Missed flight following disruption at airport - help

cobster

Hi

I wonder if anyone can help please? I was travelling from Luton airport on 17 April on an 0555 flight to Palma with Easyjet. At about 0430 as I was in the queue for baggage we were evacuated due to a fire alarm. It was utter chaos. In brief:

- At about 0540 bags were checked through by Easyjet staff
- Proceeded to security - carnage - called forward for flights before 0600
- Cleared security - departure board stated gate information at 0615
- Sat in departure lounge waiting for information
- Calls being made for passengers. No information on top 4 flights on board
- Found on Facebook photos of other friends on trip already on the plane
- Found out from shop assistant that Easyjet information is at Gate 6
- Ran to Gate 6 (taking photos of departure board showing no information for my flight)
- Told at gate that flight had already left from Gate 14 at 0631.
- They advised that information was on boards and calls had been made (both statements incorrect)
- Advised to call through to Easyjet Customer Service.
- Eventually an assistant came to find us. By this time there was a large crowd of people that had missed Easyjet flights.
- Small groups taken back through Border Control and to Easyjet Help Desk
- Rebooked on to flight from Gatwick at 1400 at no cost to me. Told to wait for luggage. Told to book train tickets and to reclaim
- No luggage appeared. Tickets tracked and advised that bags were on plane going to Palma. Security breach??
- Advised to go to LGW and my bags would be waiting in Palma.
- At LGW had boarding passes re-printed. Asked them to do another check on bags. Advised bags are at Luton, not Palma.
- Easyjet refused to call Luton (another story) but a friend arranged with Easyjet at Luton for my bags to be on 1930 flight that day.
- Following intervention of friend, Head Steward and pilots, my bags did make it to Palma that night and delivered to my hotel the following day.

Some of the other travellers who also missed the flight waiting for gate information have been advised by Easyjet that there is no refund of additional costs or train fares as it was travellers fault that flight was missed.

Any thoughts on how to tackle this one?

I can't tell you how upset I was - up at 0230 for this flight, arrived in resort at 1900 so missed a good 8 hours of my holiday (and the only sunny day over the Easter break!!).

Thanks in advance

bradders1983

So the friends ditched you and got on the plane without you? With friends like that....

As for your quandary, no idea, I suspect the fire alarm wont be covered under the usual EU regs and your redress here may be with the airport and/or travel insurance

jpsartre

How did your friends make it onboard if there was no infomation about your flight?

814man

"Sat in departure lounge waiting for information"

Schoolboy error tbf.

cobster

They didn't ditch me - some had made it through to Departures when the evacuation happened and were told to stay put and proceed to Gate when called. The others had already checked their bags in so were told by Easyjet the gate information and had to run from Security to the Gate. Sadly, the information was not forthcoming to me, I was told to go through Security and the board said to wait for Gate information.

cobster

However there is no information desk when you get through to the Departure area so you are held there until information is available.

30 people missed this flight ... and about 90 from the other flights to Malaga, Amsterdam and Bodrum.

bradders1983

Your mates didnt ring you or message you to tell you which gate to go to then when they saw you werent there? What great mates you have.

FBaby

It seems they accepted what happened which is why you got to go on the other flight from Gatwick and train fare paid. It sounds like it wasn't even Easy jet's fault. Personally I would have been relieved that Easyjet sorted flight and luggage as they did and would deem this good service on their part.

What more do you expect from them?