SNCF STRIKES
 

Why am I surprized that the threatened grève des contrôleurs is coming to pass this weekend (and no doubt the 1st Jan weekend, too)?
I, for one, am sorely affected again. My train (within France) has been cancelled and I had a job to get another reservation the day before the strike, AT A PRICE. To add insult to injury, I have had to book a hotel for the night. I'm wondering whether the strikers would consider reimbursing me....
Theoretically I'll arrive at destination tomorrow, but I do pity families who haven't been able to find a solution to celebrate Christmas together :(.
Rant over, but, although I recognize their right, French strikers are my pet hate!;)

Re: SNCF STRIKES
 

My DD and family were booked to travel by train from London to Scotland on Monday two days after the 48 hour strike to allow the service to get back to normal.
Her train was cancelled two hours before departure and all subsequent trains were fully booked.
She ended up driving.
The UK currently has strikes by railway workers; nurses; ambulances and postal workers.
Many Brits don't realise that these problems are the same in other countries and that high fuel prices and food prices are found in throughout Europe.
I am afraid that we are all in the same boat.

• (Mine is a small inflatable rubber dingy ;))

Re: SNCF STRIKES
 

Sorry to hear tha, dmu and cyrian. Hope you and everyone else affected have lovely Christmases in spite of everything.

Cyrian - don't forget the Eurostar staff, Highways Agency, driving examners, border control staff and other civil servants...

Re: SNCF STRIKES
 

:thumb:

Re: SNCF STRIKES
 

I wonder if one can compare the French and UK strikes.
We all know, in France they strike first and then search for the excuse whilst in the UK, things have to be pretty bad before they strike, especially people connected to the heath service (nurses, ambulances).

Also, are the UK workers on strike because of high prices ?
Isn't it because of low salaries not keeping up with inflation for the last 12 years ?

Re: SNCF STRIKES
 

I realize that it's no better in the UK!:(
One good thing (all things being relative) is that French strikers must give 48 hrs' prior notice. Or at least I hope they comply. Murphy's Law being what it is, all my fingers and toes will be crossed this afternoon!

Re: SNCF STRIKES
 

Yes, in the UK the strike dates are published well in advance but trains out of position and a ban on overtime means that some services are cancelled at short notice.

Re: SNCF STRIKES
 

Murphy's Law rules supreme!
I've been stymied three times since my above Christmas moan. In February, a long-planned trip to Paris had to be cancelled due to train strikes; another long-planned trip to Switzerland (by train) in March was cut short since the French section of my return home was cancelled; and now a trip to Paris this coming week has had to be cancelled, due to the General Strike on the 23rd * and random SNCF and RATP disruptions on other days.
I know that I'm not the only one affected, but 4 trips affected in 3 months makes me wonder whether I'm targetted....:huh:
* The General Strike will affect many sectors on Thursday, including Administrations.

Re: SNCF STRIKES
 

I’ve just spent an hour on my apps rebooking a train + flight trip to Belfast on Thursday.
I’ve rebooked everything for Wednesday and just hope that works but who knows.
Am hoping there won’t be too much disruption on Wednesday if they’re working themselves up for a big one on Thursday.

Re: SNCF STRIKES
 

I feel for you! Uncertainty is stressful....
Where are you flying from?
Hopefully not Beauvais. A friend of mine learned the day before, that her relative's low-cost plane was cancelled, apparently due to ground staff strike action. Another problem is that, for the last few weeks, trains have been cancelled every day, at random.
Fingers crossed for you tomorrow (and for your return!):fingerscrossed:

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Thanks DMU. Flying out of CDG.
Serves me right for complaining to friends the other day that foreign travel had got boring.

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My travel plans have been thwarted yet again. I learned 24 hrs beforehand, that my TER train was cancelled due to "local industrial action". For various reasons, impossible to get to Béziers for my connection onwards, and I cancelled the whole trip, suspecting that I'd have the same problem with the local line for the return. This is the 5th time in 5 months that my travels have been upset. A glutton for punishment, I'm travelling to Bretagne via Paris, the day after the announced strike of 6th June. Will this be the 6th, I wonder?.....
Rant over.

Re: SNCF STRIKES
 

Methinks Murphy must be sticking pins into a DMU voodoo doll.:eek:
That's terribly bad luck, but the law of averages should dictate that your next planned trip will be totally trouble-free. I do hope so!
Cheers, TP

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Your optimism paid off, my trip, involving 5 trains, went off like clockwork!:thumbsup:

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Rather than start a thread on Murphy's Law, I'll continue this one to say that it still reigns supreme.
Not with the SNCF this time, but with EasyJet, which kindly informed me 3 days beforehand that my flight to England was cancelled, offering me another flight at the crack of dawn another day. This didn't suit and I've requested the proposed reimbursement. Obviously disappointed at not seeing my family, but not at all surprized.....
I've since heard that EasyJet has cancelled thousands of flights without reason, many holidaymakers being stuck abroad and looking for alternative ways of returning home.... At least I was informed in time to warn family in advance, but too late to find another destination to compensate...
Fingers crossed that my trip to Germany in September (partly plane, partly train) isn't stymied, but I'm already resigned to the worst;).....

Re: SNCF STRIKES
 

Sorry to hear that DMU.
Easyjet have been messing me around with the CDG - Belfast flights all year.
Last week for the first time ever I claimed compensation and much to my surprise they paid me €250 (this was in addition to putting me on a new flight),

So I suggest you give it a go.
It’ll depend on the circumstances but the form only took a few minutes to complete so it’s worth a try.
Just Google “EasyJet compensation claims portal”. That should take you to the form.

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Forgot to say: make sure the claim is filed direct through the official EasyJet site.
And not through one of the many dodgy-looking sites out there promising to get you compensation.

Re: SNCF STRIKES
 

Thanks for the tip! I had already passed through the Airport Agency which managed the reservations, but a direct claim via the form on the EasyJet site won't do any harm!
I've noticed that the return flight (which EasyJet hasn't as yet cancelled) probably won't be reimbursed, but Hey Ho, every little counts....

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I'm happy to announce that, apart from deducting a processing fee, the Airport Agency will be entirely refunding me via my bank account, within 2-4 weeks. At the very most, I was expecting a Voucher for a future flight, so I'm a happy bunny.....