EasyJet pile of pants - so fed up and dissapointed

[PamShipman]

Yesterday evening the DC (16,13) and i were meant to be flying to Berlin for 4 days. We were really looking forward to it. DS did his GCSEs this summer and loves European history; DD loves travel and exploring new places and has never been to Germany and I have always wanted to go since I watched the wall come down on a little b&w telly in my student flat in 1989! I was also looking forward to not having to think about food, entertainment or driving for a week.

Our plane was an hour late. We started to board. People with young children were on board. 40 mins later the (full) flight was cancelled. EastJet gave us forms to fill in for refunds and escorted us back landside. We had to go back through passport control without having been anywhere. Just at the time we should have been landing in Berlin, DH arrived to pick us up and take us hime.

We booked flights + hotel as a package through an independent travel agent, who was looking for all the alternatives to get us there, but nothing doing in the time I have booked off work. She’s arranged a full refund.

Any ideas for a very last minute break this week with two disappointed teens in the UK, that involves land travel only? We’re halfway between Leeds and Sheffield.

No advice but that's awful. It's horrible being cancelled anyway but especially once you are on board😞. I really hope you find somewhere else lovely to go

Might be too local for you but we just spent a week in Scarborough hand had a ball, we did York and Whitby doing the touristy stuff, spent a fortune in the arcades, ate loads of chips on the beach.

There will be other flights to Germany.

@InfoSecInTheCity I’m thinking of Whitby/Scarbough. I refuse to go on holiday to York! I work there!

Could you not have got on another flight?

Whitby will be very expensive and busy at the moment. Lovely though if that's not an issue for you.

Could you not have got another flight with a different airline?

Surely easyJet would’ve just put you on a flight the next morning?

Find another flight to Germany? You could fly from Leeds Bradford, Manchester, indirect flights, there must be something to get you there. Did they not offer you another flight? I thought they had to offer you another flight or a refund.

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

EJ should have offered an alternative flight, even if from another airport or using another airline. Are there no other short trips to Europe available instead, ask the TA to find one (and earn their commission)?

What about Edinburgh? Great city to explore. Easy train access. Kids and I have had few great mini breaks there. Could also climb Arthur’s seat for outdoors aspect? Loads of great restaurants, hotels and the new parliament for politics and castle for history!

@marmaladeandpeanutbutter seriously, my travel agent, DH and I were looking at all the alternatives last night. There is nothing realistic within the timeframe we have. We could have gone indirect, but none if ys fancied spending the day bouncing round Europe (and the stress of joining up flights) and cutting our holiday shirt. The teens had a pretty full 4 days plan., and agreed that they’d rather do it all, later.

Agreed, perfect, except we went at Easter!

Agree it's fab but the festival is about to start so you'll be lucky to get accommodation anywhere near at this stage.

Which airport were you due to fly from?

What about London to see a show? Or Manchester?

I’m sorry your holiday was cancelled, I would be absolutely gutted.

Up to Alnwick area and do the castles/Limdisfarne?

What a shame. You’re pretty central in the U.K. so if you can’t get to Berlin or maybe somewhere like Amsterdam (that might be better for more flights?) there’s lots of options depending on exactly what you like doing. North Wales has lots of history, mountains, wildlife, beaches for instance.

@ThunderyDays Manchester, but she looked all over the northern airports. It’s irrelevant now anyway, hotel has been cancelled too.

You could fly to Brussels return for a £100 each from Manchester tomorrow and return on Friday. Have a look a Skyscanner and see what floats your boat.

Bristol, Manchester, Brighton, London?

Have you done a lot in London before? Just thinking about your history-loving teen - you cd do some of the history from a different perspective - IWM, Churchill War Rooms, London Museum Docklands, Blitz walking tour, plus lots of Tudors, Georgians etc, get the boat to Hampton Court or Greenwich, Tower of London, lots of green spaces, the 'burbs are quite quiet atm as usual at this time of year so you could perhaps stay somewhere green and gentle and get the train or tube in?

I'm sorry, very disappointing.

Could you go either on ferry over to Amsterdam, or Eurostar to Belgium/France.

Oops - didn’t think of that!

What reason did EJ give for cancelling the flight without any notice like that?

I hate to break it to you but your travel agent sounds naff.

there’s daily flights direct from Manchester to Berlin. Also from Liverpool, Birmingham, Cardiff, or even Bristol.