GrapeEater

...taken form another thread (but poss worth discussing in it's own right?)

I'm 'stuck' in UK right now. Yesterday my Ryanair flight from Doncaster to Alicante was cancelled 30mins before departure due to heavy snow. First time that has happened to me, ever.

Anyway of course then you have to fend for yourself. Snow was bucketing down outside, worried travellers, confusion, etc... Now Ryanair were no where to be seen but the Servisair desk was open. A plane or two full of people then had to queue to get info / options. On the whole the ladies there were very good from what I could see BUT 1 computer / 3 staff really slowed things down.

2+ hours it took to sort 1 plane of people out - other flights were being cancelled too, so this desk would have had a hard time.

3 KEY POINTS:
a) If your flight is cancelled RUN RUN RUN to the help desk as being at the back of the queue means any options/re-arranged flights are minimised by virtue the front liners get first choice.

b) Check your travel insurance. As I did discover that as usual the insurance company have a clause or two that says cancelled flights aren't covered (at least not on my annual policy). They told me yesterday that the Airline should compensate me. Well Ryanair say they will refund the flight cost but that is all !! (and I bet I don't get my booking fee back). Of course I now have extra expenses for travel, food and accommodation so I THINK I SHOULD be covered as I am TRAVELLING and I THOUGHT 'TRAVEL INSURANCE' did what it says on the tin !!! (how we hate insurance).

c) Re-Booking: I opted for a refund and got on the airport 'cyber-cafe' (2 slow PCs) to re-book a new flight with Ryanair (Doncaster has little choice of airlines). I got one for Tuesday BUT again had to pay a CC/booking fee. I DISCOVERED later that I could have rebooked "FREE" according to the Ryanair site last night. BUT that info WAS NOT on their site yesterday (probably too soon after the snow) because I looked - but had limited time - and 9/10 other's breathing down my neck to use the Internet PC.

So an horrible 7/8 hours yesterday really. But at least Doncaster is small and I can imagine the BIG airports would be a far lot worse and stressful.

Snow eh !!!!

jdr

The irony is, they land their planes and run their trains and drive their cars in all the snowy countries without any problems.

Dxf

Hi

The problem is that England does not usually get much snow. Therefore they do not have the resources for heavy snow. If every winter we had heavy snow, then we would have the tools to deal with it.

In Toronto (where I was in January) it is not unusual to have 8 inches overnight, BUT it is predictable every time for days in advance, and therefore they have all the equipment they normally need. Virtually every house has a snow blower which looks like a rotovator.

Davexf

lmj50

it is not unusual to have 8 inches overnight

Happens all the time!

jdr

I wouldn`t cut four off mine for anyone. ;-))

37100

Here in northern Italy we get lots of snow but it's the fog that usually closes the airports . Having used ryanair from the start for convenience, we have a tactic.. if the flight's on the board as going but they don't charge excess baggage start queueing to rebook and phone whoever is waiting to pick us up because either the flight's not going or it's going to land in a different place. If there's fog, one queues at the check- in and one to re-book and even if they do book us in we go back and queue to re-book.
Beware Ryanair has tightened it's hand baggage rules. Strictly one bag, your p.c. is now 'overlooked'

Lionda

I've been told 10 inches is the norm in the north of England

GrapeEater

I once saw 12 inches, but not as a rule !!!

OOoohhhaaaa Missus - "It's Carry On The ExPats"

37100

Sorry, should have wrote, 'is now NOT overlooked'! You can no longer take a bag and a p.c. bag on.