Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Got my 5 back late tonight from Pisa via Calais and Dunkirk!

I have just spoken to David Eastburn on Skype, who is still stuck in a hotel in Venice with Judith, Jonathan and Oliver. They were actually on the plane last week when they were told to disembark and the flight was grounded. He understands that if the flight had left, he would be home by now. As it is he is pretty miserable and worried about his family as Jonathan has university exams soon, Judith should be back at school and Oliver has a violin exam and school exams.
The latest news is that they may get away on Thursday, but he has heard that before.
Having previously been told by Ryanair that they will foot the bill for the delay, he was today told that they won't. Yet another worry.
They looked at getting to Paris and then on, but Eurostar are charging a fortune and he would lose any chance of Ryanair reimbursing his costs to date.
Bit of a mess.
He apologises that he will not be at OBD, but wishes everyone the best.
He occasionally gets on the internet so CH Forum support would be welcome.

Somebody I know sadly lost his mother at the end of March. The funeral has been arranged for 23 April. In the meantime he took his family on what was supposed to be a 3 day break in Seville and should have returned to England early in the morning of Friday 16 April.

He is now panicking re the funeral. In theory he is booked on a flight tomorrow (Tuesday) but if that doesn't happen he could have real problems regarding the funeral...

OK ..... DBTS and family here ... in Venice.

Despite the beautiful surroundings, it is, as John says, it's all very stressful. Judith should be teaching, Jonathan wirth finals round the corner, Oliver with A levels the week after next and no sign of when we will be home. Our car is with a friend in Rutland, Jonathan's work is in Cornwall and our first flight to tyhe UK (supposedly booked by Ryanair though no confirmation email as yet) is to Leeds /Bradford. Our car is a 7 seater and if anyone can gain advantage by repositioning it for us, do please let us know.

Finally, after 2 hours trying to get through to Ryanair, we were greeted by a thoroughly rude operative who refused to accept they had a duty of care etc as enshrined by European law, and gave us little help in rebooking flight. She added that we had only 30 seconds to make up our mind as she was very busy. Her name , I think , was Melanie.

We are very short of cash so moving to a campsite tomorrow!!!

Hi DBTS
Sorry to hear that you've gotten stuck and that ryanair are being unhelpful!
Am posting some links from guardian website:

http://volcanohelp.eu/ride/ - rideshares all over europe
http://www.pickuppal.com/pup/browse/fr/ ... e-sur-mer/ and another

actually here is the blog - it has useful info on ferry companies too http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/201 ... nes-europe - about halfway down.

if you're on twitter you can tweet the writer of the blog - @adamgabbatt and use the hashtags #ashtag or #getmehome to get attention.

If you want me to look up any more info (as I have proper internet access etc) send me a PM.

Hannoir wrote: Sejintenej (is that right?!)

Yes - Maria might even be able to translate it for you (it's Swedish) and it is even played on the internet

Hannoir wrote:good luck with collected the family. I guess with being stuck in Europe there are ways - albeit limited and booked - to get back, but if you are further afield it is much harder!

Not really difficult - they worked their way northward and we took two cars over to meet them and bring them back. Left here 10am yesterday, Sunday and I have just (7pm Monday) got in from delivering them home. Cost: about £200 a head plus food ex Pisa. The annoying thing was that we had 3 empty seats coming back but were not allowed to bring back anyone whose name was not declared when I bought the ticket. As it was, we were questioned in detail because my daughter has taken her husband's name and at the port I had to certify that she was of my family.

Eurostar: we were quoted over £200 per person.
My next door neighbour is still (?) in Orlando, Florida with children of 6 and 4.


and now to bed ................

Hannoir wrote:Hi DBTS
Sorry to hear that you've gotten stuck and that ryanair are being unhelpful!
Am posting some links from guardian website:

http://volcanohelp.eu/ride/ - rideshares all over europe
http://www.pickuppal.com/pup/browse/fr/ ... e-sur-mer/ and another

actually here is the blog - it has useful info on ferry companies too http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/201 ... nes-europe - about halfway down.

if you're on twitter you can tweet the writer of the blog - @adamgabbatt and use the hashtags #ashtag or #getmehome to get attention.

Eurolines are sending over many extra coaches to bring people back. Site is www.eurolines.co.uk
Good luck.

Channel 4 News tonight quoted some people in a Venice hotel who said they were being asked to vacate their rooms tonight. Channel 4 contacted BA ( I think they were the company involved) who said they would get on to the hotel to reverse this, because it was contrary to BA's policy. Would Ryanair follow suit?

I dunno, Ryanair seem to do all they can to avoid doing anything for anyone else...

That's why I wouldn't fly with them if they were the last airline on the planet.

Just heard on radio: All Ryanair flights cancelled until at least tomorrow (Wed. 21st.) 13.00hrs.

There's nothing like a good old 'Act Of God' to bring things into perspective !

According to news reports, Tony Blair is stuck in Jerusalem and can't fly home, as planned. Hence the old English proverb: "Every (volcanic) cloud has a silver lining."

sejintenej wrote:

Hannoir wrote: Sejintenej (is that right?!)

Yes - Maria might even be able to translate it for you (it's Swedish) and it is even played on the internet

OK - firstly, I'm in Finland, not Sweden.
However.... 6% of Finns speak Swedish and I do live in the SW corner where lots of Swedish speakers live!
I'm also married to a Finnish speaking Finn, son of Swedish/Finnish speaking parents and he studied Swedish at school. Although that was a LONG time ago, he was able to translate for me...

SEJ INTE NEJ - Don't say No

When I first saw this last night, he was already asleep and so I googled...

I came across something called "Sejintenej - a choir of Idiots" (nuff sed)

Mum still here with me... several small airports have been opening for a few hours at a time for domestic, low-flying flights...but no hope of a UK flight out for a while.