Olympic-EuroCypria disaster flights
keithpp | 09.10.2007 14:35 | Globalisation | London
Holiday Truths website is censoring critical posts on tour operators and airlines. It is not the first time this has happened. Reproduced is a critical post of UK tour operator Olympic and Cyprus airline EuroCypria Airways that was removed.
19 October 2007 - Gatwick
Passengers checked in at Gatwick at 2pm or earlier for a 4pm flight to Larnaca, to be told there was no flight until 11-30pm that night. They were given two vouchers each of £4-50 for meals. The vouchers did not cover the cost of a meal and a drink.
The flight finally took off around half past midnight, 0035 the next day.
No complimentary drinks. The pilot said the reason for the delay was no aircraft!
At Larnaca, no apologies from Olympic.
En-route, passengers learnt this had happened before. At Larnaca an Olympic rep admitted they had had problems during the summer.
One week later - Gatwick
Passengers checking in were told there was a 2 hours delay. They were then given vouchers, which indicated a longer delay, then told four hour delay.
The delay was five hours, a Bulgarian plane was used.
Again no apology on arrival from Olympic.
3 October 2007 - Larnaca
Passengers picked up from their hotels and apartments for return trip to Gatwick, scheduled to depart at noon from Larnaca Airport.
On arrival, at check-in, told there was a seven hour delay.
Olympic made no attempt to inform people in the check-in lines what was going on. Passengers had to individually seek out Olympic reps.
A rumour then spread that people would be taken to a beach side restaurant for lunch. No announcements were made. This is how any information was gleaned, word of mouth. Those who had not yet checked in, pulled beach gear out of their luggage prior to check-in.
At around 12-30, coaches shipped people out to a Ammos, a beach bar/restaurant/night club.
http://www.ammosbeach.com/
A meal was provided and a drinks voucher. Later a second drinks voucher was provided indicating a long stay.
Some passengers phoned UK, checked arrival time and learnt plane would land in UK at around 4-30am the next day!
Challenged on this, the reps blatantly lied and told people not to believe information provided by Gatwick!
This was to be the pattern during the day, the reps repeatedly and blatantly lying.
They told people to claim on their holiday insurance or against EuroCypria. As people had booked with Olympic, the claim was against Olympic.
Passengers were quite relaxed. They made the most of the day on the beach, some went swimming.
Passengers were told they would be picked up at 9pm, dinner at 6pm.
Pick up was then changed to 8pm.
Passengers were picked up around 11pm.
Two drinks vouchers were provided for dinner.
When people asked for extra drinks vouchers, Olympic refused.
Checks were made through the Internet of flight arrivals at Gatwick. Arrival was shown at around 4-30am, then moved forward to 4am.
Around 11pm, people started to leave.
Again no announcement by Olympic, word of mouth by passengers.
On the coach trip back, reps said go straight through to departures, where Louis would provide vouchers for food and drink. This was repeated again at the airport.
Everyone went through. No-one was waiting the other side. A check was made with Louis (the handling agents). They said no arrangements had been made for food and drink.
Flight was shown to depart at 0055, boarding was called maybe 45 mins earlier.
No boarding was taking place. At 0055, still no boarding. Questioned on departure time, the gate staff refused to answer the question.
One lady, under police escort, went back out to ask why we had all been lied to.
The reps threatened her, ordered her to return back through departures, called her a troublemaker, and said if she did not comply, she would be arrested, removed from the airport, and that she and her partner would be taken off the plane.
The plane was an XL charter. It finally took off at 0230.
The crew radioed ahead to asked that passengers be given a letter on arrival. No one was there on arrival.
XL had received a request for a plane at 10am UK time, ie noon Cyprus time when the plane was scheduled for take-off.
Passengers checked in at Gatwick at 2pm or earlier for a 4pm flight to Larnaca, to be told there was no flight until 11-30pm that night. They were given two vouchers each of £4-50 for meals. The vouchers did not cover the cost of a meal and a drink.
The flight finally took off around half past midnight, 0035 the next day.
No complimentary drinks. The pilot said the reason for the delay was no aircraft!
At Larnaca, no apologies from Olympic.
En-route, passengers learnt this had happened before. At Larnaca an Olympic rep admitted they had had problems during the summer.
One week later - Gatwick
Passengers checking in were told there was a 2 hours delay. They were then given vouchers, which indicated a longer delay, then told four hour delay.
The delay was five hours, a Bulgarian plane was used.
Again no apology on arrival from Olympic.
3 October 2007 - Larnaca
Passengers picked up from their hotels and apartments for return trip to Gatwick, scheduled to depart at noon from Larnaca Airport.
On arrival, at check-in, told there was a seven hour delay.
Olympic made no attempt to inform people in the check-in lines what was going on. Passengers had to individually seek out Olympic reps.
A rumour then spread that people would be taken to a beach side restaurant for lunch. No announcements were made. This is how any information was gleaned, word of mouth. Those who had not yet checked in, pulled beach gear out of their luggage prior to check-in.
At around 12-30, coaches shipped people out to a Ammos, a beach bar/restaurant/night club.
http://www.ammosbeach.com/ A meal was provided and a drinks voucher. Later a second drinks voucher was provided indicating a long stay.
Some passengers phoned UK, checked arrival time and learnt plane would land in UK at around 4-30am the next day!
Challenged on this, the reps blatantly lied and told people not to believe information provided by Gatwick!
This was to be the pattern during the day, the reps repeatedly and blatantly lying.
They told people to claim on their holiday insurance or against EuroCypria. As people had booked with Olympic, the claim was against Olympic.
Passengers were quite relaxed. They made the most of the day on the beach, some went swimming.
Passengers were told they would be picked up at 9pm, dinner at 6pm.
Pick up was then changed to 8pm.
Passengers were picked up around 11pm.
Two drinks vouchers were provided for dinner.
When people asked for extra drinks vouchers, Olympic refused.
Checks were made through the Internet of flight arrivals at Gatwick. Arrival was shown at around 4-30am, then moved forward to 4am.
Around 11pm, people started to leave.
Again no announcement by Olympic, word of mouth by passengers.
On the coach trip back, reps said go straight through to departures, where Louis would provide vouchers for food and drink. This was repeated again at the airport.
Everyone went through. No-one was waiting the other side. A check was made with Louis (the handling agents). They said no arrangements had been made for food and drink.
Flight was shown to depart at 0055, boarding was called maybe 45 mins earlier.
No boarding was taking place. At 0055, still no boarding. Questioned on departure time, the gate staff refused to answer the question.
One lady, under police escort, went back out to ask why we had all been lied to.
The reps threatened her, ordered her to return back through departures, called her a troublemaker, and said if she did not comply, she would be arrested, removed from the airport, and that she and her partner would be taken off the plane.
The plane was an XL charter. It finally took off at 0230.
The crew radioed ahead to asked that passengers be given a letter on arrival. No one was there on arrival.
XL had received a request for a plane at 10am UK time, ie noon Cyprus time when the plane was scheduled for take-off.
keithpp
Comments
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the worst airline I have travelled on
09.10.2007 14:53
Jay Trip
XL are just as bad
09.10.2007 14:59
The last 2 weeks XL passengers were left sitting on the plane waiting for a pilot to fly the plane again a 4hour delay, on the return journey they were flown to Gatwick had to collect the luggage and walk all the way from one terminal to the other for the onward flight to Manchester with heavy cases no joke if your old or have kids.
If you ask me these airlines are just taking the mick and it seems to be the norm these days especially now that the 4 major companies have merged.
We have flown with Eurocypria and found them no worse than some of the others that are charted by the major companies like XL using flyjet and now cancelling flights as Flyjet are ceasing to trade.
elizabethmcphee
Just returned from Cyprus on Sunday flew with Flyjet
09.10.2007 15:00
Jo
JoanneLiverpool
Any other flights delayed?
09.10.2007 15:01
The flights:
EuroCypria ECA887 Wednesday 1555 Gatwick to Larnaca
EuroCypria ECA886 Wednesday 1200 Larnaca to Gatwick
If anyone has experienced long delays on this flight, please post your comments.
The more evidence we have, the stronger the case against Olympic for compensation.
When passengers passed through the gate at Larnaca Airport on Wednesday night 3 October 2007, they were handed a letter saying the flight ECA886 was estimated to depart at 2335, with a delay of 11 hours 35 minutes. The gate showed 0055, with no boarding taking place at this time. Some passengers managed to get the letter altered by the gate staff to say 13 hours delay, as they passed through the gate at 0100. But even this proved not to be correct.
Passengers were picked up from the beach night club at around 11pm, told there would be a flight at 1am. They were instructed to go straight through to departures where Louis handling agents would be waiting to provide vouchers for a meal and a drink. No one was waiting, no vouchers were provided, no meals or drinks were provided. The flight finally took off at 0230 in the morning with a 14 hours 30 minutes delay, no in-flight meals were provided on the plane, even though these had been paid for. No one was waiting at Gatwick to provide an up-to-date letter, not even to offer an apology.
keithpp
views of an Olympic rep
09.10.2007 15:02
Around 2 or 3 weeks ago a Eurocypria plane was ready to take off from UK when pigeons flew into one of the engines and put the plane out of action. (I had friends on the flight) This knocked on into flights later that week and now presumably they are one plane short and this is affecting their service.
Olympic Holidays use Eurocypria for approx 24 flights a week into to both Paphos and Larnaca airports. How many folks have travelled with Eurocypria and come and gone on time? Its a sad fact that we never hear of the planes that land on time, only the ones that are delayed. Personally, in 20 years of travelling I have only ever had one long delay, 8 hours with First Choice.
I am not an aviation expert but I don't believe planes are like buses. They don't have spares in the depot ready to replace another in the event of problems or delays, this is why they sub-contract to companies like XL, who have a horrific reputation for shoddy service and delays, as detailed on other parts of this forum.
No airline wants to have a delay, it costs them thousands of pounds, not just getting a new plane but looking after the passengers if it is a long one and also the compensation claims afterwards. I'm sure its not something they do lightly.
Anyone with a problem re flight delays with Euroypria write directly to:
Phillipos Phillipou
Eurocypria Airlines
97 Artemidos Avenue
Artemis Building, P.O. Box 40970
Larnaca 6308, Cyprus
e-mail:
Also, if it is a substantial delay, contact your travel insurance. Most folks have flight delay cover.
Just to clarify, when flights are delayed, the responsibility of looking after the passengers falls to the handling agents for the airline. For Eurocypria in Cyprus this is Louis. They pay for the food/drinks vouchers, telephone calls, meals in restaurants and accomodation if necessary. Not the Tour Operator. Control is taken away from the TO totally and they have to fall in with the plans made by the handling agents on behalf of the airline.
On behalf of the airline, the handling agents arrange coaches, food/drinks and accomodation/restaurant and a couple of reps from the TO go along to try to keep the passengers happy. Admittedly, there may not be enough reps but at least they are there. There are some companies who don't send any reps at all with delayed passengers. And we don't discriminate between our own and those from other companies, hence the grief from Argo passengers.
The main bug bear for passengers is that they are not kept informed or that they are given the wrong info. There are reasons for this.
Reps don't intentionally tell untruths. They get their info from their managers who get it from the airline/handling agents.
Reps are reticent to give too much info in case it is wrong which it invariably is. They are told one thing, give the info to the passengers and then it changes. Then who's fault is it? Of course, the rep got it wrong or lied.
For the same reason, we can't confirm or deny what you hear from friends and family back home who are checking the internet and with the airport etc. Everything is subject to change.
Reps don't withhold vouchers for food/drinks. They don't have them! All food and drink vouchers are provided by the handling agents. We do badger them to give more but its like pulling teeth.
If Louis said there would vouchers available once through into departures, than thats what they said. Again, duff info and the reps get the blame.
I too have suffered despicable behaviour, but from passengers. I have been spat at, screamed, shouted and sworn at. I have been threatened and one colleague had a luggage trolley thrown at her and another was punched. All on a flight delay.
I have not had to work a delayed flight for months but when they do happen, they can be horrific, we don't want to be there anymore than you do.
The worst thing that happened to me was when I was followed into the toilet by a male passenger and he threatened to come to my house and 'sort me out' if he didn't get some answers. I'd gone to have a drink from my water bottle as we often get grief from passengers if they see us eating or drinking.
We try to keep the passengers happy and well informed but it is just not possible. We have to do the best we can with the info and the facilities we are given by the airline/handling agents.
I personally have let passengers use my own mobile phone (not a company paid phone) to ring home because the airline/handling agents would not allow free phone calls and I have paid for soft drinks and water for kids out of my own pocket, again when the airline/handling agents wouldn't. Was I thanked? No, these things were snatched from me with no thanks at all.
If a rep was rude to a guest it is not good and I hold my hands up. At the end of a long flight delay when I too am tired, fed up and have had enough, I have been sharp with folks.
I love my job as a rep, the variety and lovely people I meet on a daily basis and of course working abroad in a beautiful country. I could quite easily tar all of my guests with the same brush, the way reps are, but I don't.
Sorry if this is a bit long, and yes, I do work for Olympic holidays.
Louise
loubychew
three weeks in a row
09.10.2007 15:03
The flights:
EuroCypria ECA887 Wednesday 1555 Gatwick to Larnaca
EuroCypria ECA886 Wednesday 1200 Larnaca to Gatwick
If anyone has experienced long delays on this flight, please post your comments.
The more evidence we have, the stronger the case against Olympic for compensation.
When passengers passed through the gate at Larnaca Airport on Wednesday night 3 October 2007, they were handed a letter saying the flight ECA886 was estimated to depart at 2335, with a delay of 11 hours 35 minutes. The gate showed 0055, with no boarding taking place at this time. Some passengers managed to get the letter altered by the gate staff to say 13 hours delay, as they passed through the gate at 0100. But even this proved not to be correct.
Passengers were picked up from the beach night club at around 11pm, told there would be a flight at 1am. They were instructed to go straight through to departures where Louis handling agents would be waiting to provide vouchers for a meal and a drink. No one was waiting, no vouchers were provided, no meals or drinks were provided. The flight finally took off at 0230 in the morning with a 14 hours 30 minutes delay, no in-flight meals were provided on the plane, even though these had been paid for. No one was waiting at Gatwick to provide an up-to-date letter, not even to offer an apology.
keithpp
Pathetic comments from an Olympic rep
09.10.2007 15:04
We do though learn from her that EuroCypria lost a plane some weeks ago due to a pigeon flying into an engine.
This therefore confirms what industry sources have been saying, that EuroCypria were a plane short.
This once again shows the extent to which the Olympic reps were lying. If a rep knew there was a problem with a plane short, then Olympic knew, but no attempt was made to book a replacement plane.
Contrary to what Louise claims, it does not take many weeks to replace an engine, and if there was a problem, a plane should have been leased.
I have been on a plane at Larnaca when the engine failed on take-off. A replacement engine was flown out from the UK. Aircraft took off 24 hours later.
EuroCypria are based at Larnaca.
If they lacked an engine, one could have been flown out from Boeing or Airbus, depending on the plane.
Unless of course what industry sources say is true, they are in financial difficulty and thus lack the money to pay for a replacement engine or no one will supply one on credit.
No one was rude to the reps.
People were very relaxed. It was the reps who got angry when their lies were challenged.
The claim is not against holiday insurance.
The contract passengers had for either flight or package holiday was with Olympic. Olympic failed to deliver.
Yet another example of Olympic reps lying.
The comments from Louise do though show the extent to which the Olympic reps were lying.
If, for example, it was not the Olympic reps who lied about food and drink being available airside, why did they threaten a passenger who challenged what they had said?
keithpp
EuroCypria Airways
09.10.2007 15:05
As of July 2007, they had 6 Boeing 737-800.
It is reasonable to expect them to carry spares, including a spare engine.
If not, no big deal to have an engine shipped out from Boeing.
Whilst stranded passengers were stranded on the beach, only one EuroCypria plane was seen coming into land.
Strange for an airline that claims to serve 45 destinations, a major Cypriot airline!
keithpp
who is responsible?
09.10.2007 15:06
No one gave the reps a hard time last Wednesday. It was the reps who lied to passengers, got angry, called passengers troublemakers and threatened and intimidated at least one passenger.
Louise says XL are a bad airline, though gives no evidence to back her allegation. The return flight was the only time I have flown XL. The stewards were far better, more courteous, than the outbound EuroCypria flight. A frequent flyer to Cyprus has recommended XL as one of the best airlines to use.
According to Olympic rep good-time girl Louise, a EuroCypria plane suffered engine failure some weeks ago when a pigeon flew into one of its engines.
This needs confirmation from passengers who were on the flight as nothing Olympic says can be believed.
An engine failure is something we can all understand, an unavoidable delay.
What is not acceptable nor excusable is that no attempt was made to lease a replacement plane whilst a plane was out of action. Equally inexcusable is the behaviour of the Olympic reps and the extent to which they lied to passengers.
Louse puts their behaviour down to ignorance. Again not acceptable.
At the airport, the reps were asked to get someone senior from Olympic to explain what was going on. The reps refused.
Did the reps have to make statements such as: Do not believe what Gatwick tells you, only believe what we are telling you.
Louise notes that the handling agents were responsible for providing food and drink.
The handling agents act for the airline, who in turn are contracted to the tour operator Olympic. All of which is of no concern to the passengers, who had a contract with Olympic.
Passengers were stuck for many hours in the hot afternoon sun with no sun protection, no money. Few had saved any Cyprus pounds as even if returning to the island, Cyprus goes over to the euro on 1 January 2008 and the Cyprus pound will no longer be legal currency.
Passengers should have been provided with drinks every hour. The response of the reps was to say provision of drinks was at the discretion of the restaurant!
Louise persists in repeating the lie that any claim should be made against the airline or on holiday insurance.
If we were to follow her logic, any problems at a hotel, would be made against the hotel.
Several years ago I had the misfortune to stay at a hotel where major renovation and building works were taking place. The hotel should have been closed. One holiday company promptly paid out, the one I was with did not, claiming nothing was taking place. I took the company to arbitration and received a large award, in addition the company was severely reprimanded for their behaviour.
On Sunday, I was at Gatwick and spoke with the handling agents for EuroCypria. They refused to confirm or deny that EuroCypria were a plane short. They did though clearly state that any claim should be made with who you booked, ie the tour operator not the airline.
EuroCypria has six planes, Boeing Boeing 737-800, each plane has the name of a wind and each has a different colour vertical stabilizer. The colour correspondence with the registration numbers is as follows:
- 5B-DBU - Blue
- 5B-DBV - Light blue
- 5B-DBW - Gray
- 5B-DBX - White
- 5B-DBZ - Violet
- 5B-DBR - Lime
It would be useful to know which plane, if any, is out of action, and where the delayed plane on 19 September was earlier in the day.
The behaviour of Olympic and its employees and their treatment of passengers is a disgrace.
keithpp
Should this crap be on Indymedia
10.10.2007 07:19
Confused!
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