Looks like we're heading home!

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Hopefully you're back home now - looking forward to your update

 

[2Tiggies]

Thanks for all your kind thoughts and good wishes everyone. It really cheers us up as we're waiting for a bus back to Glasgow at Birmingham having been on the go for quite some time now to say the least. Due in to Glasgow at about 8pm this evening. FUll details to follow.

Mrs TT

Hope you're in safe TonyToon. I also hope you have the week off work this week - jet lag is bad enought but after this lot, you will need PLENTY rest.

 

[Tony Toon]

It's good to be home safe and sound albeit tired and, according to DS a bit smelly (ah well after over 50 hours since we left the comfort of our hurriedly arranged villa at Windsor Hills it's understandable - funny though that DW and I hadn't noticed ). Too tired to post any more just now but suffice to say that I don't believe the last days have been among KLM's finest with the overall impression that, apart from one or two individual exceptions, the company just wanted us and everyone in a similar situation to collect our luggage and walk away having got us to Amsterdam. The coaches which were eventually organised to get people back to the UK - destinations Heathrow, Birmingham and Manchester (in our case Heathrow??) were only allowed after signing a waiver form for any possible future claim against the company for expenses accrued to that point or for any expenses involved in getting us home to Glasgow. No food was provided at any point though bottles of water were handed out. Anyway we're home and I hope that the many families that we have met over the last week have arrived home safe and well too.

I'm off to bed!

 

[2Tiggies]

Welcome home and sweet dreams.

 

[disneyholic family]

welcome home!!!!!!!

sorry it was such a trial getting back

hope you're feeling better today after the long long long trip home...

 

[Pegasus928]

Is making you sign a waiver form even legal under those circumstances?

Even if I had signed a form I would be tempted to check out the legalities of it once the dust had settled.

Glad to hear you are back safe and sound though

 

[fav_is_tink]

Glad to hear you have finally got home safe and sound, certainly will be one holiday experience you will never forget

 

[Tony Toon]

.... So we finally made it home. After the encouraging support we received from Martinair in the first instance in Orlando their stance changed alarmingly once we had landed in Amsterdam. At Orlando airport there had been a little 'unrest' with some passengers uncomfortable about being probably one of the first long haul flights to cross the Atlantic. Police were called, passengers removed and baggage off loaded. We were told that the volcanic ash was at 20,000 feet and that extra fuel was being taken on board to allow us to fly at 36,000 feet rather than 30,000 and also to allow us to land anywhere in Europe or North Africa should it not prove possible to land in Amsterdam. In the event, Amsterdam was OK although resembled a refugee camp with many passengers having been there already 5 days. As we landed we feared the worst as we were told that as there were no ongoing flights to the UK we should pick up our luggage and make our own way home as best we could. There was no suggestion at that time of any support. It was pretty obvious that KLM really wanted rid of us. However under pressure from several hundred increasingly irate travellers they managed to organise coaches to several destinations in the UK. To cut a very long story short and only after signing KLM's waiver form we eventually got on a coach to Heathrow (via the Calais - Dover ferry) arriving about 2am. Heathrow didn't really want to have us and had security staff on most entrances but allowed us into the lower level of Terminal 1 to gain access to buses and trains which started running at 5.30. We finally managed to get a bus to Birmingham (nothing available by going into London), waited there for a further 3 hours before catching a bus to Glasgow. Earlier buses were all fully booked.

Security staff at Heathrow were amazed at the good humour of everyone and I have to say this was generally the case. It is certainly a holiday I won't forget in a hurry. Saying that, the holiday itself seems now so long ago. And you know - up until the last few days it was one of the best Disney breaks we have enjoyed. I just love the Beach Club, our first visit, its ambience, its position - in fact everything about the place - just brilliant!

Pleased to be home though - for about 10 weeks and then we go back again - VIA AMSTERDAM!!!

Oh - by the way, I requested a copy of the waiver form which we signed as I too don't believe it can be legal given the circumstances.

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

How nice to be dumped

Sounds like it was good you all stayed together to get them to organise the coaches - you should have had a welcoming party at Heathrow - not security guards!

Anyway - I'm sure Beach Club was fantastic - and you've got a good story to tell everyone

 

[Pegasus928]

Pleased to be home though - for about 10 weeks and then we go back again - VIA AMSTERDAM!!!

Oh - by the way, I requested a copy of the waiver form which we signed as I too don't believe it can be legal given the circumstances.

At least you are remembering your holiday fondly - even if the home trip will be remembered for different reasons.
I hadn't even considered that people would be reluctant to fly, especially as they would have been one of the first to test the theory that all was well - but I can understand why they would be.
And good for you getting a copy of that waiver form. It will be interesting to see how that one develops

 

[disneyholic family]

i would definitely have been reluctant to fly...
i'm pretty reluctant to fly as it is..

DH kept saying "i wouldn't want to be on the first plane across"..