Madeira... (its long so don't start if you don't have the time or inclination to finish)
...a delightful gem of an island in the Atlantic ocean, about 350 miles west of Morocco.
An island with an airport that is acknowledged to be within the top five most dangerous airports in the world, due to the terrain and wind features. Only captains, who have flown a minimum of two hundred hours as a captain and who have been trained and authorised to fly into and out of Madeira, will be allowed to operate an aeroplane into or out of Funchal airport.
We have visited countless times and have never had a problem. That is until a week ago when we were due to fly home. Our transfer company picked us up three and a half hours before flight time, for less than a half hour journey, so we sat and waited for what felt like an eternity. Eventually a BA aeroplane came into view and roared as it decelerated down the runway passed the Terminal building.
We would soon be on our way, or so we thought!
We all queued patiently to be let out of the building and walk across to the aeroplane. The only decision was whether to board at the front or the rear. We were half way along, but figured that all the Club passengers would take their time getting out of the way of the Traveller passengers, so headed for the back. A good choice as it happens. Bags and coats were stored in the overhead lockers, seats were sat in with the hope that the third seat would remain empty. It did!
Those magic words resonated around the cabin "Cabin Crew, loading complete". Yes, we had that little more room to spread out into.
The cabin crew did their checks, tables stowed, blinds up, seatbelts on, floor space clear, emergency exits clear and we sat there.
And still we sat there. After which there was even more sitting.
Departure time arrived, departure time went.
Not a peep from the crew, so we sat there, strapped in and eager to go at the drop of a starter switch.
Nothing changed until 20 minutes after departure time when a female voice came over the tannoy system. "Ahem, ladies and gentlemen, this is Captain XXXX, my apologies for the delay but we have a problem. It isn't with the aeroplane, it is with me. I have become ill and am not fit to operate the aeroplane to London Gatwick. I have picked up a stomach problem and I'm spending a lot of time in the toilet. I have informed the company that I am declaring myself unfit and they are looking at the situation and will let me know how they can resolve the it, which I will relay to you when I have something to tell you. In the meantime I am asking the Cabin Crew to hand out some snacks". (Which turned out to be a pack of two oaty biscuits each). The Captain then continued to tell us that due to her condition she had blocked off the front toilet for her sole use, but the rear toilets were still available for the rest of us.
When she next came on to speak, we were told that another flight had recently left Gatwick for Funchal, but it had left before anything could be done to help our problem, other than there was a lot of capacity on the return sector and most of us would be transferred to that. However, there were 15 passengers who would be given hotel accommodation and flown home the next day on the same flight, but 24 hours late. A spare captain would be on board the Gatwick to Funchal sector to fly the aeroplane home with our captain on board as well.
So that's what happened, we were each given a voucher for 8 euros and told to go back upstairs and get food and drinks. Once we had deboarded, We had to traipse back through Border Control who cancelled our exit stamps and sat waiting for news. Texts arrived telling us that we had been checked in for the afternoon flight so it was a case of sitting and waiting for the new arrival, the second BA arrival that day. Eventually we were on the aeroplane and arrived without further problems at Gatwick.
Walking from the arrivals gate to baggage reclaim, one of the other cancelled passengers said "That was a bit of a palaver wasn’t it?" "It wasn't too bad" I said, "we found some food and drinks ok." "No, I meant having to go through arrivals and collecting the baggage, then checking in again, getting new baggage tags".
My wife's face dropped, she immediately launched, asking why we hadn't picked our luggage up and checked in. I explained that we had not been told anything about luggage. The airline knew which baggage belonged to whom and those being night-stopped would have theirs at their hotels, the remainder would be forwarded on our new flight.
If I could have found some earplugs at the time my hearing would be much better than it is now! All the way to baggage reclaim I was being sniped. "You go to the lost baggage office and get them to fill in a form I'll wait here in case the cases are on the carousel." I was told. So off I sauntered knowing (with crossed fingers) that my baggage was safe.
The lost baggage office was unoccupied "She's just popped out, she'll be back soon." I was told. So I waited, eventually two ladies arrived, the one who worked there asked if she could help. I explained the situation and gave her my baggage stubs, much tutting followed, accompanied by frowns and facial distortions, and that was just me, no I'm joking it was her, she advised me that the tags had been cancelled and suggested that she help me fill in an online form and directed me to a computer terminal. She asked me if I could describe my cases to her. I lifted my eyes from the screen and said, "Yes, rather like those two coming towards us!" There was my wife dragging the two suitcases my way.
I'm never sure why, in situations where you've been correct in the outcome and felt confident all along what the result would be, you are still in the wrong. The tutting, frowns and facial distortions continued, this time not from the lost baggage lady, but from the found baggage lady!
That's not quite the end of the story though, my wife had heard some passengers saying they would claim compensation for the delay. It looked as though we might be entitled to claim, our delay was over three hours and the flight distance was 1,525 miles which was between 1,500 kms and 3500 kms.
Of course if it is an event outside the control of the airline, they can dispute your claim. The fact is that had they had a qualified officer on board to replace the captain, the aeroplane would have flown. They didn't have qualified crew as a backup nor had any other contingency plans been made. Therefore, our claims were accepted and we were each compensated £350.
Add in the whole passenger list being compensated £350 each, 15 lots of transfers and hotel bills, aeroplane parking overnight, another captain being flown out the next day together with a host of other costs (ATC etc.), that was a very expensive stomach problem. (Something we don't know is, was it the chicken or the prawns?)
An island with an airport that is acknowledged to be within the top five most dangerous airports in the world, due to the terrain and wind features. Only captains, who have flown a minimum of two hundred hours as a captain and who have been trained and authorised to fly into and out of Madeira, will be allowed to operate an aeroplane into or out of Funchal airport.
We have visited countless times and have never had a problem. That is until a week ago when we were due to fly home. Our transfer company picked us up three and a half hours before flight time, for less than a half hour journey, so we sat and waited for what felt like an eternity. Eventually a BA aeroplane came into view and roared as it decelerated down the runway passed the Terminal building.
We would soon be on our way, or so we thought!
We all queued patiently to be let out of the building and walk across to the aeroplane. The only decision was whether to board at the front or the rear. We were half way along, but figured that all the Club passengers would take their time getting out of the way of the Traveller passengers, so headed for the back. A good choice as it happens. Bags and coats were stored in the overhead lockers, seats were sat in with the hope that the third seat would remain empty. It did!
Those magic words resonated around the cabin "Cabin Crew, loading complete". Yes, we had that little more room to spread out into.
The cabin crew did their checks, tables stowed, blinds up, seatbelts on, floor space clear, emergency exits clear and we sat there.
And still we sat there. After which there was even more sitting.
Departure time arrived, departure time went.
Not a peep from the crew, so we sat there, strapped in and eager to go at the drop of a starter switch.
Nothing changed until 20 minutes after departure time when a female voice came over the tannoy system. "Ahem, ladies and gentlemen, this is Captain XXXX, my apologies for the delay but we have a problem. It isn't with the aeroplane, it is with me. I have become ill and am not fit to operate the aeroplane to London Gatwick. I have picked up a stomach problem and I'm spending a lot of time in the toilet. I have informed the company that I am declaring myself unfit and they are looking at the situation and will let me know how they can resolve the it, which I will relay to you when I have something to tell you. In the meantime I am asking the Cabin Crew to hand out some snacks". (Which turned out to be a pack of two oaty biscuits each). The Captain then continued to tell us that due to her condition she had blocked off the front toilet for her sole use, but the rear toilets were still available for the rest of us.
When she next came on to speak, we were told that another flight had recently left Gatwick for Funchal, but it had left before anything could be done to help our problem, other than there was a lot of capacity on the return sector and most of us would be transferred to that. However, there were 15 passengers who would be given hotel accommodation and flown home the next day on the same flight, but 24 hours late. A spare captain would be on board the Gatwick to Funchal sector to fly the aeroplane home with our captain on board as well.
So that's what happened, we were each given a voucher for 8 euros and told to go back upstairs and get food and drinks. Once we had deboarded, We had to traipse back through Border Control who cancelled our exit stamps and sat waiting for news. Texts arrived telling us that we had been checked in for the afternoon flight so it was a case of sitting and waiting for the new arrival, the second BA arrival that day. Eventually we were on the aeroplane and arrived without further problems at Gatwick.
Walking from the arrivals gate to baggage reclaim, one of the other cancelled passengers said "That was a bit of a palaver wasn’t it?" "It wasn't too bad" I said, "we found some food and drinks ok." "No, I meant having to go through arrivals and collecting the baggage, then checking in again, getting new baggage tags".
My wife's face dropped, she immediately launched, asking why we hadn't picked our luggage up and checked in. I explained that we had not been told anything about luggage. The airline knew which baggage belonged to whom and those being night-stopped would have theirs at their hotels, the remainder would be forwarded on our new flight.
If I could have found some earplugs at the time my hearing would be much better than it is now! All the way to baggage reclaim I was being sniped. "You go to the lost baggage office and get them to fill in a form I'll wait here in case the cases are on the carousel." I was told. So off I sauntered knowing (with crossed fingers) that my baggage was safe.
The lost baggage office was unoccupied "She's just popped out, she'll be back soon." I was told. So I waited, eventually two ladies arrived, the one who worked there asked if she could help. I explained the situation and gave her my baggage stubs, much tutting followed, accompanied by frowns and facial distortions, and that was just me, no I'm joking it was her, she advised me that the tags had been cancelled and suggested that she help me fill in an online form and directed me to a computer terminal. She asked me if I could describe my cases to her. I lifted my eyes from the screen and said, "Yes, rather like those two coming towards us!" There was my wife dragging the two suitcases my way.
I'm never sure why, in situations where you've been correct in the outcome and felt confident all along what the result would be, you are still in the wrong. The tutting, frowns and facial distortions continued, this time not from the lost baggage lady, but from the found baggage lady!
That's not quite the end of the story though, my wife had heard some passengers saying they would claim compensation for the delay. It looked as though we might be entitled to claim, our delay was over three hours and the flight distance was 1,525 miles which was between 1,500 kms and 3500 kms.
Of course if it is an event outside the control of the airline, they can dispute your claim. The fact is that had they had a qualified officer on board to replace the captain, the aeroplane would have flown. They didn't have qualified crew as a backup nor had any other contingency plans been made. Therefore, our claims were accepted and we were each compensated £350.
Add in the whole passenger list being compensated £350 each, 15 lots of transfers and hotel bills, aeroplane parking overnight, another captain being flown out the next day together with a host of other costs (ATC etc.), that was a very expensive stomach problem. (Something we don't know is, was it the chicken or the prawns?)
