Bulgaria Ski discussion board
Tale of woe !
Author:PowderSeekingPhil
posts : 407 (Expert)Date : 12-23-09 19:15re: Tale of woe !
Hey Charliei'm a glass half full kinda guy and like spreading good news. As Ivan Drago says in Rocky IIII - "if he dies he dies" We will just have to fly with somone else won't we.
If you and From Experiance wanna be half empty all the time then so be it - just mail each other while the rest of us look forward to our holidays!
Happy Christmas
re: Tale of woe !
Just like to add to this:
I booked Easyjet flights for the weekend to Geneva (Snowboarding in Avoriaz - awesome by the way, but more than double what I'd have spent going to Bansko!). On our return all flights cancelled into Gatwick because of the snow.
Easyjet put us up in a hotel for the night (a decent one at that) and got us on the next available flight. No charges. To suggest charter flights are less likely to be cancelled is just ridiculous. Easyjet don't want to cancel flights ...
I booked Easyjet flights for the weekend to Geneva (Snowboarding in Avoriaz - awesome by the way, but more than double what I'd have spent going to Bansko!). On our return all flights cancelled into Gatwick because of the snow.
Easyjet put us up in a hotel for the night (a decent one at that) and got us on the next available flight. No charges. To suggest charter flights are less likely to be cancelled is just ridiculous. Easyjet don't want to cancel flights ...
Just like to add to this:
I booked Easyjet flights for the weekend to Geneva (Snowboarding in Avoriaz - awesome by the way, but more than double what I'd have spent going to Bansko!). On our return all flights cancelled into Gatwick because of the snow.
Easyjet put us up in a hotel for the night (a decent one at that) and got us on the next available flight. No charges. To suggest charter flights are less likely to be cancelled is just ridiculous. Easyjet don't want to cancel flights anymore than anybody else. It costs them a fortune. Gatwick (or BAA) are the ones I blame - by all accounts there was hardly any snow. Pathetic that in this country we can't deal with that. Then they took over an hour to unload baggage. Again, though - this is BAA not Easyjet.
They stopped the flights into Gatwick on Monday - do you think they would have re-opened what was apparently an unsafe runway but only for charter flights???
I'm not saying EJ are amazing, but in my experience they're as good as anyone else. Package companies are definitely not better or more reliable (from experience!) and it's just an illusion of security to think so. They are however simpler, and you only deal with one booking - so if that's what you want then fine.
Someone asked if all Insurance companies are complete B*stards. I think the answer is that if they can possibly (and legally) get out paying for anything then they generally will. So, in other words - yes!
Matt
I booked Easyjet flights for the weekend to Geneva (Snowboarding in Avoriaz - awesome by the way, but more than double what I'd have spent going to Bansko!). On our return all flights cancelled into Gatwick because of the snow.
Easyjet put us up in a hotel for the night (a decent one at that) and got us on the next available flight. No charges. To suggest charter flights are less likely to be cancelled is just ridiculous. Easyjet don't want to cancel flights anymore than anybody else. It costs them a fortune. Gatwick (or BAA) are the ones I blame - by all accounts there was hardly any snow. Pathetic that in this country we can't deal with that. Then they took over an hour to unload baggage. Again, though - this is BAA not Easyjet.
They stopped the flights into Gatwick on Monday - do you think they would have re-opened what was apparently an unsafe runway but only for charter flights???
I'm not saying EJ are amazing, but in my experience they're as good as anyone else. Package companies are definitely not better or more reliable (from experience!) and it's just an illusion of security to think so. They are however simpler, and you only deal with one booking - so if that's what you want then fine.
Someone asked if all Insurance companies are complete B*stards. I think the answer is that if they can possibly (and legally) get out paying for anything then they generally will. So, in other words - yes!
Matt
re: Tale of woe !
Matt,We're off to Avoriaz and the general PDS first week of February. With all the recent snowfall and cold temps, I suspect that there will be a good solid base with plenty of fresh powder by the time we arrive - yahooo!
re: Tale of woe !
Matsville, BAA do not own Gatwick any longer, get your facts straight.
For the record, I support From Experience, he does seem to be simply warning you against the pitfulls of budget airlines, from his experience.
I have also heard rumours Wizz Air is on the brink. A rapid expansion leaves airlines extremely vunerable, especially as new routes are often operated with low load factors!
In The Know
re: Tale of woe !
Rapid expansion is normally at the risk of large borrowing, perhaps paddy power knows a little more about the financial situation within wizz than we do.It would be a shame if paddy power is right, hope wizz are ok and wish them a prosperous 2010, it seems there are plenty of potential customers on this forum.
re: Tale of woe !
i think from memory, they were favourites at PP this time last year too!
re: Tale of woe !
does anyone think there might be a healt and safty issue here also?
re: Tale of woe !
Interesting read, and a number of points discussed 
The only ones i can comment on are those that directly effect us, my sons cancelled flight, and the position my guest found himself in...
Regarding the booking of a package to get my son out, a) the cost ?? b) the date ?? c) and the return ??, all of which would have been a problem. Hinesight is a wonderful thing, but i feel on this occasion would have made no differance... My gripe is not with Wizz/Easyjet/etc, its with Gatwick... Why ...
The only ones i can comment on are those that directly effect us, my sons cancelled flight, and the position my guest found himself in...
Regarding the booking of a package to get my son out, a) the cost ?? b) the date ?? c) and the return ??, all of which would have been a problem. Hinesight is a wonderful thing, but i feel on this occasion would have made no differance... My gripe is not with Wizz/Easyjet/etc, its with Gatwick... Why ...
Interesting read, and a number of points discussed
The only ones i can comment on are those that directly effect us, my sons cancelled flight, and the position my guest found himself in...
Regarding the booking of a package to get my son out, a) the cost ?? b) the date ?? c) and the return ??, all of which would have been a problem. Hinesight is a wonderful thing, but i feel on this occasion would have made no differance... My gripe is not with Wizz/Easyjet/etc, its with Gatwick... Why can they not open when it snows ???????? Its not rocket science, if Sofia can do it, then they should be able to
As for the fella with the broken pelvis, he was put up in a hotel for two days at Easyjets expense, and eventually made it home on the Sunday. They supplied him with a wheelchair for the period and arranged assistance to load him from bus to plane etc. As for his insurers not honouring their commitment, im afraid my own experience where insurance companies are concerned tends to mirror his.... if they can find a way out, they will
Granted, i have never been abandaned in a foriegn country...
As for medical care here, he did recieve treatment, and only had to pay for the drugs (painkilling) he was advised to take... and injections...
Now, as for the comment regarding vested interests like transfer companies and apartment owners ??? Its makes me laugh With the number of apartments in Bansko even considering the owners themselves using them, it represents a huge percentage of the visitor numbers, are you suggesting that they should book a package ??.. as for my interests, lets refer to the poor fella who was injured, he was staying in a hotel...
Packages can offer great value, and a peace of mind maybe, but they are not for everyone... and as a closing point, have you seen the costs of staying here over the Christmas and New Year with Balkan
The only ones i can comment on are those that directly effect us, my sons cancelled flight, and the position my guest found himself in...
Regarding the booking of a package to get my son out, a) the cost ?? b) the date ?? c) and the return ??, all of which would have been a problem. Hinesight is a wonderful thing, but i feel on this occasion would have made no differance... My gripe is not with Wizz/Easyjet/etc, its with Gatwick... Why can they not open when it snows ???????? Its not rocket science, if Sofia can do it, then they should be able to
As for the fella with the broken pelvis, he was put up in a hotel for two days at Easyjets expense, and eventually made it home on the Sunday. They supplied him with a wheelchair for the period and arranged assistance to load him from bus to plane etc. As for his insurers not honouring their commitment, im afraid my own experience where insurance companies are concerned tends to mirror his.... if they can find a way out, they will
Granted, i have never been abandaned in a foriegn country... As for medical care here, he did recieve treatment, and only had to pay for the drugs (painkilling) he was advised to take... and injections...
Now, as for the comment regarding vested interests like transfer companies and apartment owners ??? Its makes me laugh
With the number of apartments in Bansko even considering the owners themselves using them, it represents a huge percentage of the visitor numbers, are you suggesting that they should book a package ??.. as for my interests, lets refer to the poor fella who was injured, he was staying in a hotel...Packages can offer great value, and a peace of mind maybe, but they are not for everyone... and as a closing point, have you seen the costs of staying here over the Christmas and New Year with Balkan
re: Tale of woe !
Well put Steve C!!!Merry Christmas to you and your family
re: Tale of woe !
Yeah, but all Balkan Holidays clients are enjoying their holidays, unlike some others!!
In regards to Gatwick, I would just add it is not simply a case of keeping the runway clear, they have to de-ice every single plane. In Sofia, when there are a handle full of flights its not a problem, however in Gatwick with a flight every minute it is a very different story.
Finlly, Sofia being an Eastern European have a lot of experience of these weather conditions, whereas airports in the UK ...
Yeah, but all Balkan Holidays clients are enjoying their holidays, unlike some others!!
In regards to Gatwick, I would just add it is not simply a case of keeping the runway clear, they have to de-ice every single plane. In Sofia, when there are a handle full of flights its not a problem, however in Gatwick with a flight every minute it is a very different story.
Finlly, Sofia being an Eastern European have a lot of experience of these weather conditions, whereas airports in the UK face them once in a blue moon, so not so experienced.
In The Know
