Help! Suggestions for those who need to get back to the UK.

[AVO]

Hi all,

Can anyone give me some suggestions as to the quickest way/best way to get back to the UK at the moment. I have clients who for various personal reasons have to be back in the UK by Tuesday. They are hopeful that their flight on Monday will go ahead, but if it doesn't I am trying to come up with alternatives and could use some help from those who have driven/ferried it back.

Thank you in advance

[LoobyLou]

If they have to be back by Tuesday and can't afford to take the risk with a flight on the monday then they really should set off now by car or train! We have always gone from Santander but this is an overnight crossing and I am not sure what days it leaves. They are probably best going to France and getting the Eurostar.

[AVO]

Thank you LoobyLou. I suspected as much.

[e-richard]

Also, Eurostar trains are currently full, full, full, so strongly urge that they pre-book a ticket.

[AVO]

e-richard do you know if that is both ways?

[e-richard]

Avo, my information is based on TV news coverage in the UK, so its not in depth knowledge

However, given the need for business people to travel between UK and Fance, and all flights still uncertain, I imagine its going to be the same both ways.
Called it informed opinion.... not fact

[pato]

You should bite the bullet now and try to get a train or coach to Lisbon and then to Santander if there's nothing direct from the Algarve, you'd be better off waiting for a day there than leaving it to see if you can get a flight on Monday which, by the way I doubt very much, there'll be a tremendous backlog at Faro and every other airport in Europe. Trains to Lisbon are pretty regular and cheap and go from Tunes.
It realy depends how important getting back for Tuesday is I suppose, I know what I'd do in similar circumstances, I'd forget about the flight and leave now!

Pato, News at Ten, Colditz Escape Veterans Club, Birkenhead.

[Steen Jakobsen]

How many would be interested in getting a transfer to Santander if I can arrange it? There is a ferry on 19/4 at 17h www.brittany-ferries.co.uk

[Steen Jakobsen]

Sorry; there is no passenger space left.

[laserblazer]

Sorry; there is no passenger space left.

Wow. This is a chance for the Royal Navy to make some money.

[Gary/Gaynor]

.....Or coach companies in the UK. You'd think they'd jump at the chance...
Gaynor

[KenC]

I think that this is a tremendous opportunity for coach owners. I'd far prefer a direct journey on a coach, possibly with two drivers to save the need for overnights stops, than all the potential faffing about with train transfers.

[ramanam]

Hi all concerned,

I have just returned home today in UK from Paris.
We had flown in from Rio on thursday morning to Paris and found all flights cancelled.
To get to the point - On friday morning we left hotel in Paris and hired 2 cars my work partner and I along with 8 passengers and took SeaFrance ferry Calais to dover, they have accepted foot passengers to help out this situation. It was £45 one way/
The eurostar train were asking for £226 one way but no seats available anyway.
Best to pre-book tickets as the ferry terminal was chaos.
We have flights booked to arrive Faro on Wednesday from glasgow so keeping fingers crossed.
Good luck to everyone out there!!!

[Gary/Gaynor]

Do you think the airlines have a 'duty of care' to get us back any way possible ie my sister flew with BMI Baby Cardiff and they have only suggested people keep looking at website to see if their flight is cancelled (well of course it's cancelled). They have not give any advise to people who are stranded on how best to cope with this situation. Some are elderly,some on restricted budgets, some with children or drug dependant (like my sister's partner). Coming back to coach companies helping, You would have thought they would start to get a game plan together by now for returning passengers via coaches. I guess we are in unchartered territory here but these are companies that have been in the travel business, some for years, with a wealth of experience. I wonder legally where we, as passengers are positioned in this and where they stand on their responsibility for paying passengers. Act of God doesn't cut it with me although I do agree with the safety aspect on this. There are other forms of transport but for my sister and her partner they are very much at the mercy of the airlines to get back. Anyway lots of questions and debate will go on for weeks on this I guess. I do hope that there is light at the end of this, what could be a long dark tunnel.
Gaynor

[snowytheboy]

I see in the news this morning that Dan Snow, the tv presenter, is organising boats to bring stranded people from Calais to Dover (a sort of mini Dunkirk).