Just before the Christmas celebrations my family and I endured a saga resembling that of the film planes,trains and automobiles. We were flying home for Christmas to stay with my mother in law, who lost her husband in October to cancer and it would be her first Christmas alone. We had booked our flight in October and the chosen date was the 23rd December and the last flight of the day. Not having a crystal ball we weren't to know that this would be the worst day of the year to travel due to the horrific storms & our flight just happened to be at the worst time of the weather predictions. We expected that our flight would be cancelled and we constantly looked at the airport departures for any news before going to Toulouse airport. Nothing! So we travelled to the airport. At Toulouse we were told at first that our flight was delayed. Knowing that the weather at Gatwick was extreme we expected that the flight would be cancelled at this point. It was not! We boarded the flight more than two hours later than scheduled. We sat at the front of the plane and were privy to the head stewards conversation about half way in to the flight. She said that the pilot had three choices of airport to land at and Manchester at that point in time was looking favourite. This was not the issue. As we came in to land at Gatwick we suffered a frightening experience when the pilot was not able to land due to the already known weather problems. We were told that the flight was being diverted firstly to Newcastle, then some minutes later to Bristol. On arrival at Bristol, the superb flight supervisor would not let us get of until she knew what would happen about our transfer to Gatwick. At 1 o'clock in the morning, after reference to various airport staff she was asked to off load the passengers and ask them to make their way to the information desk about passenger transfer to Gatwick. She was led to believe it would be by coach. On arrival at the info desk passengers were told that Easyjet had made no provision for onward transfer, there wer no Easyjet representatives on the ground and that passengers were to find their own way home?? The staff at the info desk also said that easy jet would reimburse any costs?? I tried to phone Easyjet customer services and yes, you guessed it, they were closed. It was out of normal operating hours. We were told about the options for onward transfer. The first was coach transfer, but when it arrived it was fully booked, the second,we get a bus to the station and get a train in to London then on to Gatwick (this seemed the logical solution under the circumstances) or get a taxi to Gatwick. Or hire a car, but the rental places were closed. In light of the situation we chose the train option as it seemed logical and fair all round regarding the cost to easy jet. We arrived at the train station and it was closed and would not be open for over an hour and a half at 4.30am. It was freezing cold, we had no shelter and a young child with us. We waited, eventually we we're let in with the train to London due to leave in around 20 minutes. Guess what? It was cancelled. Absolutely freezing cold with not facilities open at the station, we were told the next train would be another 3/4 hour. It was cancelled again, then came the announcement that there would be no trains until 8 o'clock. This was the final straw, we had two choices, freeze to death and wait to see if a train turned up at 8 or get the taxi. We had no option but to go for the taxi. This has cost us £250 and there was also the bus fare from the airport to the train station of £19,so in total we are currently out of pocket by £269 and that does not include the pre paid taxi fare of £39 that we have also lost. What I cannot understand is why easy jet did not cancel the flight or delay it sufficiently until the weather improved. To cut a long story short, I telephoned the customer services desk and I was asked to send a copy by email of our receipt for reimbursement. I did this and then had an email back saying that they could only refund within certain limits. I asked them to clarify this. No formal details were given, just an email saying that was their policy. To this day we still have no satisfaction and they are offering only a partial refund; with no official explanations. On our return to Toulouse we met a couple who were on the same flight and they too were having problems, and we have decided to keep in touch, although they have not been offered anything at all yet. My appeal is to those who may have been on the same flight and I would like to compare notes on what they are going through, or does anyone on the forum have any idea of our rights. I have spoken with a solicitor and they seem to think that we have a case for breach of contract, not because of the re-routing but the fact that they did not get us to our contracted destination.Also they believe that the weather conditions were very clear and given in advance of the flight. Anyone have any ideas?
Sorry, something wrong with that link. This should work: http://www.survivefrance.com/group/inhabitants-of-toulouse
Oh my god! What a nightmare. You poor things. A terrible start to the holidays. I can't help with any legal advice but regarding your wish to try and contact anyone else who was on this flight, you could try posting this in this group: www.survivefrance.com/group/inhabitants-of-toulouse.
You never know, someone just might know someone who was on that flight. Good luck.