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Original poster

How do I get us all home?!

281 replies

CeciliaMars · 15/04/2026 00:12

I am in Europe on holiday with my husband and 3 primary school age kids. We have a hire car that only he can drive. He has badly injured his hip, he’s been to hospital and is on strong painkillers and has crutches. He can barely walk and is in agony. We are meant to be flying home on Friday. How do we get the hire car to the airport and all of us into the airport? I am going to request assistance once we get to the airport. Also at the other end, how do I get him to our car? We are a shuttle bus away from our car. He literally can’t walk and is in agony. I truly can’t figure out the logistics of this.

OP posts:
Justgorgeous · 15/04/2026 19:02

Allseeingallknowing · 15/04/2026 17:11

Perhaps she doesn’t drive! Why are some so hung up on this? She’s asking how to get home not how to drive the hire car. If she could have, she would have!

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Exactly, or maybe she’s worried about driving abroad and has never done it before. I would feel the same, especially with children. Hope you get home and your DH makes a full recovery.

fashionqueen0123 · 15/04/2026 19:06

KeyLimeCake · 15/04/2026 18:49

I know I am contributing to the derail but I'd love to hear your obvious workaround for the OP not being able to drive the hire car.

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The workaround isn't obvious - that's why people wanted to know! Its obvious that it would help provide a solution.

Sweetpea1532 · 15/04/2026 19:08

FoxandDuck · 15/04/2026 09:25

I think it’s largely irrelevant why the OP can’t drive.
OP - a couple of other things. I would start a new post saying where you are in the title. Some MNers are bound to live locally or know the area and will have useful ideas. Secondly, when you talk to the insurers, start asking about what accom they will move your DH/you to if he can’t fly home on Friday. Does he need to be in some sort of accessible accommodation? Would it be easier for him if he had a wheelchair? Finally, you might want to see if you can increase your credit card limit. Whilst the insurers should reimburse you, it may take a while and, in the meantime, this is the sort of situation where you can start building up costs quite quickly.
Sorry if I am being really brutal here. We’ve had a couple of situations on holiday which I have initially minimised as I didn’t want to accept that our much anticipated holiday was going to be anything other than a fun filled and relaxing break. I also focussed on what seemed to me at the time to be the biggest issue. Once my brain had caught up and I’d accepted that we had a situation to deal with, I was better able to appreciate the magnitude of things I had to deal with.

This is a brilliant idea @CeciliaMars
As seen in the past, most Mumsnetters are the most caring and kind people in the world. They love to help another Mumsnetter in distress!
I hope things settle down so you can have peace with the situation. Also, sending healing prayers for your DH 💐

JudgeJ · 15/04/2026 19:17

CeciliaMars · 15/04/2026 00:30

We have insurance which is paying for his clinic visit and medication. It’s the logistics side of it that I’m struggling with. I think I will have to phone the hire company to come and get the car, then pay for a taxi. And yes at the other end I think we’ll have to get a taxi to take him to our car. I will request airport assistance in the morning. With the amount of pain he’s in, there’s no way he’s going to be walking normally in 2 days. He can barely make it to the bathroom. Not on a package holiday sadly. Thank you for all your answers.

You will have insurance with the car hire company, phone them, they will have protocols for dealing with problems like this and can sort it out. Depending on how bad he is injured, will your travel insurance pay for him being medically flown back to the UK rather than in a cramped aircraft seat?

WaitingForMojo · 15/04/2026 19:18

fashionqueen0123 · 15/04/2026 16:20

We don't know if it has anything to do with her not wanting to drive abroad? You're assuming that.

Because she hasn't said!

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I’m not assuming anything.

But that’s what these posters want her to say, so they can have a go.

MMUmum · 15/04/2026 19:26

CeciliaMars · 15/04/2026 00:30

We have insurance which is paying for his clinic visit and medication. It’s the logistics side of it that I’m struggling with. I think I will have to phone the hire company to come and get the car, then pay for a taxi. And yes at the other end I think we’ll have to get a taxi to take him to our car. I will request airport assistance in the morning. With the amount of pain he’s in, there’s no way he’s going to be walking normally in 2 days. He can barely make it to the bathroom. Not on a package holiday sadly. Thank you for all your answers.

Does yr insurance have repatriation cover?

ThisTaupeZebra · 15/04/2026 19:36

rainbowunicorn · 15/04/2026 11:33

Really? How short are you? I am barely 5 foot with a short leg length, even petite length trousers have to be taken up and have driven everything from a mini to a 7ton truck with pretty much every size car in between. I have never not been able to safely reach all the pedals.

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How big are your feet, though?

tartyflette · 15/04/2026 19:47

Octavia64 · 15/04/2026 08:45

Call the airline and book wheelchair assistance.

i’m disabled and they can lend a wheelchair both ends and someone to push it. There are aisle wheelchairs to get him down inside the plane if he needs it.

Also see if you can book an extra seat for him so he has more space to get as comfortable as possible. Think he will need an aisle seat in any case so an aisle and middle? Insurance will probably pay but best to check.

Ohnobackagain · 15/04/2026 19:50

@CeciliaMars you often need to request airport assistance 48 hours ahead, so bear that in mind.

Besafeeatcake · 15/04/2026 19:51

Which city are you in and where are you staying - a local can help.

Taxi can drop you off at door. Airport can have a wheelchair for you. Can he sit on the plane?

TheDenimPoet · 15/04/2026 19:56

luckylavender · 15/04/2026 14:52

It's absolutely none of your business

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Right. Then I can't help.

WearyLeader · 15/04/2026 19:59

Whether she cannot drive or just doesn’t want to will affect how her insurance company will treat her - that’s partly why people are asking. If the cheapest solution for them is just to add her to the policy, they’ll try and make her do that. If she just doesn’t want to drive it’ll be more likely that it’s at their discretion whether they extend more - costlier - help. Such as taxis. But OP really just needs to speak to her insurance company as all this speculation on her means nothing. All that matters is what she can negotiate with the insurer, ideally with the aid of reports from local doctors/ hospitals etc.

Caulkhead25 · 15/04/2026 20:01

I used to work as an emergency travel assistance co-ordinator; you should call the emergency assistance number on your policy and they should be able to help you.

Bulbsbulbsbulbs · 15/04/2026 20:02

Frangle · 15/04/2026 17:09

I'm struggling to think of a scenario in which the op can't drive the car which can be worked around. I assume it's not insurance because that's been suggested already. Her not wanting to is a perfectly valid reason.
I'm honestly not sure what else there could be.

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It could be that the hire car is manual and she can only drive automatic.

Brideofclover · 15/04/2026 20:04

Bulbsbulbsbulbs · 15/04/2026 20:02

It could be that the hire car is manual and she can only drive automatic.

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Was just going to say this!

Dalmationday · 15/04/2026 20:06

CeciliaMars · 15/04/2026 10:37

Why are people obsessed with me not driving the car? I’ve said I can’t and I’m asking for advice based on that. If it were as simple as getting myself added to the insurance, of course I would. We have been on the phone to the insurance company and the hire car company and are waiting on phone calls back. Just want to be at home now 😞

very curious why you can’t drive the car.

guessing it’s because it’s a manual and you can only drive an automatic. Or you’re scared about driving abroad

Original poster
CeciliaMars · 15/04/2026 20:08

We have requested airport assistance, the hire company is coming to pick up the car, my husband is going to get a fit to fly certificate tomorrow morning… then we just need to book a taxi to the airport and get him down 4 flights of stairs on crutches and in agony! Thanks for all the advice.

OP posts:
tartyflette · 15/04/2026 20:13

CeciliaMars · 15/04/2026 20:08

We have requested airport assistance, the hire company is coming to pick up the car, my husband is going to get a fit to fly certificate tomorrow morning… then we just need to book a taxi to the airport and get him down 4 flights of stairs on crutches and in agony! Thanks for all the advice.

Good luck with the journey, hope it all goes well for you. I’m sure it will be a relief when you finally get back home, hopefully your DH may be able to source some chunky pain meds too.

Strangerdanger1 · 15/04/2026 20:14

Your insurance company should help you with all this. My husband broke an ankle mountain biking in Canada.

The insurance people paid hospital bills and ambulance fees, rebooked flights as business class so he had a pod thing to keep leg elevated, organised taxis and help with luggage at the airport. He was collected by an ambulance from the runway at Heathrow and I was taxied to Gatwick to collect the car.

I made one phone call the whole time and supplied them with the passport details when they rang at 2am to confirm flights for the following day.

Our insurance was through our bank account, nothing fancy.

Hope the car people have been useful - if you’re in a hotel, are the staff able to help with the car?

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 15/04/2026 20:17

tartyflette · 15/04/2026 20:13

Good luck with the journey, hope it all goes well for you. I’m sure it will be a relief when you finally get back home, hopefully your DH may be able to source some chunky pain meds too.

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Hope it all goes well. This must have been a really difficult time.. At a stage where you can count the hours until you are all safely tucked up at home. Wishing you all the best

keepswimming38 · 15/04/2026 20:20

Is he fit to fly? He might need repatriation flight on a stretcher.

garlictwist · 15/04/2026 20:21

@CeciliaMarsjust wondering if you don’t mind my asking how your husband sustained this injury? Only because my son had a similar thing when we were abroad but because it wasn’t the fault of anyone else we had a few issues with the insurance.

MacchiatoMavis · 15/04/2026 20:39

Has anyone asked why the OP can't drive the hire car yet?

Oh and has anyone mentioned fit-to-fly certificates?

Tinytimmy123 · 15/04/2026 20:45

MacchiatoMavis · 15/04/2026 20:39

Has anyone asked why the OP can't drive the hire car yet?

Oh and has anyone mentioned fit-to-fly certificates?

No not mentioned yet...just as well youre here to remind us all 🤣🤣🤣😘

Good luck OP you'll be glad to get home.

TheAutumnCrow · 15/04/2026 20:46

CeciliaMars · 15/04/2026 20:08

We have requested airport assistance, the hire company is coming to pick up the car, my husband is going to get a fit to fly certificate tomorrow morning… then we just need to book a taxi to the airport and get him down 4 flights of stairs on crutches and in agony! Thanks for all the advice.

That’s great, well done. And good luck with the stairs Flowers