A tale of what can go wrong with a straightforward flight from Gatwick to St Lucia.
Firstly the flight departed on time from Gatwick with an expected landing time of 12.15pm - from Captain ****** - unfortunately due to a torrential downpour after 3 aborted landing attempts we flew to Martinique to refuel with the intention of returning to St Lucia as soon as the storm passed.
After staying on the plane during refueling, we were ready to pushback and after noticing the crew peering out of the still open door- we guessed something was wrong and later were informed that the gantry had caused a 10' gash in the fuselage just in front of the wing.
The Captain again informed us that this could be fixed with 'speed tape' - many jokes about ducktape in the cabin and relief we would only be flying at low altitude for our 20 min hop over to St Lucia - but there may be problems in that no Virgin engineer was available and we would have to wait for clearance from London.
So far so good - just unfortunate events. However time seemed to pass and nothing happened.
We landed in Martinique at 1.15pm, and at 5.15pm the Captain then made the last official announcement that the plane was fit to fly but the delay had meant that the crew's hours had now been exceeded and we would be moved into a transit lounge.
We had spent 8 1/2 hours flying and 4 hours on the tarmac on the plane. Whilst on the tarmac the plane was very hot, stuffy and there was no food or drinks - only 2 small cups of water were available - and one of these was served by a passenger. I asked if there was any food - but was told there was none left.
We were relieved to be getting off the plane, no air con for 4 hours in a 90 degree temp is not pleasant.However Captain ****** then informed us that we could not get off yet as the local police wished to inspect the damage, and told us if there was any trouble the crew had the right to arrest the passengers!! Quite bizarre as it had been really good natured.
At 5.35 we entered the departure lounge, found a space on the floor - not enough seats and waited - some 15mins later 2 stewardesses apparently brought up 8 cartons of juice and 10 bottles of Buxton water from the plane and left them on a table - no announcement and when I walked down it had all gone. I believe there were 475 passengers on the flight, and in this lounge there was 1 solitary lady manning a coffee bar and a duty free shop - and of course being French did not accept East Caribbean Dollars - only Euros! The only food or drink I could get was a Toblerone on my credit card.
The crew departed unannounced at 6.30pm with rumours that we were flying later that night with a replacement crew flying in from St Lucia with a plane chartered from St Vincent - no official announcements - we got information by phoning St Lucia airport who told us that the departing passengers had been sent back to their hotels 'hours ago' and that there was no flight tonight.
Tried ringing Virgin in London with no joy. It was now 9.15pm, 8 hours after landing in Martinique - with 2 sips of water and half a toblerone between myself and my wife in this time - we were hungry, tired and fed up of having no information or assistance and the shop had closed. One passenger was playing his guitar, others were scattered all over the lounge sleeping and children either crying or playing.
A French speaking airport worker appeared and tried to inform us that we were staying the night. He had no PA system so an enterprising passenger stood on the desk and translated and announced for him. Shortly after this we (the passengers) organised desks for families with children, elderly and others to get hotel vouchers, and were initially told only 40 rooms were available so we prioritised these. Later other rooms were available and at 10.30 pm we left the departure lounge - some 9 plus hours after landing and still no food - and moved to the front of the airport to queue for a further 1 hour 15 mins for a coach to an unknown hotel somewhere in Martinique with only the clothes we stood in.
We arrived at Hotel Pegerie at 12.15am - now 11 hours after landing - to find no food available at the hotel - and none locally apart from a Casino which I walked too but didn't have any Euros or my passport. The hotel was clean and basic but better than what had gone on previously and at least we could drink some water. We went to bed not knowing what time to get up - no communication from anyone - just rumour about a 10am 12midday or 2 pm flight - the hotel awoke us at 7am for breakfast- first food apart from Toblerone for 20 hours!
We were told by hotel receptionist- we translated - that flight would be 12.30 midday and off we went at 10am for the 40 min drive. At Martinique airport- disorganised- no Virgin rep anywhere - and crew- same as previous day, arrived and crossed the road rather than walk close to a group of 10 passengers - quite rude and insulting - everyone understood it was not their fault. Anyhow boarded and landed in St lucia at 1.15pm , 24 hours later than planned,and 36 hours after arriving at Gatwick.
St Lucia airport didn't seem prepared for such a number of passengers arriving having only 2 passport desks open initially and again long queues, which meant we didnt arrive at our hotel till almost 4 pm- and today was my wife's birthday and the holiday was her present. Not great as we were still in the same clothes smelly and pretty tired and had lost a day of our 7 day holiday.
The initial weather and accident in Martinique were beyond Virgin's control but after they occurred I feel the passengers were just dumped in Martinique airport and left to fend for ourselves - there was no communication from anyone from Virgin - just passenger speculation and but for the hard work of a few French airport staff we would have spent the night on the floor. Surely it would have been possible to keep us informed - provide some refreshments either at the airport or the hotels - did nobody realise we had the wrong currency etc- All in all I guess not Virgin's best customer care, and it shows how isolated you are if you land unexpectedly at an airport with no Virgin services, and how difficult it is when all you have is what you are wearing - I will carry more clothes and a telephone number of the airline in the future!
{Edited by Decker for spelling, punctuation, grammar and legibility plus conformance with site rules re: staff names (not allowed without express permission)}
Firstly the flight departed on time from Gatwick with an expected landing time of 12.15pm - from Captain ****** - unfortunately due to a torrential downpour after 3 aborted landing attempts we flew to Martinique to refuel with the intention of returning to St Lucia as soon as the storm passed.
After staying on the plane during refueling, we were ready to pushback and after noticing the crew peering out of the still open door- we guessed something was wrong and later were informed that the gantry had caused a 10' gash in the fuselage just in front of the wing.
The Captain again informed us that this could be fixed with 'speed tape' - many jokes about ducktape in the cabin and relief we would only be flying at low altitude for our 20 min hop over to St Lucia - but there may be problems in that no Virgin engineer was available and we would have to wait for clearance from London.
So far so good - just unfortunate events. However time seemed to pass and nothing happened.
We landed in Martinique at 1.15pm, and at 5.15pm the Captain then made the last official announcement that the plane was fit to fly but the delay had meant that the crew's hours had now been exceeded and we would be moved into a transit lounge.
We had spent 8 1/2 hours flying and 4 hours on the tarmac on the plane. Whilst on the tarmac the plane was very hot, stuffy and there was no food or drinks - only 2 small cups of water were available - and one of these was served by a passenger. I asked if there was any food - but was told there was none left.
We were relieved to be getting off the plane, no air con for 4 hours in a 90 degree temp is not pleasant.However Captain ****** then informed us that we could not get off yet as the local police wished to inspect the damage, and told us if there was any trouble the crew had the right to arrest the passengers!! Quite bizarre as it had been really good natured.
At 5.35 we entered the departure lounge, found a space on the floor - not enough seats and waited - some 15mins later 2 stewardesses apparently brought up 8 cartons of juice and 10 bottles of Buxton water from the plane and left them on a table - no announcement and when I walked down it had all gone. I believe there were 475 passengers on the flight, and in this lounge there was 1 solitary lady manning a coffee bar and a duty free shop - and of course being French did not accept East Caribbean Dollars - only Euros! The only food or drink I could get was a Toblerone on my credit card.
The crew departed unannounced at 6.30pm with rumours that we were flying later that night with a replacement crew flying in from St Lucia with a plane chartered from St Vincent - no official announcements - we got information by phoning St Lucia airport who told us that the departing passengers had been sent back to their hotels 'hours ago' and that there was no flight tonight.
Tried ringing Virgin in London with no joy. It was now 9.15pm, 8 hours after landing in Martinique - with 2 sips of water and half a toblerone between myself and my wife in this time - we were hungry, tired and fed up of having no information or assistance and the shop had closed. One passenger was playing his guitar, others were scattered all over the lounge sleeping and children either crying or playing.
A French speaking airport worker appeared and tried to inform us that we were staying the night. He had no PA system so an enterprising passenger stood on the desk and translated and announced for him. Shortly after this we (the passengers) organised desks for families with children, elderly and others to get hotel vouchers, and were initially told only 40 rooms were available so we prioritised these. Later other rooms were available and at 10.30 pm we left the departure lounge - some 9 plus hours after landing and still no food - and moved to the front of the airport to queue for a further 1 hour 15 mins for a coach to an unknown hotel somewhere in Martinique with only the clothes we stood in.
We arrived at Hotel Pegerie at 12.15am - now 11 hours after landing - to find no food available at the hotel - and none locally apart from a Casino which I walked too but didn't have any Euros or my passport. The hotel was clean and basic but better than what had gone on previously and at least we could drink some water. We went to bed not knowing what time to get up - no communication from anyone - just rumour about a 10am 12midday or 2 pm flight - the hotel awoke us at 7am for breakfast- first food apart from Toblerone for 20 hours!
We were told by hotel receptionist- we translated - that flight would be 12.30 midday and off we went at 10am for the 40 min drive. At Martinique airport- disorganised- no Virgin rep anywhere - and crew- same as previous day, arrived and crossed the road rather than walk close to a group of 10 passengers - quite rude and insulting - everyone understood it was not their fault. Anyhow boarded and landed in St lucia at 1.15pm , 24 hours later than planned,and 36 hours after arriving at Gatwick.
St Lucia airport didn't seem prepared for such a number of passengers arriving having only 2 passport desks open initially and again long queues, which meant we didnt arrive at our hotel till almost 4 pm- and today was my wife's birthday and the holiday was her present. Not great as we were still in the same clothes smelly and pretty tired and had lost a day of our 7 day holiday.
The initial weather and accident in Martinique were beyond Virgin's control but after they occurred I feel the passengers were just dumped in Martinique airport and left to fend for ourselves - there was no communication from anyone from Virgin - just passenger speculation and but for the hard work of a few French airport staff we would have spent the night on the floor. Surely it would have been possible to keep us informed - provide some refreshments either at the airport or the hotels - did nobody realise we had the wrong currency etc- All in all I guess not Virgin's best customer care, and it shows how isolated you are if you land unexpectedly at an airport with no Virgin services, and how difficult it is when all you have is what you are wearing - I will carry more clothes and a telephone number of the airline in the future!
{Edited by Decker for spelling, punctuation, grammar and legibility plus conformance with site rules re: staff names (not allowed without express permission)}
