It has certainly made me think about taking more money or access to more money with me when I go abroad. Two years ago we went to Valencia to stay in a friend's holiday home. I took £80 sterling that I converted as I needed it. I didn't even take my cashcard let alone credit card. I would have been well and truly stuffed with Easyjet. Next time I go abroad I will be taking creditcard with a nice limit and informing the bank I am abroad, some extra money stashed and the Foreigh Office phone number.
The people I feel sorry for are those who are stuck airside in non-EU countries with run out visas or who were transiting. The group in Delhi I believe are still there. There is a group in Moscow who the Russian authorities took pity on after a few days. They split up the families and made the men stay at the airport and took the women and children under armed guard to a hotel. The guards patrol the corridor to stop anyone leaving and escort them meals in the dining hall.
My Husband was delayed returning from Belarus a few years ago. There was a problem with the plane. Cue lots of men running around with spanners to fix the plane. The Aeroflot checkin guy recognised the group my husband was travelling with and took pity on him and the girl he was travelling with. My husband got to drink vodka with the officials while they discussed what they were going to do. The poor girl got a cup of coffee! After some time it was apparent that the plane needed some hours of having a spanner waved at it, but as it was now past midnight their visas had run out. The vodka managed to extend their visas and they were allowed back into the country to get a hotel. Everyone else from the plane was stuck airside in a closed airport. The plane was finally deemed safe to fly about 24 hours later!
The people I feel sorry for are those who are stuck airside in non-EU countries with run out visas or who were transiting. The group in Delhi I believe are still there. There is a group in Moscow who the Russian authorities took pity on after a few days. They split up the families and made the men stay at the airport and took the women and children under armed guard to a hotel. The guards patrol the corridor to stop anyone leaving and escort them meals in the dining hall.
My Husband was delayed returning from Belarus a few years ago. There was a problem with the plane. Cue lots of men running around with spanners to fix the plane. The Aeroflot checkin guy recognised the group my husband was travelling with and took pity on him and the girl he was travelling with. My husband got to drink vodka with the officials while they discussed what they were going to do. The poor girl got a cup of coffee! After some time it was apparent that the plane needed some hours of having a spanner waved at it, but as it was now past midnight their visas had run out. The vodka managed to extend their visas and they were allowed back into the country to get a hotel. Everyone else from the plane was stuck airside in a closed airport. The plane was finally deemed safe to fly about 24 hours later!
