As someone who was due to fly out at 9.00 am on the Friday morning that XL went belly up - can I say that the organisation at Manchester Airport was excellent - but I was told I was the first person they had had at the serviceair desk! They put us on standby for the next Olympic Airways flight (OK we were not going to Turkety this year!!) and we were at the top of the list, but they didn't manage to get us on any other flights.
We were originally booked on the Air Malta flight that got all the attention on the news and the flight did take off with 14 passengers on board and rakes of empty seats. They would not take anyone with XL flight or accommodation bookings. We spoke to several people who live in Skiathos and were trying to get home but they would still not take them even if they paid for new tickets. Something about "stranding yourself on purpose" even though they were given proof that these individuals did actually live on the island.
As someone who has been to Turkey for the last 12 years I only agreed to have a change because the "better-half" thought it a good idea to try somewhere else - you cannot guess the number of times I have mentioned the fact that if we had been going to
Icmeler we would actually be on holiday at the moment instead of sitting at work writing this to all you out there! We have re-booked to Zante at twice the price we originally paid but dont actually care now we just want some sun. (have you seen the weather forecasts for
Greece recently!
The gossip at the airport (and I mean the staff not the passengers) was that Monarch is also looking very dodgy - but you didn't hear it from me!
Sincerely hope everyone in my favourite place is OK and some of the horror stories about £800 each for a family of four to fly home were greatly exagerated.
Icmeler next year for me - if I have to go on my own!!