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Flights strike 'costs Northern Ireland family £2,000 to get home' Flights strike 'costs Northern Ireland family £2,000 to get home'
(about 1 month later)
A family with an autistic child has spent almost £2,000 to get home from France after their flight was cancelled during the air traffic control strike.A family with an autistic child has spent almost £2,000 to get home from France after their flight was cancelled during the air traffic control strike.
Pauline Monteith travelled to Nice for a two-night holiday with her children, mother and aunt, who are both elderly.Pauline Monteith travelled to Nice for a two-night holiday with her children, mother and aunt, who are both elderly.
She got a text from Easyjet on Wednesday night saying their flight home had been cancelled.She got a text from Easyjet on Wednesday night saying their flight home had been cancelled.
The family have spent the last day and a half trying to get to Belfast via Paris and London.The family have spent the last day and a half trying to get to Belfast via Paris and London.
She said it was "especially distressing" for her autistic son.She said it was "especially distressing" for her autistic son.
Hundreds of flights across Europe were cancelled on Wednesday and Thursday as the result of a two-day strike by air traffic controllers in France.Hundreds of flights across Europe were cancelled on Wednesday and Thursday as the result of a two-day strike by air traffic controllers in France.
Mrs Monteith, from Crumlin, County Antrim, contacted the BBC on Friday morning to say the family had only made it as far as London and were waiting in Gatwick airport for a flight back to Belfast.Mrs Monteith, from Crumlin, County Antrim, contacted the BBC on Friday morning to say the family had only made it as far as London and were waiting in Gatwick airport for a flight back to Belfast.
'Pandemonium'
After she got the text on Thursday, she said she tried to contact Easyjet twice without success, each time spending more than 20 minutes on a UK mobile phone. Internet access at her hotel was also poor.After she got the text on Thursday, she said she tried to contact Easyjet twice without success, each time spending more than 20 minutes on a UK mobile phone. Internet access at her hotel was also poor.
"When I eventually got on to the Easyjet website there were no flights available to Belfast from Nice for the next five days that I checked," she told the BBC."When I eventually got on to the Easyjet website there were no flights available to Belfast from Nice for the next five days that I checked," she told the BBC.
"I think it is terrible that they can just send a simple text with no advice number to contact and no accountability.""I think it is terrible that they can just send a simple text with no advice number to contact and no accountability."
The Monteiths were due back in work and school on Monday, and had only packed enough luggage for two days.The Monteiths were due back in work and school on Monday, and had only packed enough luggage for two days.
"Luckily an English holidaymaker in my hotel came to my aid and told me to act quickly as everything was being booked," Pauline said."Luckily an English holidaymaker in my hotel came to my aid and told me to act quickly as everything was being booked," Pauline said.
The Monteiths decided to try to make their own way home and opted to take a train to London, thinking they would have a better chance of getting a flight to Belfast from there.The Monteiths decided to try to make their own way home and opted to take a train to London, thinking they would have a better chance of getting a flight to Belfast from there.
The five Eurostar tickets alone cost over £1,000.The five Eurostar tickets alone cost over £1,000.
Mrs Monteith said it was "pandemonium" trying to get through the Paris underground with two pensioners and her 16-year-old son.Mrs Monteith said it was "pandemonium" trying to get through the Paris underground with two pensioners and her 16-year-old son.
Dampener
They arrived in London at about 22:00 BST on Thursday and then had to find a hotel for the night, which cost more money.They arrived in London at about 22:00 BST on Thursday and then had to find a hotel for the night, which cost more money.
Mrs Monteith said the extra bills had put "a dampener on the whole holiday" and said she did not know if she was entitled to a refund because of the difficulty she has contacting the airline.Mrs Monteith said the extra bills had put "a dampener on the whole holiday" and said she did not know if she was entitled to a refund because of the difficulty she has contacting the airline.
She said she spent four hours online looking for an alternative way to get home and wondered how people who did not have internet access would cope.She said she spent four hours online looking for an alternative way to get home and wondered how people who did not have internet access would cope.
However, the airline did allow the family to use their Nice tickets in exchange for a flight from Gatwick to Belfast, free of charge.However, the airline did allow the family to use their Nice tickets in exchange for a flight from Gatwick to Belfast, free of charge.
'Golden tickets'
Mrs Monteith also said it was a useful experience for her daughter Chloe, who has just begun to learn French.Mrs Monteith also said it was a useful experience for her daughter Chloe, who has just begun to learn French.
She added that because they paid £210 each for a one-way 2.5 hour train journey, her family had dubbed them "golden tickets" and intend to frame them when they get home.She added that because they paid £210 each for a one-way 2.5 hour train journey, her family had dubbed them "golden tickets" and intend to frame them when they get home.
In a statement, an Easyjet spokeswoman said: "We apologise that Mrs Monteith and her family were affected by this strike. EasyJet did everything possible to limit the inconvenience of this strike for passengers.In a statement, an Easyjet spokeswoman said: "We apologise that Mrs Monteith and her family were affected by this strike. EasyJet did everything possible to limit the inconvenience of this strike for passengers.
'Free of charge'
"We advised Mrs Monteith of the cancellation via SMS text and gave details within that text about how she could rearrange their flights or obtain a refund."We advised Mrs Monteith of the cancellation via SMS text and gave details within that text about how she could rearrange their flights or obtain a refund.
"For customers such as Mrs Monteith whose flights were cancelled, EasyJet offered a free of charge transfer to another flight or a refund if they preferred not to take a flight transfer."For customers such as Mrs Monteith whose flights were cancelled, EasyJet offered a free of charge transfer to another flight or a refund if they preferred not to take a flight transfer.
"EasyJet also provided hotel accommodation where passengers required it and we are in direct contact with Mrs Monteith to discuss this.""EasyJet also provided hotel accommodation where passengers required it and we are in direct contact with Mrs Monteith to discuss this."
The airline took more than 25,000 calls during the two-day strike and had 500 staff working in its contact centres to assist passengers in rebooking cancelled flights.The airline took more than 25,000 calls during the two-day strike and had 500 staff working in its contact centres to assist passengers in rebooking cancelled flights.