How We Have Helped Our Clients

With very few options left open for moving passengers back toward home, flights in to Madrid, Rome and Athens were soon fully booked as were coaches and trains from there back to the UK. Haslemere Travel did as much as possible to secure seats for ‘over land’ journeys however in many cases it was necessary for clients to physically queue, to guarantee tickets.

Car hire companies and ferries were suddenly very popular, and many Herculean stories of sleepless and tortuous journeys were being recounted, in order that children and teachers could try to get back for the start of the new term and business people to reach their meetings.

Travel agencies and tour operators were at their phones all weekend in order to be on hand to monitor the situation as the ever changing airport and flight situation evolved, and thousands of travellers were awaiting news of the deferment or cancellation of their departures.

Passengers, who had made their own travel arrangements, in many cases with separate hotel and travel reservations, were left with the unenviable task of trying to get in touch with more than one reservation department in order to try to retrieve or amend their bookings.

Those who had booked with a travel agent or tour operator were thankful for the help and advice of a professional travel organiser, with whom they could leave all the arrangements to be reorganised, and in most cases all their costs to be reimbursed.

Haslemere Travel always works with travel companies that they trust and can rely on - no such situation has proved to be more vital that the last few days. Many of our tour operator partners worked hand in hand with us, combining email, phone calls, texts and visits from local ground agents. We also pulled in every favour possible with our close network of contacts around the world including airlines and hotels to ensure room rates were kept to an absolute minimum where possible and also the airlines were aware of who our clients were and their importance.

Here are just four recounts of Haslemere Travel's clients' journeys back to the UK – there are many more to come.

Family of 4 due to return from Sharm El Sheikh on Thursday 15th April
Once Easy Jet had cancelled the client’s flights we arranged for them to hire a car and make their way by road to Cairo, where we obtained them the 4 last seats on a flight to Geneva. In Geneva they collected another car and drove across Europe to Calais where they had to queue for 6 hours to board the next available ferry (unfortunately booking was not available from the UK). They finally arrived back early on Saturday morning.

Group of 4 due to return from Amsterdam on Friday 16th April
The clients travelled from Amsterdam to The Hague where they stayed for 1 night, before travelling on 4 trains and finally arriving in Calais on Sunday. As there was extremely limited availability for foot passengers, a family member crossed the channel and collected them by car. They arrived home on Sunday evening.

Traveller in Buenos Aires, due to return on Friday 16th
The client’s flight departed Argentina as planned and landed in Madrid on time, however the onward flight to the UK was cancelled. The next available flight to the UK could have been booked for Tuesday 21st however Haslemere Travel were not 100% certain that the skies would be open by then. No cars were available for hire and it was not possible to make their way north by train as France was experiencing a rail strike. Instead the client had to queue for 9 hours to obtain tickets for a coach journey to London (unfortunately booking this was not available from the UK). We then arranged four night’s accommodation in Madrid and the client departed on Wednesday 21st, arriving into London on Thursday 22n, following a 26 hour coach journey.

Family of 4 due to return from Cyprus on 19th
The client’s original flights were cancelled and it was arranged that they extend their stay in the hotel where they had spent their vacation. Flights were then obtained for the clients to travel from Cyprus to Athens on 21st. From Athens they took another flight to Vienna where they collected a hire car and drove to Calais. Tickets on a return ferry to the UK were obtained and they arrived in the UK later that day.

Unfortunately even though the UK air space is now free from restrictions, the fall out continues to leave passengers stranded both in the UK and overseas. Some lucky clients do have tickets home in the near future but many are having to wait until the end of April and even early May before they can make their homeward bound journey.

If you know of anyone who needs any travel assistance please do not hesitate to call Haslemere Travel on 01428 658 777 and we will do what ever possible to assist.