Fed Up

[tesrod]

We booked the Monarch flight through Airflights in March leaving GWK @ 0700. costing £466 for 2. On 5th August I had an email saying the flight had been changed - leaving GWK @ 0910. This evening we had a call from Airflights to say the Monarch flight had been changed leaving GWK @ 2000 with all the ensuing arrival times and return flights arriving some ghastly early a.m. time. Luckily as it was more than a 12 hour time change from our original flight we were entitled to a refund but still wanted to get to Halki. We are not some 18-30s prepared to arrive anywhere at 02/0300. They have now booked us in the last 2 seats on TCX 467K leaving @ 0950 at an extra cost of £156. Having been travelling on charters for 20 years we have never had a problem till last year (XL) and now. If this is to be the way charters behave then it is sad for somewhere like Halki who probably do not carry any weight with the large charter companies who are only interested in big money in large resorts. However this time in 3 weeks we will be relaxing with a coffee and Metaxa in Costas - see you then!

[sunfun]

:oTesrod,that is shocking! How do they get away with it?That is such a shame that you are having to fork out more money.
I hope your holiday in halki more than makes up for this disappointment.

[carol]

That is disgusting, but stay positive, as you say three weeks today you will hopefully have forgotten all about it, come and say hello to us when you are there ;D ;D

[lisa]

Really sorry to hear about your flight change Tesod. it does seems to be a sign of things to come! At least you will still be getting to Halki on day one. We will be in Cape Town which I am sure will be wonderful but will still miss Halki very much. At least we were there in May! Have a great holiday.

[muriman]

The strange thing is that according to a quick website check, the 0910 Monarch flight is still scheduled as operating outbound on 2nd September (which seems to be the date you are going, Tesrod), with at least 2 seats available. (However, the return flight available with Monarch is late at night.)

[stuartg]

Hmm - this is not boding well, especially from a Scottish POV. Apparently no flights from Glasgow or Edinburgh with Manos next year. We traveled independently with Monarch flights in June, and then with TC (Monarch flights from Edinburgh) last week (back two days ago), but I get a bad feeling for next year. Beginning to get the feeling we might have to fly to Athens, and take Anek Lines.

What's the underlying story with Monarch?

[janeandtony]

Welcome back Stuart and Marie. Hope you had a wonderful holiday. We're still waiting for a full update. How are Nick and Angelo? ;D ;D ;D

[stuartg]

Well - we're back, Halki over for us for another year. Last week was really nice, although Marie might say that she didn't enjoy walking up to the castle in what turned out to be over 100 degree heat (well I enjoyed it). Didn't manage to keep your seat warm at Avra - way too busy, never actually managed to get a table. Ftenagia was fabulous as always, sitting there having lunch (usually Halki Spaghetti and Aubergine Imam and ice cold Alpha), looking out across the bay is my idea of perfection. Nick and Angelo were both good, If a bit 'run off their feet', August is busy after all. Angelo's catch-line was 'take these crisps, quick! before the kids turn up" It was weird not having Ruaraidh and Helena with us, and I did kind of keep thinking the would appear in front of us - and then remembered that they were actually in Majorca. Angelo's looking forward to seeing you both in two or three weeks time - he's been practicing his insults for you Tony. Going to start planning for next year's Halki expedidions in a week or two.

Enjoy yourselves when you get there.

[carol]

Pleased to hear you had a good time Stuart and lovely to hear about Ftenagia, that view is just heaven isnt it ? Two weeks wednesday we will be on our way and we cannot wait, I can almost taste the retsina and the wonderful meatballs ;D See you at Gatwick Jane and Tony ;D ;D

[janeandtony]

It sounds wonderful Stuart- not sure about the walk to the castle though!!! We're counting the days now only 16 to go.....
See you then Carole

[Kinygos]

Angelo's catch-line was 'take these crisps, quick! before the kids turn up"

I thought it was,"Do you want the bill? Hey Bill come over here!"

[muriman]

To go back to Tesrod's original problem, it seems that flight operators are doing a lot of consolidating in late Sept/early Oct to reduce capacity for the "lates" market. I've been researching prospects for a possibler sailing trip from Kos to Halki (although I may not now be able to make the trip for unrealted reasons). I can get outbound to Kos from Bristol (my most convenient UK airport) in late Sept, or to Rhodes if I don't mind an evening flight and a night on Rhodes) but to get back on about 7th Oct is difficult as many flights are being consolidated to Gatwick. In previous years this pattern has happened at end of season in late Oct but seems earlier this year, and I think the juggling of flight times which has affected you, Tesrod, is part of the trend - a sign of the times?