Your fare: BASIC
Airfare per adult€69.96
Taxes, fees and charges Details€180.18
Total price outgoing flight€599.94
Thanks, the non direct flights I saw were 20hour missions, but that's a bit more palletable.via Cologne-Bonn (CGN)
Monday, 28/11/2016 3:40 PM - 7:00 PMDuration 04:20h
Rome FiumicinoCologne-Bonn Flight is operated by Germanwings
Cologne-BonnLondon Stansted Flight is operated by Germanwings
Your fare: BASIC
Airfare per adult€69.96
Taxes, fees and charges Details€180.18
Total price outgoing flight€599.94
Just calling agency back now.
Alive and tired.
Madrid airport it pretty impressive.
Thanks to those with constructive advice.
Got back to heathrow quite late, taxi to gatwick to fetch the car, taxi driver kept falling asleep at the wheel. Home about 1:30am after slow journey through M25 1 lane restrictions and closed M4.
It's strange really, I look back at the original post, I see a short brain dump of what happened, and a question about who should be fixing it, airline or agency.
It then goes fairly rapidly to "you're a, glad I dont work for you, I'm better than you because I would sort this out in about 3 minutes flat", and nit picking because I was vague and inaccurate about the cost of the flights (and to be fair they changed every time I looked). they were expensive... I at that point I had not considered non-direct options.
I showed the group I was with a lot of the stuff, they thought it was pretty funny, "you got trolled" and they thought you were internet mentals. They knew I was doing everything I could to sort it, and that's not a lot at midnight in a fleapit motel with barely working wifi when the airline wont change your flights and the UK agency is closed until 9am UK time (10 am local time to avoid any confusion).
As it was, once I'd spoken with the agency we were sorted with a travel plan within an hour or so and everyone was very grateful for getting it fixed.
Never having had a flight cancelled like this before, I now know precisely what to do, get online and book the next available and affordable flights the SECOND you hear of the cancellation. I delayed as I didn't know what the situation was with "who should be fixing this"... I had assumed, incorrectly, that the airline would get us on a flight the next day, what a fool I was! Now I know, a very tiring learning experience.
Madrid airport it pretty impressive.
Thanks to those with constructive advice.
Got back to heathrow quite late, taxi to gatwick to fetch the car, taxi driver kept falling asleep at the wheel. Home about 1:30am after slow journey through M25 1 lane restrictions and closed M4.
It's strange really, I look back at the original post, I see a short brain dump of what happened, and a question about who should be fixing it, airline or agency.
It then goes fairly rapidly to "you're a
, glad I dont work for you, I'm better than you because I would sort this out in about 3 minutes flat", and nit picking because I was vague and inaccurate about the cost of the flights (and to be fair they changed every time I looked). they were expensive... I at that point I had not considered non-direct options.I showed the group I was with a lot of the stuff, they thought it was pretty funny, "you got trolled" and they thought you were internet mentals. They knew I was doing everything I could to sort it, and that's not a lot at midnight in a fleapit motel with barely working wifi when the airline wont change your flights and the UK agency is closed until 9am UK time (10 am local time to avoid any confusion).
As it was, once I'd spoken with the agency we were sorted with a travel plan within an hour or so and everyone was very grateful for getting it fixed.
Never having had a flight cancelled like this before, I now know precisely what to do, get online and book the next available and affordable flights the SECOND you hear of the cancellation. I delayed as I didn't know what the situation was with "who should be fixing this"... I had assumed, incorrectly, that the airline would get us on a flight the next day, what a fool I was! Now I know, a very tiring learning experience.
Edited by ILoveMondeo on Tuesday 29th November 09:37
cptsideways said:
Buy a classic/barge Alfa/Fiat & drive it home
Update that: Boom
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C733822
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C790841
This looks like a right laugh, might need a bobble hat though
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C630330
Best suggestion by far! Update that: Boom
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C733822
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C790841
This looks like a right laugh, might need a bobble hat though
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C630330
Edited by cptsideways on Monday 28th November 15:32
King Herald said:
In your dreams! I was stuck in London for 30 hours due to Cathay Pathetic having problems, 300 passengers treated like cattle, dumped into a hotel, no information, minimal updates, then flown home eventually.
The only way I knew the flight had been rebooked was by checking their website, in my boredom, sat in the hotel, and seeing the date on my booking had changed! They never actually told us!
I tried to get some sort of compensation, even just an apology, an admission they had treated us appallingly, but nada, nothing. There are rules and laws in place, but the company I used to handle the case said most airlines just ignore the rules and refuse to pay?
After several emails to complaints department Cathay Pathetic awarded me 5000 air miles. Enough to buy a sandwich with I think!
Seems to be standard stuff, tell the passengers nothing, dump them in a flea pit 30 miles from the airport, after a night of scratchy sheets and a cold shower in the morning and zero info from the airline that vast majority will have fThe only way I knew the flight had been rebooked was by checking their website, in my boredom, sat in the hotel, and seeing the date on my booking had changed! They never actually told us!
I tried to get some sort of compensation, even just an apology, an admission they had treated us appallingly, but nada, nothing. There are rules and laws in place, but the company I used to handle the case said most airlines just ignore the rules and refuse to pay?
After several emails to complaints department Cathay Pathetic awarded me 5000 air miles. Enough to buy a sandwich with I think!
ked off home under their own steam, vastly reducing the amount of work and rescheduling the airline needs to do.Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff