Days 1-3 The Nightmare
The travellers:
Me (Sue) DH (Jorge) & DD (Rebecca)
2 Parents (DM equipped with electric wheelchair)
2 Sisters, 2 BIL, 6 Nephews & 1 Niece
Saturday 15th February
The day before
The night before: Finished work at 3pm and rushed home so that everyone could bring round their luggage and children to be stored at my house overnight. We got fish and chips to minimise the washing up and downed copious amounts of red wine. (DS says this is to combat her fear of flying!! Yeah, right) Everyone presented me with a gold necklace as a thank you for booking the holiday. What a nice gesture.
We bedded the kids down on various sofas and floors hoping that they would sleep. To my disbelief they did!! I was the one up at 5am waiting to go!!
Sunday morning 16th February.
Day 1
Arrived at Manchester airport by minibus. Checked in as soon as the desk opened and spent a couple of hours exploring the shops etc. A friend of ours was on duty on the baggage side of things so he took the kids off to look at the planes for a while. Then we were off. US Airways flight 197 to Philadelphia and then on to Orlando. Takeoff was delayed by half an hour but the captain assured us that we would land as scheduled at 3pm. He also told us that there was some snow due in Philadelphia but we should get there before it so no problem. Big mistake!! As soon as we touched down at the airport and skidded to a stop it was apparent that it had been snowing all day and the whole airport was covered in a deep, white blanket of snow. We suspected that things were about to go very wrong as there were no announcements from the cockpit regarding ongoing connections, gates etc. But we were still optimistic that the delay would be no more than a couple of hours. 45 minutes later we were finally transported off the plane and into immigration where half the world were queueing.
This was when we got our first clues as to the extent of our problems. Rumours were circulating that the airport was CLOSED, although there were no representatives from the airline around to verify the situation. It took us an hour to clear the immigration hall, getting more worried by the minute. Finally we reached the baggage hall complete bedlam. The airport was officially closed. Ours was the last plane going in or out for the foreseeable future. We found the US airways staff who were not willing to give us any assistance or accommodation. We were on our own. Luckily we managed to re-book our flights on DHs mobile but no luck with Hotel rooms.
We found the airport information desk but the man was Chinese and didnt speak English (No I am not kidding!!) We tried to go down into the terminal but were told at security that, although they would not turn us away, the airport was closed and this meant no food, drink or even heating until it re-opened. By this time it was 6pm and we were starting to get really scared. DM is disabled and we had 6 children with us staying in the airport really was not an option. Then along came our knight in shining armour in the unlikely guise of a fellow traveller from the Manchester flight. He had just managed to get a Hotel room and, knowing the size of our party had enquired direct with the hotel for us. We immediately got on the mobile and secured ourselves 4 rooms. Yeay!!!!!! (Total cost 800 pounds plus Taxi fare of $128)
Three hours in a freezing taxi queue and a nightmare journey through a blizzard and we finally arrived at the Doubletree Hotel and some warmth!!
After tucking the kids up in bed we headed for the Hotel bar. I have never been so pleased to see a bottle of Bud in my life!!
Day 2 The long boring one
We woke this morning in our warm beds and thanked God that we didnt have to spend the night in the Airport. We paid $11 per head in the Hotel restaurant for a very mediocre breakfast and the kids head off to the Hotels pool and raquetball courts.
Our saving grace, they spend much of the day in there and are quite content.
We spent much of our day wandering around the Hotel comparing notes with our fellow stranded travellers. Believe it or not we were the lucky ones. Today half the people in our Hotel cannot re-book their flights because USairways are no longer answering the reservations line. They have no idea when they will get to their destinations, most have just decided to cut their losses and get the first available flight home.
According to news reports there are over 600 people still at the airport who spent the night in one room at the terminal with no food, heating or blankets and with snow blowing in through open windows which they were unable to close (outside temperature -14) Apparently emergency blankets were eventually provided made out of tinfoil!! It could so easily have been us!!
I spent a couple of hours trying to confirm our flights with USAirways before giving up and re-arrange our PSs for DN Nicks birthday dinner at Ohana (luckily they can change it from Tuesday to Wednesday ) I also phone Dollar to make sure that the vans will be still waiting for us at Orlando.
Another evening spent in the Bar Its still snowing and the airport is still closed!!
Day 3 Journeys eventual end.
DN (Nick) 11th Birthday
Tuesday morning dawned and it had finally stopped snowing. The airport was slowly re-opening so we decided to head over there early expecting large crowds and a long wait for check-in for our 6.45pm flight. Upon arrival the crowds were there in force but we had our first pleasant surprise and managed to check-in immediately with a skycap outside. ($20 tip well spent) The enormous crowds were queuing for standby tickets and most would not be travelling today.
After a few hours at the airport we finally boarded our flight to Charlotte and then a further connection to Orlando. Poor Nick had a rotten birthday and the captain kindly wished him Happy Birthday over the tannoy, which brought a smile to his face.
When we eventually arrived at 11.30pm I could have kissed the ground I was so relieved. But fate had just a couple more things to throw at us
USAirways had kindly forgotten to load DMs electric wheelchair on the flight so we had to wait until 1.30am for it to arrive on the next flight!!!! Apparently it was still sitting on the tarmac when we took off. The sheer incompetence is mind-boggling. As it turns out this is not an inconvenience as we spent the next 2 hours trying to sort out our booking with Dollar at Orlando Airport.
Despite me phoning them yesterday they had managed to loose our booking and we had to wait 45 minutes for them to find it again. We headed out to the vans to find that they have given us two 7 seaters (for 16 people!!) Back at the desk they say they dont have any 8 seaters and try to give us one 7 and one 15 seater. But we can see two 8 seaters in their car park!! Why cant we have them?? Another 45 minutes haggling with the muppet behind the desk (Named Mustapha by the way, if you ever come across him RUN!!) and we finally had our cars. (Wednesday: We find out that Mustapha had made a balls of the insurance and Jorge is driving around without any!)
2.20am and we finally arrived at our villa on Sunset Lakes. Exhausted we just fell into bed.
Hopefully tomorrow our holiday can really begin.
The travellers:
Me (Sue) DH (Jorge) & DD (Rebecca)
2 Parents (DM equipped with electric wheelchair)
2 Sisters, 2 BIL, 6 Nephews & 1 Niece
Saturday 15th February
The day before
The night before: Finished work at 3pm and rushed home so that everyone could bring round their luggage and children to be stored at my house overnight. We got fish and chips to minimise the washing up and downed copious amounts of red wine. (DS says this is to combat her fear of flying!! Yeah, right) Everyone presented me with a gold necklace as a thank you for booking the holiday. What a nice gesture.
We bedded the kids down on various sofas and floors hoping that they would sleep. To my disbelief they did!! I was the one up at 5am waiting to go!!
Sunday morning 16th February.
Day 1
Arrived at Manchester airport by minibus. Checked in as soon as the desk opened and spent a couple of hours exploring the shops etc. A friend of ours was on duty on the baggage side of things so he took the kids off to look at the planes for a while. Then we were off. US Airways flight 197 to Philadelphia and then on to Orlando. Takeoff was delayed by half an hour but the captain assured us that we would land as scheduled at 3pm. He also told us that there was some snow due in Philadelphia but we should get there before it so no problem. Big mistake!! As soon as we touched down at the airport and skidded to a stop it was apparent that it had been snowing all day and the whole airport was covered in a deep, white blanket of snow. We suspected that things were about to go very wrong as there were no announcements from the cockpit regarding ongoing connections, gates etc. But we were still optimistic that the delay would be no more than a couple of hours. 45 minutes later we were finally transported off the plane and into immigration where half the world were queueing.
This was when we got our first clues as to the extent of our problems. Rumours were circulating that the airport was CLOSED, although there were no representatives from the airline around to verify the situation. It took us an hour to clear the immigration hall, getting more worried by the minute. Finally we reached the baggage hall complete bedlam. The airport was officially closed. Ours was the last plane going in or out for the foreseeable future. We found the US airways staff who were not willing to give us any assistance or accommodation. We were on our own. Luckily we managed to re-book our flights on DHs mobile but no luck with Hotel rooms.
We found the airport information desk but the man was Chinese and didnt speak English (No I am not kidding!!) We tried to go down into the terminal but were told at security that, although they would not turn us away, the airport was closed and this meant no food, drink or even heating until it re-opened. By this time it was 6pm and we were starting to get really scared. DM is disabled and we had 6 children with us staying in the airport really was not an option. Then along came our knight in shining armour in the unlikely guise of a fellow traveller from the Manchester flight. He had just managed to get a Hotel room and, knowing the size of our party had enquired direct with the hotel for us. We immediately got on the mobile and secured ourselves 4 rooms. Yeay!!!!!! (Total cost 800 pounds plus Taxi fare of $128)
Three hours in a freezing taxi queue and a nightmare journey through a blizzard and we finally arrived at the Doubletree Hotel and some warmth!!
After tucking the kids up in bed we headed for the Hotel bar. I have never been so pleased to see a bottle of Bud in my life!!
Day 2 The long boring one
We woke this morning in our warm beds and thanked God that we didnt have to spend the night in the Airport. We paid $11 per head in the Hotel restaurant for a very mediocre breakfast and the kids head off to the Hotels pool and raquetball courts.
Our saving grace, they spend much of the day in there and are quite content.
We spent much of our day wandering around the Hotel comparing notes with our fellow stranded travellers. Believe it or not we were the lucky ones. Today half the people in our Hotel cannot re-book their flights because USairways are no longer answering the reservations line. They have no idea when they will get to their destinations, most have just decided to cut their losses and get the first available flight home.
According to news reports there are over 600 people still at the airport who spent the night in one room at the terminal with no food, heating or blankets and with snow blowing in through open windows which they were unable to close (outside temperature -14) Apparently emergency blankets were eventually provided made out of tinfoil!! It could so easily have been us!!
I spent a couple of hours trying to confirm our flights with USAirways before giving up and re-arrange our PSs for DN Nicks birthday dinner at Ohana (luckily they can change it from Tuesday to Wednesday ) I also phone Dollar to make sure that the vans will be still waiting for us at Orlando.
Another evening spent in the Bar Its still snowing and the airport is still closed!!
Day 3 Journeys eventual end.
DN (Nick) 11th Birthday
Tuesday morning dawned and it had finally stopped snowing. The airport was slowly re-opening so we decided to head over there early expecting large crowds and a long wait for check-in for our 6.45pm flight. Upon arrival the crowds were there in force but we had our first pleasant surprise and managed to check-in immediately with a skycap outside. ($20 tip well spent) The enormous crowds were queuing for standby tickets and most would not be travelling today.
After a few hours at the airport we finally boarded our flight to Charlotte and then a further connection to Orlando. Poor Nick had a rotten birthday and the captain kindly wished him Happy Birthday over the tannoy, which brought a smile to his face.
When we eventually arrived at 11.30pm I could have kissed the ground I was so relieved. But fate had just a couple more things to throw at us
USAirways had kindly forgotten to load DMs electric wheelchair on the flight so we had to wait until 1.30am for it to arrive on the next flight!!!! Apparently it was still sitting on the tarmac when we took off. The sheer incompetence is mind-boggling. As it turns out this is not an inconvenience as we spent the next 2 hours trying to sort out our booking with Dollar at Orlando Airport.
Despite me phoning them yesterday they had managed to loose our booking and we had to wait 45 minutes for them to find it again. We headed out to the vans to find that they have given us two 7 seaters (for 16 people!!) Back at the desk they say they dont have any 8 seaters and try to give us one 7 and one 15 seater. But we can see two 8 seaters in their car park!! Why cant we have them?? Another 45 minutes haggling with the muppet behind the desk (Named Mustapha by the way, if you ever come across him RUN!!) and we finally had our cars. (Wednesday: We find out that Mustapha had made a balls of the insurance and Jorge is driving around without any!)
2.20am and we finally arrived at our villa on Sunset Lakes. Exhausted we just fell into bed.
Hopefully tomorrow our holiday can really begin.
