Right now I should be arriving
At my parents house in Spain
We should be having a quick cup of tea
Before unpacking swimmers for the children
And jumping in the pool
Instead we have just arrived home
At our temporary house
Having missed our flight to Alicante
And spending a horrible four and a half hours at Gatwick Airport
We left our house at 3am
We are all absolutely shattered
Today Easy Jet proved that they tell the truth in their online documentation
They do not provide any assistance when travelling with small children!
Does easyJet offer extra help to people who are travelling on their own with children?
We’re not able to provide any extra assistance.
http://www.easyjet.com/common/img/EN_FAMILY_TRAVEL_QA.pdf
We arrived at the airport in plenty of time
Checked in our one hold bag
I had paid extra for Up Front seats
Because this was the only way I could see of getting four seats together
Which you need when your children are all aged 6 and under
The Up Front seats have some special bag drop area
But this was not at all clear
There were some family bag drop desks
But how to reach them was not clear
Thankfully David was still with me at this time
As we queued to drop the bag
We then went to departures
Went to the toilet
And headed for the Family / Assistance Lane at Security
At this point Esther and William realised that Daddy was not coming with us
They have always known this
But the moment for goodbye hit us all harder than we thought it would
There were lots of cuddles and tears
Lots of reassurances made
We had just all got it together
When it was our turn at Security
Now I understand that the world is a dangerous place
I understand the need for strict and stringent security
I knew that our bags would be searched and we would have to be scanned
And that I might possibly be searched
I knew that I had to get Bea out the buggy
The Security officer insisted that I walk through first
Bea ran after me
As any two year old would
Esther walked through no problem
Then William walked through and set off the alarms
He was frightened
And even more so when we were told
He was to be taken a different way through security
On his own
To be searched
Because the alarm had gone off
He was so upset and clung to me
We spent a lot of time
Trying to reassure him it would be okay
But he would not go on his own
And why should he
He is a six year old boy!
Then they said I could go with him
But not Bea and Esther
And that if I felt the need to go with him
I too would have to be fully searched
Esther was amazingly confident and brave
But Bea, being two, would not go without Mummy
So we all had to go with William
Meaning we all had to be thoroughly searched
Taking a long time
Much longer than we had anticipated
The whole time the children were upset
And poor old William was sobbing and so confused
He had to take his shoes off
And stand in a scanner box
He could not understand the instructions
And was so upset and confused
So then they searched him with a metal detector
The detector kept alarming
Which they soon realised was because he was standing in front of a metal pole!
The staff were trying to be nice
But the whole experience was just horrible
Especially for William
The worst one of my children for this to happen to
My heart was aching for him so much
And he was trying so hard to be strong and brave
Once we were finally through
We saw that our plane was boarding
And headed to the gates
I admit we were late to the gate
The gate closed at 5.20
And we arrived there at 5.24
As we realised the gate was closed
And they were not going to let us on the plane
All four of us just sobbed
I was basically begging
Surely there was a way to get us on the plane
There was 25 minutes before the plane was due to leave
It was not our fault we had been held up at security
No one was interested in our circumstances or our story
No one cared that my children were AGAIN scared and in tears
It was horrible
We had to find our way back through the departures lounge
Trying to get past the crowds coming the other way
We went to the Information Desk
Where we had to wait to be collected
And escorted out of departures
It was horrible
I felt sick
We were told the earliest we could fly was 8.00pm at night
I called David to come back to the airport to help us
He called my parents to tell them we might not be coming today
After a long wait
With no information on what was to happen to us next
We were taken to the Easy Jet customer services desk
No one asked us what had happened
No one cared
By the time we were in the queue at the desk
David was back at the airport
I queued for half an hour
Perhaps more
To try to transfer our flight
We were given a choice of driving to another airport
For an 8pm flight
Or coming again tomorrow morning
With three tired children
I knew we had to go home
And try again in the morning
The lady at the desk
Booked us on to tomorrow’s flight
Although I paid extra for special seats
We will no longer have them
In fact we are not guaranteed seats together at all
The flight crew will have to try to put us all together
Which to me sounds like it is just going to annoy other passengers
I am not looking forward to it at all
Then to make it all worse
We were charged £320 for missing the flight
£80 each!
£320
I could have cried
In fact, I did
Our flights to Alicante have now cost us over £1000!
So with flights transferred
We then just needed to get our bag
I was told to go away
And come back after half an hour
Which I did
Thank goodness David had been able to come back and help!
When I returned I had to queue again
Another half an hour
Then I asked if it would be much longer
We had been in the airport for four hours by this point
The children were going a little doolally!
Finally someone came to escort me to find my bag
She asked for my boarding card
Which I did not have because the lady at customer services had taken it from me
Ripped it up and put it in the bin!
Suddenly along with all the other turmoil
There was a possibility
I might not get my bag back
Because of the actions of Easy Jet staff
After much toing and froing
I did finally retrieve my bag
And exhausted and deflated
We all sank into the car to drive home
Feeling physically and emotionally
Battered and bruised
I know that Easy Jet are a budget airline
I accept that our missing the flight was partly my fault
But I was saddened today
That so little regard was given to our circumstances
So little care was given to us after the event
And that no allowances were made for us as a young family
David hit the nail on the head
Easy Jet do not need to be nice to their customers
Every flight is sold out
They do not need to make people feel special
Make a fuss of children
Offer discounts
Waive missed flight fees
It was not Easy Jet’s fault that we missed our flight
But it was in their power to look after us once we had
And they didn’t really
No one seemed to care why we missed it
I am dreading having to do it all again tomorrow
But determined to do it and get there
And if I were Gatwick or Easy Jet
I would be thinking what I might do
To make right such a horrible experience of flying
Or not flying
For my children
Not because they should
But because they can
It would cost them nothing
And would make all the difference in the world to us
Oh my poor loves. Love you all. Xxx
Oh this is just awful but you know, it’s the second blog post I have seen written about the awfulness of easyjet in recent weeks. I can’t believe how badly they treated you, it amazes me that these people seem to be trained to have absolutely no compassion. I hope that your next attempt is a success and that you make it to Alicante.
Jenny I am so cross for you!
I know we have to be careful, but who in their right mind thinks it’s a good idea to give a parent the choice of either leaving a scared six year old alone in unfamiliar surroundings, or leaving another scared six year old in unfamiliar surroundings in charge of a 2 year old?
I fail to see why they needed to then search all of you! Clearly if you had of left William alone to be searched they would not then have needed to search you all so why the need when you understandably decided to keep all four of you together?
I really do feel both the Gatwick Security Team and EasyJet should offer you a full apology. They clearly also need to bring in some sort of measure whereby if you have to be searched you are given some sort of form for if you are late to Board? And four minutes late when you’d already put your bag in suggests they knew you hadn’t simply not turned up.
I am really disgusted that due to the actions of a minority, you have been penalised so much money.
I really hope EasyJet see this post and act with some compassion and refund you.
I am a mum to two, and celebrate kindness. Yet i am pondering on your post. Had I have seen you struggling, I would certainly have offered to stand with your other two children. Alternatively, I would have sought sympathy in a fellow passenger and explicitly asked them to help (which I’m sure they would). Ultimately, the staff are probably not that well paid, have systems to adhere to and a job to do (to a schedule). In the scenario you describe, I’m not sure what more was or is required from them (nor what ‘remedy’ is now being sought). Seek kindness in the other people…ask for help! I suspect you will be suprised!! Have a wonderful holiday!
Thank you for your message. I think my post was to highlight that much of today could have been dealt with using the quality you mention, kindness.
There was not really anyway today that other passengers could have helped us but kind words and smiles from staff could have made a huge difference. My six year old son is now crying to his Daddy that he does not want to have to go through security again tomorrow. It was not a nice experience and I think small changes could be made to make huge differences. I think we were very unlucky today with an unfortunate series of events. You will notice in the post I do not blame anyone in particular I just strongly feel that the situation could have been handled more gently. With kindness.
Good luck tomorrow. You’ve got this! Xxx
So sorry to hear about your appalling treatment. Sharing everywhere in the hopes that it shows others that it can’t possibly be worth any saving to be at risk of what this terrible company put people through.
Distressing to read. Poor darlings, so sorry x
That sounds awful for you. It sounds like there could be some much better processes when searching children / families and it sounds like a lot of time was wasted sorting it all out. I hope things go better tomorrow for you xx
It all sounds awful. Good luck for tomorrow. I’ll be thinking of you.
Have you worked out what William was wearing or had in his pockets that set the detector off? A metal zip, perhaps? or money? Try to find out now so it doesn’t happen again.
My advice for tomorrow would be to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before your flight departs; check in as soon as possible; and then go straight through security.
My advice for the future is to buy seats when you first make your online booking to ensure that you all sit together – maybe it is not too late to go back online and do this today.
Thank you x I had paid extra to ensure we were all sitting together. I did this at the time of booking.
We could not find anything on William that was metal and nor could the security team.
We will definitely be there super early tomorrow x
Thank you x
Good grief, the stress that emanated from this post can’t be a 10th of what you have gone through! Disgusting company!
I think I was the lady in the wheelchair travelling alone on EasyJet to Paris when we were all being traumatised by EasyJet. I am full of praise for special assistance staff for those of us with handicaps and they are Gatwick Airport employees not EasyJet! EasyJet employees seem set to terrorize the customer no matter our age. I arrived 3 hours early and only reason I did not miss my flight was because plane was 2 plus hours late. I only flew EasyJet to find alternative to Eurostar between London and Paris which totally disrespects disabled people! I used to fly 1 million miles a year and I have never had a more HORRIBLE flight experience than EasyJet…not on Nigeria not philippines not China not Mongolia!!
Like many people I could be good and loyal customer because I go RTlondon to Paris at least 10 times per year. Now I dread my flight back to Gatwick and my Nov trip to france. For me it would have been cheaper to fly Air France! Sorry for your poor babies. EasyJet doesnt give a damn.
I am so sorry to hear of your experiences x
I wonder how many of us there are staying silent because EasyJet does not care?? Maybe a petition to EU bureaucrats who are supposed to protect both flight and train passengers??
Bon chance
Oh no 🙁 we had a similar customer service experience and vowed NEVER to fly with EasyJet, for a couple of hundred more it’s worth flying from a local airport using BA or Flybe. So cross for you. We got caught at security and missed a flight too. There should be proper kids lanes with friendlier staff at security. How Easy Jet treated you afterwards is unacceptable. Good luck tomorrow xx
How horrible! I can’t believe anyone can be so unfeeling to a mother with such young children. I don’t think it’s their normal policy to refuse you if you’re late as I was once 25 mins late (my fault) and they couldn’t have been nicer. I was in a terrible state after running all the way and they gave me cup after cup of water until I’d recovered. I think you were just unlucky to be confronted by cold, heartless Easy Jet employees. Shame on them…and the people you encountered afterwards. Hope you have better luck tomorrow
It doesn’t surprise at all! All best wishes for tomorrow
I use Easy a lot,but never again,that is if it is proven it was their fault ,but as other’s say ,do they care? Security staff in my opinion or their equipment may need to be investigated.
We have flown with Easy jet twice a year ever since they go to Corfu no problem a good Airline.
I have just read your post and it is apparent to me that you are highly strung and not coping well. Clearly, your children tuned into your anguish and became distressed. I travel five to six times a year with easyjet and have often been impressed by how professionally the staff handle irritating passengers who will not take responsibility for being late. Maybe you think you are particularly special by travelling with children? Loads of parents do it with ease and do not demand special attention. My advice to you is simple – grow up.
God lord what a nasty and thoughtless comment to make. I’ve been in the same situation at an airport on my own with two small children, one being ripped from my arms to be scanned while the other is utterly terrified. Clearly you have no children, or no sense of humility, to make such a sweeping and senseless comment to Jennie to “grow up”. Did you just come here to troll or do you actually follow her blog? What she and her kids struggle through daily and what they have overcome makes them stronger than you could ever imagine, they are human and have a right to be treated fairly and with respect. They were not treated that way at the airport. End of. People like you are the kind that watch someone struggle just so you can revel in the satisfaction you get from a side snide glance, tut or outward abuse. Must be perfect in your world, or maybe you don’t have one.
It is not EasyJet fault you been kept at the airport and the members of the Departure have wasted your time and make you and children loose your flight .
You should always arrive at leat 3 hours early expecially if travelling with small children in order to avoid disappointment.
Could have been any company they can’t wait people lateness. …you have to make a complain to the Airport departure ….thè have make you loose your flight. .
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This is absolutely terrible. I can’t believe that the Easyjet staff would not let you on the plane. For the sake of 4 lousy minutes. I am also in shock that the security staff gave you the choice of leaving 1 child or 2 children. This is atrocious. I hope you get some serious apologies and the missed flight fees waivered at the very least. I hope you do manage to get to Spain and have a lovely time there when you do. Hugs Lucy xxxx
I think the security staff were the ones who were wrong. Just insane how they treated you which then made you late. Yes you were late, but I can’t believe for 4 minutes when you had booked seats together and the flight wasn’t setting off there and then is ridiculous. But ultimately security should have been able to realise that 3 young children is not going to work being split up from their mother.
I’ve also read another blogger had trouble with Easyjet – they’d read that they’d put kids with parents but when they got to the airport were told the child was sitting on their own somewhere else, and refused to help out. Eventually after the child was traumatised and plane was held up, eventually another passenger said they’d swap to help a parent sit near the child. Sometimes, it does make life hard.
Such horrible customer service!
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