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On 20 December 2010 07:29, John Gardiner <jajgardiner@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear Douglas,
This is a statement of events over the situation that caused delay in
your return to work on Monday 6th., December. Please copy and use as
you see fit. We feel that not only has your honesty and integrity been
questioned about this but ours also.
Lots of love, Mum & Dad.
On Saturday 4th., December, your mother and father took you to
Alicante airport arriving well in time to book in for Easyjet flight
6072 to Bristol due to leave at 1110 hours. The airport was crowded
with passengers awaiting flights.
Wondering what was happening your mother personally checked for
incoming flights and there were none.
Various announcements were made by airport staff about delays, and
eventually information was given that air traffic controllers in Spain
had staged a wildcat strike and that all flights would be cancelled in
10 minutes and that passengers could expect delays of up to 10 - 12
days.
We immediately left airport as queues were already building up at all
booking-in desks.
We got home 20 minutes later.
Douglas went straight on to Internet and booked first available flight
he could obtain. This was for Wednesday 8th., and which in the
circumstances was very reasonable.
There was no question of getting an earlier flight as all passengers
delayed could only take up seats not booked on later flights. In view
of problems already mentioned at airport we felt the delay from
Saturday to Wednesday was really good news.
It has been our experience, with bad weather and ash cloud situations
that have occurred before, that delays in return flights are
inevitable. A 3 to 4 day delay is not unusual and quite acceptable.
In fact our daughter and granddaughter were caught up in the volcanic
ash delay and were held up for over a week.
We also have friends who were held up on this occasion for longer than
Douglas as by waiting at the airport they could not act as quickly as
he did.
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