Perfect holiday up in smoke - thanks Eyjafjallajökull

April 15 2010 , Written by thediversetraveller Published on #Easyjet, #Eyjafjallajökull, #Gatwick, #Iceland, #Madrid, #Ola Fagbohun, #pueblo Ingles, #travel, #Travel News, #Volcano

"What's a bloody volcano in Iceland got to do with my flight to Madrid?" I asked the Easyjet customer service rep. "Don't know", came his bored response, "all I know you aren't going to Madrid today."

The was bored, having had to repeat the same refrain numerous times, to travellers who were as frustrated as me. But being frustrated was going to magically get me to Madrid, when Eyjafjallajökull angrily spewing mouthfuls of gritty ash, had other plans for me and travellers all over northern Europe. I read, and I am inclined to agree, in the Metro that Eyjafjallajökull's behaviour might be payback for the UK's role in sending Iceland into financial ruin.

No particular place to go

I was with fellow traveller Ketai, who was also volunteering with Pueblo Ingles. Poor thing she has been at Gatwick since 1am, even though she lives in central London she was worried about missing the flight - what irony. We were told by another Easyjet rep to go online and rebook. We weren't leaving the airport without more than that, so we searched for the Gatwick internet facilities. At £1 for 10 minutes, we decided we'd be better off join the queue of people hoping to rebook.

We waited in the queue which was easily 100 people deep, for about 15 minutes, when a women waving several papers, told us to go home. "And do what?" we chorused. "Go online, log in to your booking details, and select a refund or free transfer", she replied.

Time to go home

By now it was 9am, although I had now been at Gatwick since 6.10am, it was Ketai I felt sorry for, poor thing she was a sleep on her feet. We took the coach back to Victoria, and I was so tired I was asleep the minute we left Gatwick until we hit the traffic of central London.

At Victoria tube station we received a phone call from Helen of Pueblo Ingles. She told us that someone called Mary had made it, so what was our status? We told her we would not make it that day and since we would miss the bus collecting all the volunteers the next day, is there anything she could do. "No, the bus can't go back to Madrid, you'll have to find your own way. It's 6-7 hours from Madrid to the Jaen region, two coaches and a taxi," she replied.

That is not what we wanted to hear, hungry, tired and frustrated, we discussed cancelling our trip. However, we agreed we should get home, eat and sleep before making any rash decisions.

Should I stay or go?

On getting home, now 11.30am, I checked the Easyjet website, Friday only one flight left leaving at 9pm, no good. Saturday, better, there was a 09:35 flight. I decided to get some sleep, now 12.45pm, before booking, so I could make a rationale decision.

I woke around 2pm to my phone ringing incessantly, it was Helen from Pueblo Ingles, "have you managed to rebook?" she asked. "I'll look at flights and get back to you," I responded. Back to the Easyjet website, and surprise surprise the 'reasonable' Saturday flights were all gone. On to Sunday, fortunately there was a 09:35 flight, I booked it and called Ketai. Ketai didn't answer, she was still asleep.

By the time I got back in touch with Helen, she had changed our venue from Jaen to La Alberca in the south-west corner of the Castile and Leon region, nearest town Salamanca, five hours from Madrid. She has also arranged someone to pick us up from Salamanca, a two and half hour coach journey from Madrid. I am feeling much better about things now.

Fingers crossed for Sunday.

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