Sunday began expensively for me, with a trip on Britain's second-priciest railway, the Gatwick Express (most expensive is the Heathrow Express). I wanted to report first hand on the chaos and confusion at the world's busiest single-runway airport, which this week has been hit far harder than any other in Britain - close on 1,000 flights have been cancelled so far.
In fact, because the predicted snow did not arrive overnight, the airport was functioning better than for days. But the scale of disruption was clear from the people I talked to who were booked on Virgin Atlantic from Gatwick to Barbados. They were still expecting to get there - but only after a scenic trip around the M25 to Heathrow. Their plane was diverted inbound because of fears about Gatwick's weather that didn't materialise.
Steve in New York emailed to say: “We are currently stuck in New York; British Airways cancelled our flight Friday evening and have said that the next available flight is on Tuesday morning which we have booked. They have accommodated us in the hotel but say they will not provide food or any other costs.” By my reckoning Steve is covered by not one but two bodies of legislation. Since he’s booked a package holiday, the Package Travel Regs apply – meaning the tour operator has a duty of care to him until it can safely deliver him home; and the EU rules on care in the event of delays and cancellation, which mean broadly the same thing. I urge Steve to save all the receipts for meals and send them in when he gets home.
Plenty of other business, and I gathered information during the week on the new St-Nazaire-Gijon ferry that "cuts a corner" between southern Brittany and northern Spain - hopefully it will start in Spring on LD Lines.
Wherever you're heading this week, have a safe and happy journey.
Simon