50 comments Add a comment
On a recent holiday to Greece, our flight home was delayed for 14 hours. Yes that's right, a delay of 14 hours! The tour operator was unable to provide any useful information but said not to stray too far away as they felt sure we would be boarding soon. So, I went outside to work on my tan. A couple of hours - not a problem. Except there was no sign of boarding...
After a few hours, we got the obligatory sandwich and glass of tepid water. Then there was another 6 hours before we were supplied with a cold hot dog and a cup of coffee. I love Greece but the attraction of their airports does tend to wane after you've been sitting in one for a while.
When the plane finally took off (14 hours later), we were charged for the coffee on board and the pretty much inedible food. We also had to wait for some luggage to be taken off the plane as a group of passengers had given up and got themselves a local hotel without telling anyone. Understandable after 14 hours but it meant an extra 45 minute wait for the rest of us!!
Return trip from Greece a total fiasco...
We arrived back to Luton airport at 1.30 in the morning. Naturally as is the case in England, all forms of public transport had ceased by this time and I was faced with the choice of spending £70 on a grotty room in an airport hotel that looked like a 1960s crematorium, or spending £60 on a taxi to get home - tough choice! In the end, some very kind friends came for me in their car, which promptly broke down on the motorway. All in all my return trip from Greece was a total fiasco.
The tour operator refuses to reimburse me in any way and replies to all my letter in a patronising and formulaic style. It's a well known company and I've used them many times in the past. Obviously, customer loyalty means very little to them. After spending quite a lot of money on this holiday, I felt I needed another one by the time I got home.
If only the company would admit that they totally screwed up, I would feel a lot better.
By: Nicky B
Leave a comment
You got one bit right, we do live in a village and I must admit we are both a bit overweight, but not much by today's standards!
We run a sucessful business between us and could probably be described as middle class; you have obviously mistaken us for the fat, sweaty, drunken tracksuit wearing masses who clog up the airports these days. You have missed (or ignored) the bit where I said we dress smartly in the evenings! (The grumpyoldman doesn't like football and has never owned a football shirt!)
You also seem be under the impression that there is never any food served at airports and therefore any food smells. We sit with one of those little tables between us and eat our delicious cheese scented pizza without disturbing others. The same cannot be said for the aforementioned masses whose obnoxious kids run around screaming while their parents soak up more alcohol to prepare themselves for the flight home.
As a middle-aged couple both in the medieval peasantry sense as well as age, I expect you are both fat bumpkins, village idiots. As for getting mistaken for Spanish I expect you wear one of those silly hats on holiday with "Viva Espana". on it. Por favor stay away from the airport and eat your pizza outside in the cold with the smokers.
Are you one of those people who get taken for a ride at the airport by paying about five quid for a small slice of pizza after queueing for half an hour while staring enviously at me and the grumpyoldman enjoying our lovely large pizza which cost about the same as your one measly slice?
(By the way; we are the middle aged couple who often get mistaken for being French, Spanish or Italian when abroad as we don't wear football shirts & always dress smartly in the evenings.)
During the holiday we size up the places that do takeaway pizzas: then a few hours before the coach is due we order one (with cheese & veg only, no meat to go off) & then just take it to the airport & eat it there.
Messy sometimes but very nice!
It was then my troubles began. The moment I sat down on my suitcase, no sooner than I had done that, that then a rather burly Greek security policeman with a loaded and pointed machine gun ordered me to stand up. Yes ordered me. I refused. He pointed his weapon at me yelling "Stand Up". After 2 minutes of argument I was arrested. Taken to the police station and interviewed as a criminal. At least I got a seat. But I was refused a smoke. I nearly missed my plane because of all this.
Nolens Volens - I am also finished with you. Over and out.
You are a classic case of vasa vacua sunt bene sonantia.
Over and out. I have nothing further to say to you and will not respond.
Chris80