27 Sep 2010 3:38 PM:
My son and his girlfriend should have flown home on 23 Sept but due to the French air traffic control strike their flight was cancelled and after queuing for their airline to transfer them onto alternative flights they were given the 29th, they then had to queue for a further couple of hours to be allocated accommodation - which was being picked up by the airline, thankfully as they've spent all their holiday money! I since got an email from the carrier to say under the circumstances I can transfer the flight or risk it - in the meantime all other flights were booking up - the next available as of Saturday 25 was on the 5th Oct! I had to gamble and decide wether to transfer them onto this flight or not as they couldn't guarantee the flight - but since then I have found out that I now have to arrange for their accommodation for 29 Sep to 5th Oct as it was me who changed the flight! However if the flight is cancelled on the 29th then they will pick up the accommodation bill, but they had to go to Palma airport to be told this at the desk as the telephone staff couldn't give this information, so now they've just been to the airport today for a wasted and costly journey to be told they will have to come again on 29th if flight is cancelled to arrange further accommodation! Incidentally when I spoke to the transfer people after telling them what had happened she said that's disgusting - you won't be able to get to the airport on 29th due to the general strike! It's not the airlines fault - but it's the customer who ends up paying in the end, as mentioned in other posts - the airline was also advising you could't travel with hold baggage on that day - so what possible choice do you have! Anyway - all in limbo - what a predicament, it can't possibly do the airlines any good in the long run, wait for the budget airlines going bust now!
Thread:
29th SEPTEMBER - GENERAL STRIKE?
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