When you travel are you prepared for an emergency?

[Kath2003]

Plus, were talking thousands of passengers that got stranded by even one airline. I don't think they even want to open that door of letting a couple people use their phones. They'd get a floodgate of people standing in line behind, demanding the same priviledge. Aren't these the SAME airlines that won't pay for their hotel fares and are possibly charging them re-booking fees?

Within the EU, every airline is obligated to supply their stranded passengers with accommodation and adequate food. If you are travelling anywhere in the world with a EU-based airline (e.g. you are stranded in California because your British Airways flight isn't operating), you are entitled to the same thing. We made the mistake of booking with a US company and like the next poster said, we are adults and we have had to pay our for all out expenses as a result of this. We won't be travelling with anything other than an EU-based airline ever again (although it will be years before we are able and/or willing to travel again).

This is now our fifth night of being stranded. We do have trip insurance but it's not even touching our daily costs of accommodation and food, and they won't pay a dime until we return home and can send off the endless paperwork showing that we were in fact stranded. We can beg and borrow from family if this continues beyond our means but hope not to have to do this. Eventually we will have to resort to sleeping in airports like others. We are fortunate to be in our situation: we are safe, warm and have adequate accommodation and food. We are grateful for all the support we have been given from everyone we have met, our family and friends, and our employers who have been very understanding.

Even in cheap hotels, you're looking at $50 per night for a couple. If a couple are stranded for two weeks, that's $700 in accommodation alone. Even well-prepared people are going to run out of funds soon.

 

[golfgal]

People should always plan for erupting volcanoes from other countries, and possibly spending an extra 2 weeks away from home.



:

No, not a volcano but what if you got sick while on vacation and ended up in the hospital? That is a more likely situation. Like I said, traveling without a penny to your name is quite foolish to begin with.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Makes me think of DISers who use paycheck funds and every penny from savings account to go on their trip. These people count on their paycheck being direct deposited while on vacation so they can continue on.

BUT, will this family get a next paycheck if they are not back home to work for it? Maybe they've used up all their time off. So they won't even be getting more money to help them next week.

I cannot image taking a trip that used up every penny I had and needed paycheck to make it work.

No, not a volcano but what if you got sick while on vacation and ended up in the hospital? That is a more likely situation. Like I said, traveling without a penny to your name is quite foolish to begin with.

I agree with these posters. I abslolutly feel for those stuck in this mess and I know I would be worried about having to pay for it--and I think those who are raising their prices are really in the wrong, HOWEVER I do think the likelihood of being stuck somewhere for a few weeks (due to flight issues, sickness, car accident, etc.) is high enough when travelling that one should not do so if one does not have some sort of emergency back up funds to handle such a situation--if if those funds are credit cards that you can rely on in the short term and figure out how to pay later. If only adults are involved (no kids travelling or waiting at home for you) and you want to take the risk of having to sleep in airports (which, BTW, is not that terrible for the typical healthy adult or child old enough not to wander away--been there with a 1 y/o and a 3 y/o and could not leave for a hotel because no one knew when our plane would be repaired and leaving; it is not a tragedy to sleep on a floor--just uncomfortable) and eat crackers for a while that is fine--but then don't complain too loudly when it happens. Grumble, yes--I think everyone deserves to grumble a little at out of control situations, but accept responsibility for having put yourself into the situation.

 

[teskak]

A colleague's 18 year old daughter is on a school trip to Sweden & Norway, and was due to fly back today.

This girl has her mum do everything for her - and would not listen to her mother for anything that was remotely practical. The school said take $370 in spending money as most of the food was included with the school trip. Her mother said take $500 - but no Jnr knows best.

Her mother bought her thermal undergarments asWest Aussie kids do not normally see snow so we do not normally have the cold weather gear somebody in the Northern USA would have. So now the little darling is in Scandanvia, in snow in clothes which are best suited for an Orlando winter (if that), and who has run out of money now that they have to pay for accommodation and will not be seeing a plane for about a week - if that!

Also the daughter refused to take an ATM card with her so unless her mother goes to Western Union, there is no way to put money into the child's account. Looks like she will be on ramen noodles for a few days with a very cold botbot

Hopefully it will be an opportunity for her to grow up somewhat and to listen to others

 

[wdwfan16]

The reporter said several people traveled without their phone chargers. Remember, it isn't even the same kind of charger that we have here in the U.S. They need that voltage conversion thingie.

I recently got back from a 4 day trip. If I do not leave my phone constantly on, and only use it for emergencies and as my alarm clock, it holds a charge for about 6 days. I don't routinely bring my charger on trips. I'm afraid I'll end up leaving it at the hotel bedside table when I leave.

Plus, were talking thousands of passengers that got stranded by even one airline. I don't think they even want to open that door of letting a couple people use their phones. They'd get a floodgate of people standing in line behind, demanding the same priviledge. Aren't these the SAME airlines that won't pay for their hotel fares and are possibly charging them re-booking fees?


I remember my post-college days when all I could afford was Kraft Mac & Cheese for a week until a check arrived in the mail. Some people really do live paycheck to paycheck.

1) Phone charger. I never travel even overnight without my phone charger. I keep a car charger in my car at all times. I would not fly to another country without the converters. I left a phone charger once in a WDW hotel. Guess what I did, I bought a new one. They are not millions of dollars and well worth the risk of losing it rather than be without my phone.

2) This problem is a natural disaster not the airlines fault. This is what trip insurance is for.

3) About the family who traveled with no extra money. I would never travel anywhere, especially to a differnt continent, with no extra money. I would want to be able to afford a rental car, hotel and food for such an emergency. If you travel 50+ miles from JFK you would be able to get a $75 including tax room. After 10 days that is $750 and say the rental car is $350 for a total of $1100. Not too much to make me sleep for 10 days in an airport. The airport must really smell by now.

4) With the rental car I could get back to the airport when I knew I was flying out. I could do free stuff in the area and get cheaper, more variety and healthier food than at the airport. So some of the $1100 would be recouped by the reduced food bill.

5) Ask family members for help. Really would one not help a family member unless they were foolish with their money?


While I was getting ready this morning I saw a blurb on the TV about mobile showers. That should definitely help.

 

[NMAmy]

Traveling without a charger for your cell phone, OUT OF THE COUNTRY, is just silly. Sorry, but they sound more like they are trying to get something for free vs trying to get themselves out of a jam even if they don't have a lot of money.

I don't take my cell phone, let alone the charger, when we go to the UK. My charger wouldn't work over there, anyway. We stay with family and take a direct flight so it hasn't been an issue.

We were just talking about this situation the other day. Last year at this time, my FIL was dying and DH was in England for several weeks and then I flew over for the funeral. Getting stuck over there or one or the other of us being stuck in the wrong place on top of all the anxiety would have been awful even though we would have had a place to stay.

We do travel with cash and credit cards but worrying about your job, your home, your pets and family members would make a bad situation even worse. I really feel for all of those who are stuck waiting for this to clear--especially those who can't afford the added expense.

 

[Tiggernut_jadie]

Kath - have you got your luggage with you? I ask because a friend of mine is stuck in Charlotte and because her luggage was checked in Orlando straight through to Heathrow they haven't been allowed access to their luggage which has meant buying new clothing as well as food, accomodation etc.

In answer to the person who asked about phone chargers - if people haven't got their checked bags they may not have access to the chargers. I know we always pack all our chargers in the hold luggage as the carry on luggage for UK airlines is nowhere near as generous as those in the USA. Other people may not have phones that are tri-band so cannot use them in the USA only in the UK/europe which is no use if they're stuck in the USA!

 

[daughtersrus]

Don't know who told you that there is a limit, but that's not so. (Well, I'll amend that to say that TSA doesn't have a limit. If your airline has a baggage weight limit, that is a different issue. However, most of the time you can pay to get around that if necessary, or someone else can go lighter and take part of her allowance.) Medications are exempt from the TSA liquids limit: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/index.shtm

I'd bring at least 2 extra days' worth. Check ahead and see if there is a compounding pharmacy near your destination, and if so, bring along a full copy of the compounding scrip, so that if you got in a jam, you could have some more made there.

Thanks for the info.

I thought that liquid has to be in 3.4oz bottles or less with a limit of one quart-size bag per person. Since it has to be kept cold, we were told that we need a note from the doctor and that the medication must be in a bottle labeled from the pharmacy. I don't know if they will match the name to the person or if they will allow me to carry-on some of DD's medication.

I'll have to check and see if there are any compounding pharmacies on Oahu. I would imagine that there are. It's an unusually medication that most pharmacies don't stock. Here it usually takes a day or two from them to get it if they have to order it. I'm not sure if it would be the same time frame in Hawaii or if it would take longer.

 

[NotUrsula]

Thanks for the info.

I thought that liquid has to be in 3.4oz bottles or less with a limit of one quart-size bag per person. Since it has to be kept cold, we were told that we need a note from the doctor and that the medication must be in a bottle labeled from the pharmacy. I don't know if they will match the name to the person or if they will allow me to carry-on some of DD's medication.

There is NO limit on the quantity of personal medications that you can carry on board, and it does NOT have to be Rx medication -- even contact lens solution is exempt. The 3.4 oz. limit is for toiletries, NOT medications (and just in case she has some, Rx toiletries like special skin creams are considered medications, not toiletries.)

You do not need a note from the doctor, and it doesn't matter who is carrying the meds for her. Ice is allowed through the checkpoint when it is cooling meds or special-needs foods for people who cannot eat conventionally or need liquid supplements. They do not question or restrict quantities on labeled meds. The one exception is large quantities of controlled substance pills or injectibles -- narcotics and steroids. For those, they will check to make sure that you have a valid scrip in the name of a passenger who is in your party. (By large quantities, I mean hundreds of pills or dozens of vials; something that could be mistaken for a drug dealer's inventory.)

The limit that you will run up against is the airline's carryon baggage limit, so bringing a lot of food and meds will mean that you can't carry on very many extra clothes, etc. However, should the worst happen, you can live with grubby clothes, but you can't live without meds. (I'd tuck in a couple of spare undies, though.)

PS: On the phone issue, I don't carry my cell phone whilst traveling abroad, either, because it does not work outside the US. What I do carry is a large-balance international calling card, so that I can use pay phones. (The international terminals of airports are one of the few places that still have a lot of pay phones, mostly for just this reason. Also hospitals, because so many of them have equipment that is incompatible with the presence of wireless phones.)

 

[Kath2003]

Kath - have you got your luggage with you? I ask because a friend of mine is stuck in Charlotte and because her luggage was checked in Orlando straight through to Heathrow they haven't been allowed access to their luggage which has meant buying new clothing as well as food, accomodation etc.

Thankfully YES we do have our luggage. We knew about the volcanic eruption on Thursday when we boarded the first half of our connection (unlike the airline, who knew nothing about it seemingly) so we packed enough in our hand luggage to last several days anyway.

2) This problem is a natural disaster not the airlines fault. This is what trip insurance is for.

You're right. But trip coverage has a maximum they will pay out for certain events. I know we are over half way to our limit after only 5 days. If we are here for another week or more, it's ALL coming out of our own pocket.

3) About the family who traveled with no extra money. I would never travel anywhere, especially to a differnt continent, with no extra money. I would want to be able to afford a rental car, hotel and food for such an emergency. If you travel 50+ miles from JFK you would be able to get a $75 including tax room. After 10 days that is $750 and say the rental car is $350 for a total of $1100. Not too much to make me sleep for 10 days in an airport. The airport must really smell by now.

You're assuming a lot there: that people can drive, that people have access to the Internet to research hotels, that people feel they have options - if you're continually on standby to fly, you're staying in that airport no matter what! I know as soon as our airline open flights again, we're going back to the airport and we're waiting there until we get a flight out! There is NO organised system for who gets on a flight: we were the first cancelled flight home from our airport, but if someone holds a regular ticket for the day the flights start operating again, someone who hasn't been stranded for even an hour, they're getting on that plane before we are because they hold a ticket and we don't. People going on their vacation get priority over people trying to get home from theirs after a week of cancelled flights, because they hold a ticket.

4) With the rental car I could get back to the airport when I knew I was flying out. I could do free stuff in the area and get cheaper, more variety and healthier food than at the airport. So some of the $1100 would be recouped by the reduced food bill.

Many people in the UK don't drive; having a license isn't particularly necessary in Europe as we have relatively good, cheap, efficient public transport. Also if you're under 25, you have to add at least $25 per day to a rental car fee. In Europe, rental cars are sold out!

5) Ask family members for help. Really would one not help a family member unless they were foolish with their money?

You're assuming they can help.

I don't believe that any of the stranded, sleeping in airports, are doing it because they want to: they're doing it because they've tried everything you listed and because right now, this is the best option for them.

For those who want to read some of the situations people are stuck in, try this link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8631235.stm

 

[NHdisneylover]

A colleague's 18 year old daughter is on a school trip to Sweden & Norway, and was due to fly back today.

This girl has her mum do everything for her - and would not listen to her mother for anything that was remotely practical. The school said take $370 in spending money as most of the food was included with the school trip. Her mother said take $500 - but no Jnr knows best.

Her mother bought her thermal undergarments asWest Aussie kids do not normally see snow so we do not normally have the cold weather gear somebody in the Northern USA would have. So now the little darling is in Scandanvia, in snow in clothes which are best suited for an Orlando winter (if that), and who has run out of money now that they have to pay for accommodation and will not be seeing a plane for about a week - if that!

Also the daughter refused to take an ATM card with her so unless her mother goes to Western Union, there is no way to put money into the child's account. Looks like she will be on ramen noodles for a few days with a very cold botbot

Hopefully it will be an opportunity for her to grow up somewhat and to listen to others

I am laughing so hard at this post We had an Australian exchange student stay with us for two weeks over Christmas. We warned it would be cold and that we would be out of doors a lot and that we often use public transit (we only have one car and DH needs it to work many days) which requires standing around outside.
She had new Ugg boots her mom had bought her but she refused to wear them outside and went around in little thin "boots" appropriate to match a look in Australia but not meant to be warm at all. She wore a jacket with 3/4 length sleeves and refused to button it. She refused to borrow a warm coat, refused to wear the scarf, hat, gloves or sweater we gave her for Christmas. THEN she complained all the time about being cold. The first couple of days I gave her the benefit of the doubt and figured she would learn to start dressing warmly and was willing to go inside quickly. After that I told her we would be out "all day" when that was the plan and only went in if it was cold enough that I felt she could actually get frostbite. It was within the stubborn girl's power to be warm so I was not going to cater to it. When she left we found two sets of UNOPENED top of the line silk and wool thermals in her room. They belong to DD now

 

[wdwfan16]

You're assuming a lot there: that people can drive, that people have access to the Internet to research hotels, that people feel they have options - if you're continually on standby to fly, you're staying in that airport no matter what! I know as soon as our airline open flights again, we're going back to the airport and we're waiting there until we get a flight out! There is NO organised system for who gets on a flight: we were the first cancelled flight home from our airport, but if someone holds a regular ticket for the day the flights start operating again, someone who hasn't been stranded for even an hour, they're getting on that plane before we are because they hold a ticket and we don't. People going on their vacation get priority over people trying to get home from theirs after a week of cancelled flights, because they hold a ticket.

I would expect the person who has a ticket for the flight to get on first. That has always been the case in past airline flight cancelations. Are they not allowing you to book a return ticket?

 

[FergieTCat]

The funny thing is that my mother ALWAYS tells me to bring some food with me when I travel to visit her in Florida, just in case I get stuck at the airport. And I always think that she's being paranoid.

Believe me, she has said "I told you so!!" several times this past week!

 

[bettymae1121]

Thanks for the info.

I thought that liquid has to be in 3.4oz bottles or less with a limit of one quart-size bag per person. Since it has to be kept cold, we were told that we need a note from the doctor and that the medication must be in a bottle labeled from the pharmacy. I don't know if they will match the name to the person or if they will allow me to carry-on some of DD's medication.

I'll have to check and see if there are any compounding pharmacies on Oahu. I would imagine that there are. It's an unusually medication that most pharmacies don't stock. Here it usually takes a day or two from them to get it if they have to order it. I'm not sure if it would be the same time frame in Hawaii or if it would take longer.

Medications are exempt from the 3.4 oz rule! Just be sure it's in the original prescription bottle and you'll be fine. DH travels with insulin and they never look twice at it (the syringes used to raise some eyebrows though, but recently even those didn't draw comment...).

 

[englishteacha]

I always bring extra of our medicines, and I always pack at least a change of clothes in our carryons. We once voluntarily stayed the night in an airport in London. We were returning home to the US after a semester in the UK. Our university buses stopped running the day of our flight, so we went to the airport the night before. Cab fare was so expensive, and we had very little money left. I wouldn't want to do it again!

 

[laurie31]

Medications are exempt from the 3.4 oz rule! Just be sure it's in the original prescription bottle and you'll be fine. DH travels with insulin and they never look twice at it (the syringes used to raise some eyebrows though, but recently even those didn't draw comment...).

Yes, exactly. Do NOT put liquid medications in your 3-1-1 bag. Declare them separately to the TSA agent.

 

[Kath2003]

I would expect the person who has a ticket for the flight to get on first. That has always been the case in past airline flight cancelations. Are they not allowing you to book a return ticket?

The wait for return tickets is anything between 4 and 7 days. You're talking literally thousands of passengers stranded, not a couple of cancellations. If you assume that almost all transatlantic flights are pretty fully booked and that no one is going to 'surrender' their ticket, it's going to take weeks to get all those thousands of people home.

My issue is that it makes no difference whether you have been stranded here since the first day of closures, six days ago, like us, or whether your flight last night was cancelled: your chances of getting on a flight are equal. To me, there needs to be some kind of priority system to get those with medical needs out first, then those with infants, then those who've been out here the longest etc.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I've followed this with interest. Kath2003, I feel for you and yours and do hope you make it home soon. I've agreed with almost all of your sentiments regarding air travel and people stuck because of this event, but one thing just had me going "Wah-huh?"

You said that you thought there should be some sort of priority system for getting a flight out, once flights were going. While I understand why this isn't, I can see the motivation. But then you said you thought the order should be people with medical conditions and then people with infants. . .

I've examined that notion 6 ways to Friday and I just can't figure out why peeps with infants should get priority. I don't have kids, so I'm probably just missing something. So, why should folks with babies get second priority? I just don't get the reasoning, except for the added fuss and kerfluffle factor involved in babies.

 

[laurie31]

I've followed this with interest. Kath2003, I feel for you and yours and do hope you make it home soon. I've agreed with almost all of your sentiments regarding air travel and people stuck because of this event, but one thing just had me going "Wah-huh?"

You said that you thought there should be some sort of priority system for getting a flight out, once flights were going. While I understand why this isn't, I can see the motivation. But then you said you thought the order should be people with medical conditions and then people with infants. . .

I've examined that notion 6 ways to Friday and I just can't figure out why peeps with infants should get priority. I don't have kids, so I'm probably just missing something. So, why should folks with babies get second priority? I just don't get the reasoning, except for the added fuss and kerfluffle factor involved in babies.

Wow, I hadn't thought about this until now, but if there's anything worse than being stranded in an airport, it would have to be being stranded in an airport with an infant.

We never flew with our DDs as infants, but we did travel by car, and even then, there was no way to bring along EVERYTHING you needed for a baby.

The car seat, the stroller, the pack and play (or SOMETHING for them to sleep in), the diapers and wipes, the bottles, the million changes of clothes (for baby AND you!), the toys.

I would guess most people who fly would just rent a crib from the hotel or use the existing hotel bedding. If they did bring their own crib, I would think it would be checked so they probably wouldn't have access to it in the airport. So where are the babies sleeping? And wow, how are they entertaining a baby for days on end in a crowded germy airport? (and I'm FAR from being a germaphobe, but no way would I let my infant crawl around on an airport floor, so I would have to hold the baby the whole time) plus babies go through a ton of diapers and wipes. I can't imagine anyone who would take a whole weeks' worth of diapers and wipes (and formula, if they aren't breastfeeding) in their carry-on. If they're out of diapers and formula that could be a huge issue. I don't recall seeing big stockpiles of baby items in airports for people to buy.

I am now feeling VERY sorry for anyone stranded in an airport with an infant! <shudder>


And...to answer the OP - we would be prepared to be stranded for a day, maybe two, but nothing on this scale. I wouldn't have thought about bringing so much extra prescription medication, for one thing. We usually bring just enough for the trip, then toss the bottles on the last day, so we don't have to bring the bottles back. I guess that's out from now on!

 

[tchrrx]

Threadjacking to say....

kerfluffle might be my new favorite word.