Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Just received notification from balkan that the Manchester flights are cancelled and offering Newcastle - with an hour stop in Edinburgh. I know Pete mentioned these changes a few days ago, but somehow I missed it so wasn't prepared for this.

Been looking into ways of getting to Newcastle & back, but it's a logistical nightmare & stupidly expensive. Balkan offering standard £20 per adult compensation for 'major change' - useless!

Anyone else caught out unawares? Can't have been too many people booked from Mancs, otherwise they wouldn't have pulled the flight I suppose, but we can't be the only ones?!

Have emailed and telephoned Balkan to see if anything else can be done but nowt back as yet. May need to cancel wait for refund then scout round for an alternative holiday.

Any advice? hints? tips? suggestions?

Kitty - when my flight was changed it was from Bristol to Heathrow so it made very little difference to me as the distances are not that different.

However, I did protest and ended up getting both our lift passes for free (approx. £140 worth).

My advice would be to ask to speak to the manager at Balkan who is Craig Masters. I found him very helpful, understanding and professional.

Mention that you are a poster on here as that seemed to have a big effect on my conversation with him.

Good luck.

Ta for replying

Due out March 15. (originally March 14, this will be the fourth, and most ridiculous, change).

Had an email back from Paul Wiseman, - after I asked for, at least, confirmation that they had read my mail and were dealing with it. He says "We have received your email and your request has been sent to our Director for a decision".

I need a TARDIS or somesuch! How the flippery do we get three to Newcastle on a Sunday morning? Also is there any way of properly guaranteeing that this flight will actually be going? If half the passengers affected by this change decide to cancel will that mean an end to this flight as well? (I'm imagining there will be people booked on the Manc flight a lot further away from Newcastle than we are?!

Cripes!

We were due to go from Manchester on Sat 21st Feb to Plovdiv, then it got changed to Sun 22nd to Sofia, so a lot longer transfer (and with 3 young kids in tow too so wasn't great) then the flight times got changed AGAIN (so a third change at that point) on the Sunday and, due to lack of demand, we were told we were flying scheduled and with Bulgaria Air.

So checked BAir's website, flight times different to those Balkan had given us via our agents First Choice, only 30 mins different on outbound flight but coming home Balkan had said we were due to leave mid afternoon but found BAir flight from Sofia to Man was at 7.30 AM on the Sunday morning 28th Feb, meaning would have to leave Pamps prob not long after midnight. And could be no other flight as BAir only fly to Man once a week on the Sun, one flight there, one flight back.

Anyways after some calls etc we were offered a full refund via the travel agents and to be fair Balkan were very good in dealing with us - just think they'd been misled maybe by BAir, don't honestly know and don't want to libel myself!!!

Granted was a big headache and stressful to sort out but to cut long story short we're now off to Austria on the 21st instead for not too much more money. More of a headache as are 11 of us going and 6 had already paid to fly over here from Ireland first. But that's all been sorted too.

Hasn't put me off using Balkan at all I think they were just unfortunate that demand is down this year and they're a victim themsleves of low bookings. I know other people have had simlar experiences with Neilson and going to Italy etc. Not that it's a lot of comfort but I know what you're gojng through, was exactly the same for me a fortnight ago but it will get sorted am sure. Good luck.