FLIGHT DELAY - TCX 467K

[pensioner2]

We are travelling to Halki on 17th June and have just been told by TC that our flight, TCX 467K, which was due to leave Gatwick at 09.50 has now been delayed until 12.40. Arriving in Rhodes at 18.50. Which will mean we wont get to the port until about 20.30 at earliest. When we rang TC and explained that was too late for the ferry the girl there said she wasn't aware a ferry was involved. Has anyone else been affected by this and do you think the ferry will make a special trip for us.

[carol]

Hi Pensioner2 and welcome to the board ;D
There is very obviously something odd happening with TC next wednesday as you have probably seen from another post that TCX329L is also going out very late. It does not surprise me at all that they were unaware you had to catch a ferry and I doubt that they care very much either, they quite obviously have no idea of the logistics of actually getting to Halki When I last spoke to them it took about ten minutes of explaining before they finally understood that I was not talking about Halkidiki !!!!!

Hopefully as there is obviously more than one flight delay and they are obviously aware of it in advance, the ferry may come back later, if not it will be an overnight stop in Rhodes and across in the morning, not quite what you want to do I am sure.

[pensioner 2]

Thanks for the welcome Carol. Perhaps we could get together a protest group and ask to see the TC big wigs. But then we dont want to draw too much attention to Halki. I would help if they knew where it was though.

[steven]

Germany's Arcandor, which owns 53% of Thomas Cook, has filed for bankruptcy protection after the German government rejected a request for loan guarantees.

[pensioner2]

Hi Steven, Is this what all the flight juggling is about.

[janeandtony]

This is all a bit worrying. We are going on June 24th and hope that there are no delays then!!! When we went to Halki last September for a week we were delayed at Gatwick until about 5.30pm (after being at the airport since 6.45am) and we then had to spend a night in Rhodes and catch the ferry the following morning. Losing a day out of a weeks holiday was not good.
I think that next year travelling independantly is looking good!!!

[janeandtony]

Hello Pensioner 2, sorry I did mean to say that I hope that you manage to get to Halki on June 17th but once I got on my soapbox I got distracted. Wishing you well and have a lovely holiday.

[stuartg]

Yep happened to us last year - but we were at Ftenagia for lunch next day, so it wasn't too bad. But I reckon that there is no chance of us booking with TC/DG next year, they really don't have a clue. Don't worry though that they didn't know that they didn't know that there isn't a ferry involved, I had a few problems with my booking last week and the person on the phone didn't even know where Halki was (when you get there you'll understand why that's maybe a good thing) - go to the desk immediately to the right as you come through the arrivals gate and the TC rep will probably get you on a taxi to a hotel near the airport (not ideal), a taxi will pick you up in the morning to take you to Kamiros Scala and onto the boat. We'll be there on June 24th along with Jane and Tony - as usual I really can't wait. Best of luck.

[stuartg]

Sorry pensioner2 - just realised that you've probably been there before.

[muriman]

Hi, Pensioner 2 - I assume you are on a Direct Greece package inclusive of transfers, not buying seat-only flights from TC? On that assumption, there's just a chance that if there are a number of Halki-bound people on your flight, the ferry might make a special trip, as it might cost the tour operator more to put everyone in a hotel in Rhodes. But a late Wednesday ferry will only happen if DG/TC arrange it - and that doesn't seem likely if they don't know where Halki is!

Last October, I was on a TC flight supposed to leave Gatwick at I think 0740, but it was delayed until after 1100, and the 10.05 (equivalent to your 0950 this year) went on time - very frustrating as I could have got seats on the 10.05 but chose the 0740 to give plenty of spare time for lunch at Kamira Skala! In the event we were in time for the last ferry (but not lunch!) as it waited anyway for a late Edinburgh flight with DG passengers on it.

I can only suggest contacting Direct Greece/TC again armed with the brochure which I think describes the transfer as happening on the same day as the flight.

[pensioner2]

Thanks everyone for your comments. You all seem to be saying the same thing that TC dont consider us very important in their great scheme of things. Perhaps they have done us a favour as next year I think we wil join the independant travellers and we could treat this trip as a recky for that. We have been to Halki for the last 9 years , 8 with direct greece, and last year was the first TC experience, silly us we thought it was just a blitch because of the takeover. Good to know we are not the only "odd balls" who love Halki. Theres is nothing better than sitting on the terrace/balcony and when we see about four people wandering up the pontoon thinking it must be the rush hour.

[janeandtony]

;D ;D ;D

[Di]

The only possible problem I can see to going independently (we're trying it for the first time this September to Koroni) is that you'll probably end up with a TC flight anyway because they seem to have the monopoly on flights as well (our flight to Kalamata is with TC). Even if you'd booked independently, chances are you'd be on one of the flights that are being juggled around

[steven]

:-/Thomson, Monarch, Jet2, Easy Jet all direct flights to to Rhodes ;D

[Di]

Yes Steven, I agree, it's just that it's very hard to find the option of "flight only" on one without having to take out a second mortgage. Incidentally, our flight to Lesvos in May with DG/TC was changed from a Thursday flight with TC to a Saturday flight with Monarch