Help! DD stranded in Madeira, can't find anywhere to stay

[redskydelight]

Hopefully someone might have an idea we haven't ...
DD and her boyfriend were meant to fly home from Madeira today but the flights were all cancelled due to winds. The airline has stated force majeure and won't help. We managed to book them hotel room, but when they got there, they said no rooms left ... everywhere else is gone. I've told DD to get herself somewhere warm and safe so she is sitting in Mcdonalds googling with some others also frantically hunting for rooms ...

don't know what to suggest and she's starting to panic (she's 19 and her boyfriend has never been away without family before so no help).

At least it’s been sorted out now so that’s something

Something to think about then re which airports commonly shut down due to winds

I bought DD 18 annual travel insurance (and paid extra for force majeure events) so glad I did now but of course if everything is booked up re hotel rooms you’re stuck anyway.
I might get the DC to pack wisely for being stuck like this like a blow up travel pillow or something

I’m glad your dd has got sorted and got another flight sorted.
to rreassure anyone else reading though, this in incredibly common. I am a frequent traveller and normally contact the hotel where I was staying. If my flight out is cancelled, usually flights in have also been cancelled so it all works out.
Madeira is not operating at 100% occupancy levels so it’s fine and no biggie..
I cen understand why your dd was concerned though if she hadn’t experienced it before.

Your daughter needs to retain receipts for her meals & drinks during this cancelled period (and accommodation but clearly N/A). Whilst it’s not the airlines fault, she they are still supposed to look after their passengers. She can claim firstly from the airline for expenses & if they reject it, then from her insurance. They’re not eligible for the compensation element but that’s it,

I don't agree with Easyjet's clam of Force Majure for this as Madeira is a notoriously windy airport with likely higher than average cancellation rates, so it's not a particularly unusual or wildly unexpected event.

Therefore they're obliged to provide food, drink and accommodation if you can't fly until the next day.

https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers-and-public/resolving-travel-problems/delays-and-cancellations/cancellations/

Hopefully the wind will drop and the new flight they're on will get them home today.

Glad she went back to the airport, safest place for them and can sleep on seats / floor.

I'm amazed by this! Ryanair?!! Did they actually cover the cost or do you have to try and claim it back?!

A relative had a late night Ryanair flight cancelled. They explained they had accommodation arranged for them as the airport closes overnight, and there were coaches outside waiting. Everyone boarded the coaches & they went nowhere. When they asked, they were told that was their accommodation 😬

Years ago when I backpacked this sort of thing happened a lot - sleeping overnight at the airport, where there are toilets and cafes is not the worst thing in the world. If they’re old enough to travel independently they’re old enough to be a bit resourceful and resilient.

This. I had to spend a night at Dublin airport as my flight was cancelled due to fog. I hung out near MacDonalds and there were people around who were in a similar position. It wasn't pleasant but I didn't feel unsafe. Have they any idea when they might be able to get a flight?

I also had trouble getting a flight out of Skiathos once due to the wind. It was in the dying days of Thomas Cook so we thought that might have been the problem at first but they did manage to find us all alternative hotels for one night and flew us back the next day.

Phew. I’m so pleased. Do let us know when she’s home!

This is very normal in Madeira and usually water,sleep mats etc are given. No need to panic

Ryanair put us up in a hotel, provided coaches and breakfast when we couldn’t land due to winds.

Pretty sure the people slating them never use them tbh

Force Majeure doesn't cover cancelled flights due to winds, only to unexpected severe weather
Easyjet owe for all expenses, plus a minimum of EU400 compensation per person
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/passenger-rights/air/index_en.htm#cancellation

@CountryQueen how did they do all that while you were in the air unable to land?!!

Ryanair are dreadful. I have plenty of experience.

Because they obviously landed at a different airport, or landed delayed and the poster missed a connecting flight and so had to be put up in accommodation while waiting for a connecting flight the next day.

Flights are often problematic on Madeira, we were diverted to Tenerife once. The sensible thing would be to go back to the airport and await the return of operations. This is not a drama.

Yep and security around

This happened to my DD18 in Majorca. Bird strike. Luckily before they loaded the plane, and very luckily before it took off. DD rebooked the first flight she could for the morning and stayed at the airport overnight.

She needs to change her mindset, it’s only one night, and it could have been a lot worse.

It’s an experience for her, she’ll learn from it. After the 1st time I couldn’t fly home from holiday I learnt to no matter how long the light, always have at least a toothbrush, spare underwear and a charger / adapter in my carry on bag.

if long haul then a fresh tshirt and few other necessities too.

Ive missed connecting flights or been severely delayed through no fault of my own many times but after the 1st time, always had the basics with me.

I use them all the time - local airport, cheap no-frills flights to the local airport we want and have never had an issue as long as we follow baggage rules exactly, never try to change a flight without it costing a lot or expect any money back because a passenger has had a stroke (insurance all the way). So, it's good to read that the hotel was booked and paid for without a hitch.

Be interesting to see how that works in reality.

If the airport has weather (and weather includes wind) that is outside it's published operating limits - and Madeira has some low limiting wind speeds - then the airlines simply can't operate in/out...

Not their fault so I suspect no comp.

Sounds more like it 😕

No monetary compensation is payable but they are entitled to food, drink and overnight accommodation paid for by the airline.

Oh I know that, absolutely agree, it's covered to some degree by duty of care..

It's the idea that comp is payable because in some way wind isn't weather etc I was commenting on...it"s just as much weather as fog, snow, ice etc.

This has happened to me 3 times coming home from Madeira! We flew with BA and they put up everyone at a local hotel for the night, including dinner and breakfast. They had a coach pick us up in the morning for our rearranged flight.