What would YOU do?

Monarch's financial problems go back at least 5 years to the terrorist attacks in North African resorts in Morocco and Tunisia when the cheap airlines serving these resorts switched to take business off of Monarch - Best avoided.

We were in Crete when Excel planes were grounded @ ten years ago. We were lucky as our 'rep' stayed and helped us get a flight which had been organised to repatriate UK holidaymakers. It was total chaos at the airport as independent travellers weren't as lucky as us and were desperately trying to get away, some even taking the ferry to mainland Greece, to try and get flights. Once these companies go into liquidation all payments stop so hoteliers abroad panic and reps,no longer being paid, have no responsibilities. Am glad Fairydoll that your son and family have managed to get flights organised to get home.

It's a very good idea to read a thread before commenting and then, dear reader, you know how things have progressed since I made the original post.

Just saying

fairydoll why not let him know what you know, if you are concerned that DIL will cause an argument about it all just speak to her be sincere and make it clear u r just trying to be there for them and help them out of a tricky situation, if they do not want the help then u have tried ur best n no more u can do

Apparently people who were concerned in the immediate days before the collapse contacted Monarch and were reassured that the company was still in business. Which effectively they were.

Harrigran. No, it hasn't been 'headline news' for a week or two. There were rumours on Twitter apparently. Not quite the same thing. Most holidaymakers would have paid long in advance for tickets. Unfortunately, the rumours were true, but t you don't cancel and lose money 'just in case'.

I don't think anyone suggested it was minor. The possible collapse of the company had been headline news for a week or two, holiday makers would have been wise to heed the warnings.

"There were reports that customers still abroad have been threatened with arrest or eviction from hotels as Monarch allegedly had not paid bills."
www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/monarch-airline-rescue-biggest-dunkirk-11277294

So it wasn't as minor as some on here are trying to say.

I, personally, did not compare the situation to Dunkirk.

Read Chris Grayling's assessment.

I'd offer to buy tickets if it made life easier for them but if they said no that's fine.
My d.i l's mother was coming to the UK for an event and her BA flight was delayed for over 12 hours , it was only by D.IL getting on her computer from work in London that she managed to get an alternative flight that day so her mother didn't miss the event. She got compensation for the delay which covered the cost of the rebooked flight. This is just something families do. Her mother couldn't get on the phone or computer at the airport as everyone else was scrabbling around for alternatives so she asked her DD to do it for her.
Comparing this situation to Dunkirk is extreme, and if you' re already on holiday it's an inconvenience but not that major. People who have lost their jobs/holidays/ weddings etc we should feel sorry for.

I'm with cherrytree on this. I would have bought the tickets and swallowed the loss if they didn't need them.

Agree. Heartbreaking. It's more or less our 'local' airline.
Established 50 years and in my experience always provided very good service. So very sad.

I feel sorry for all the Monarch staff who have lost their jobs.

I feel compelled to respond to you *Monica although my gut instinct tells me it's a waste of time.

My son did not turn down my offer! I did not offer anything. Late last evening when it was becoming apparent from TV news bulletins that it was highly likely Monarch would fail I had a text from him saying he had seen it on Sky News. He had no more info than I did at the time. The wifi is pretty flakey where they are and they are not at a major resort so no physical spreading of info by word of mouth. Getting flights for them was just a thought but I wasn't sure, so I came on lovely Gransnet to ask others their opinion.
This morning my son texted to say they had booked alternative flights with Easyjet ( by phone I think). So now they are (pretty much!) assured of getting back in time for
work which is very important as my son is free lance.
And, importantly, he can relax and enjoy the rest of the holiday free of the concern.about getting home.
And yes, I do know what the CAA are saying but it's never been done before on such a scale.

Bellanona. Correct!

I would offer to help but I would step back if they did not want my help.

Fairydoll I would also want to help anyone I knew caught up in the Monarch situation or any other difficult situation. But if I had offered assistance and it had been turned down and those involved were in no personal danger then, yes. I would leave them to sort it out themselves because they would have made it clear by their actions that they were dealing with it quite successfully on their own.

They probably knew far more about the contingency arrangements that the government had in place to get them home than you did and knew that your offer of assistance while thoughtful was unnecessary as they would be travelling with other Monarch passengers through the official evacuation programme.

It depends on what sort of relationship you have with whoever it is that's in trouble.
Some would take great umbrage at having something done for them, others would be grateful to have a load lifted, even if they could have sorted it themselves.

BlueBell oh yes I can.

Oh, Fairydoll you probably wish you'd never started this. I, too, would be concerned for my family and would want to help in any way I could. I'm so glad he's got a flight home, and a night on an airport floor would not be a lot of fun. Riots and revolutions? Ye Gods!

Cherry tree you can’t go buying tickets unless you are asked too that’s really ‘taking over’
The three year old was with his parents not in a war zone a night on the airport floor was only a very vague possibility and would be a great adventure
I had two small grandkids stuck in the ash cloud a few years back they had to sleep on a ferry floor over night with their mum it was made into a big adventure Kids are super resilient

Cherrytree59

p.s. As this event is unprecedented and 'the biggest repatriation since the 2nd world war', it may just prove to be so much more than 'just a night on an airport floor.'

OK, so that sounds dramatic, but who knows how it work out. The logistics must be a nightmare.

Fairydoll glad everything ok

I'm in the minority as I would have bought tickets and been prepared to lose the money.
If it meant that a three year old wasn't stuck in an airport for goodness knows how long.

If necessary I would have paid
for ferry tickets or a hire car.

Last resort I would drive to Spain and pick them up.
That's just me...

Oh dear Monica I never assumed or implied it was my responsibility. I would be worried if it was any of my sisters, brothers, their children, grandchildren or, indeed, any of my friends. I would try to help if possible. That's who I am, I cannot change that and why should I?
If you read the whole thread you would learn that my son managed to book an alternative flight himself without any input from me.
Maybe your attitude is,'It's up to them to get on with it.' Thankfully, it isn't everyones..

Fairydoll, sadly your DGS's welfare in this situation is not your responsibility. His care and welfare are entirely the responsibility of his parents. and if they want to take risks in this situation there is nothing you can do about it.

You can let them know what alternatives there are and what can be done from this end to get them home safely, but after that it is entirely up to them.

They are not stuck in a country with a revolution on or where riots are breaking out. The worst that can happen is a delayed return home and possibly a night on an airport floor. Hardly things to cause more than a little discomfort and some lost sleep, even for a small child.