YOUR VIEWS

CHAOS AT PALMA AIRPORT
WE all know about the French Air Traffic controllers and their selfish attitude toward the millions of flyer's around Europe. We all know the devastation they cause to individual travellers, whether they be young or old. However, the attitude of staff at Palma Airport when they have the problems of delayed and cancelled flights is almost on a par with the French.

I have had the unfortunate experience twice in the last few weeks of being bumped off a cancelled flight, both occasions I was flying with easyJet (a mis-nomer if ever I heard one) and both times to Liverpool.

My first flight a few weeks ago was the last flight of the day to Liverpool, eleven something in the evening. I had only hand luggage (there was no air traffic problems), and walked through the security as normal.

I looked at the boards for information as saw “wait in lounge”, this I did up until 11pm when I overheard talk that the flight was cancelled. The passengers who had bags to check in were told the flight was cancelled, those of us with hand luggage were left floundering around the departure area. The attitude of the easyJet staff when confronted with our problem was one of total disinterest. The saga goes on an on from that point, but you get the flavour.

Tonight, I took an 81 year old lady to the airport for a flight to Liverpool. The easyJet web told me the incoming flight was on time. The lady in question arrived early and went through with hand luggage only. I went back to my house in Santa Ponsa and checked the web site on easyJet arrivals at 19.30 hrs to be informed that the flight was on time. We left 15 minutes later for dinner.

The 81 year old lady tells me the information board said the flight was delayed until 19.55. Shortly after the flight was shown to be delayed until 20.55. After that the flight was wiped off the board completely with no information what so ever. Let me remind you she is 81 years old. There was no-one to give her information and she had to rely on passengers to suggest where she should go.

Because the easyJet staff can see no further than a cluster of passengers, they cannot see that there are certain passengers that NEED extra help. When she asked for the use of a telephone to ring me to tell me what was going on, she was told to go to the back of the queue and wait to be attended to. Fortunately a kindly gentleman rang me on his cell phone and I drove to the airport to collect her. She is now severely traumatised by this experience when a little bit of concern and understanding would have worked wonders. She is now resting at my home not knowing when easyJet will get her home because she was physically unable to wait in line with all the other passengers to find out when she can fly home.

As a matter of interest, when I arrived home I again went to the Arrivals web site for easyJet. Surprise, surprise, the flight to Liverpool was listed as ON TIME! Customer care at easyJet is non existent. Get your act together

Cliff Finch