Canceled flights, major delays, Volotea fares spoil the vacation dreams of many Normans
The summer is likely to be long for the Norman passengers of the popular low-cost companies at Caen-Carpiquet airport. A week, Since then, many have suddenly found themselves shipwrecked, without theft, and a vacation that turns into a fiasco.
Delays of more than eight hours, canceled flights, inconveniences are numerous. And why ? Covid crews, airport strikes, lack of staff, the reasons are multiple and we no longer really know why some planes have not taken off as planned since. some days. It has become a subject of extreme tension in Normandy towards the Corsica in particular ou of the South. Flying with some airlines runs at sketch permanent, which is not funny: “ Hi Volotea? VSIt’s a passion to change flight schedules to Caen with each reservation? Don’t you think you take people for fools? “, small S.O.S. like this one left on social networks targeting the Spanish low-cost company, there are dozens of them. But for a few days, the The company with white and red checks comes up repeatedly in many conversations: enough is enough and the mustard goes to the noses of travellers.
“ We are about to live a very difficult summer [ndlr: à l’aéroport de Caen-Carpiquet] seen what has been going on for a few days. We lived a weekend of crisis and it continues “, confided to us a reliable source at the airport. But the subject is so sensitive, that we were asked to remain anonymous.
Stéphanie and her small family, 3 children and a husband, thought they had to give up the idea of a fifteen-day stay in Corsica organized and budgeted line by line (inflation makes it necessary to count) during the winter. “ We bought 5 tickets in March which came back to us at Volotea at 118 euros for AR Caen/Ajaccio. “, it was perfect. On their arrival on June 30, two hours before the flight, they are relaxed and smiling. It’s finally the big day, the plan is going smoothly, the weather is fine.
“At this time, no flights have disappeared from the display board. I haven’t received any text or email. I imagine then that I am one of the lucky guys who will travel serenely.“But everything is changing very quickly: a voice in the hall says loud and clear that Caen-Ajaccio is cancelled. The information is quickly made effective in the official microphones. There is panic.
I saw a lady between hysterics and crying because her credit card didn’t go through for the extra 800 euros they charged her in a hurry.
Stéphanie, Volotea customer of June 30 in Caen
“ We had a crazy hour. People who went and provided. I remember a grandpa who was totally lost when all his dreams of vacations in the sun evaporated in a second. He was offered to take a plane ticket at 400 euros to reach Lyon and then to get another ticket for Ajaccio, on his phone. It was impossible for him, financially first, with his small pension. And then he was alone and unable to manage this manipulation on his smartphone.“
“It’s simple, it’s case by case. Everyone manages, it’s the jungle.“Recalling this moment of general panic with 156 destitute passengers, she gives several examples:”I also saw a lady in a crying and panic attack because her credit card was not transmitted for the 800 euros of surplus that she was billed in haste.“ 800 euros is what the new flight to Lyon cost him. Her children were panicked, no more holidays, everyone was crying. People were fighting for the last places at this price for Lyon.“An atmosphere of financial markets where the final price of the holidays explodes: you think of leaving for 118 euros return trip, and the bill will ultimately amount to 3 or 4 times that price. how to do it? “ Many left, defeated, annoyed. “
Stéphanie arrived in Ajaccio the following day, at noon after having shaken mountains: “ We called all the Volotéa numbers we found, we went into great detail, we were indignant, putting their backs to the wall and they ended up cracking up and paying us a taxi to Paris with a hotel in Orly and tickets for a flight on another company.”
A travel agency professional in Caen told us that the next day, the 8 a.m. Volotea had still not taken off at 4 p.m.
Were Stephanie and her family lucky? For a travel professional in Caen who also requires anonymity, “ It’s just normal. This is what the company must offer as an alternative to its customers in this case.“Except that she tells us that it’s very rare toget legal aid or refunds with these low-cost companies. “We have been stopped since the Covid from working with them. We spend hours, sometimes ten calls, reimbursing ticket refunds that we are still waiting for two years later. Volotea? I call it ghost companies. No one answers, or nothing follows behind. It’s Caen airport that gives them slots and they don’t have the means to reach them, even them? I find this abnormal. I no longer sell these tickets and we many in the profession do the same.”
I call it ghost companies. No one answers, or nothing follows behind. It’s Caen airport that gives them slots and they don’t have the means to reach them, even them? I find it abnormal
A travel agency manager in Caen
Indeed, even for the interviewers we could not obtain a telephone number. A press service address is circulating on the net but no one has answered the emails. We asked for help from the airport to reach the press service that comes to Caen when there is a presentation of a new line (Caen-Montpellier, the latest), but these communication companies do not allow these requests- there, we a t-on replied.
I feel held hostage. It’s 1000 euros right away or your holidays, your loc, your plans are ruined.
Jonathan, Volotea traveler on July 6 in Caen
“Four days before my departure, on July 1, an email tells me that the plane is canceled but seats are still on sale on the site. And there, I admit, I no longer understand anything.”
Jonathan must leave this July 6 for Ajaccio, too. He is so panicked at the idea of not having this holiday that he has been waiting for for two years, that he looked everywhere for a plan B when he received the email above. “I bought 3 tickets at 250 euros each return trip from Brussels. With the car and parking, it’s 1000 euros more in my budget. Something crazy.“He will see later, when he gets home, how to balance his accounts. But”the worst thing is to see that there are still sales going on for this flight. Is it canceled or not? My dealer says yes. Volotea is unreachable.”
At the airport, we will be confirmed the same day that it is, according to them, still relevant.
“I feel held hostage. It’s 1000 euros right away or your holidays, your loc, your plans are ruined. OPn won’t take me back. I’m not about to choose this company again“, analyzes Jonathan distraught.
“But blisten to this company! “, exclaims a client from Bayeux left on the floor the day before a weekend in Marseille, at the end of June. “My two days in the south which cost me barely 100 euros each way ended up costing me three times more, just in tickets. I will never take a plane down again. “
And yet more and more people trust the air to leave: the year 2022 is even a record year for Caen-Carpiquet airport. Between January 1 and June 1, there are already 100,000 passengers which concerned Caen-Carpiquet airport, i.e. +150% compared to the same period a year earlier.