350 British tourists cause near-riot at Bangkok airport

[lovedog100 1,372]

Like 'the last days of Saigon': Angry and stranded, 350 British tourists cause near-riot at Bangkok airport

By Mail Foreign Service

 

BANGKOK: -- Hundreds of angry and frightened Britons left stranded in Thailand by the volcanic dust cloud today were battling for plane seats out of the country's capital.

 

Many were left to sleep on cardboard mats in Bangkok airport after their money ran out.

 

Some were also without a meal or roof over their heads because non-European airlines - including Thailand's main air carrier - declined to offer customers hotel accommodation which must be offered by air carriers under EU regulations.

 

The problems in Thailand have been exacerbated by a violent attempted coup being mounted on the streets of the capital by 'Red Shirts', supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, which have left more than 20 dead.

 

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has urged people to avoid Bangkok except for essential travel and elevated it to the No 1 destination from which to repatriate British tourists.

 

Today an estimated 350 Britons clutching 'promissory notes' angrily crowded around check-in desks after they were refused permission to board flights. One British official described the scene as like 'the last days of Saigon'.

 

Shouts of 'Tell us the truth!' 'Give us the information' and 'Get us out of here' went up as crowds surged in the main departure area.

 

Story continues: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/...ok-airport.html

 

Source: dailymail.co.uk

[berettakid 26]

Like 'the last days of Saigon': Angry and stranded, 350 British tourists cause near-riot at Bangkok airport

By Mail Foreign Service

 

BANGKOK: -- Hundreds of angry and frightened Britons left stranded in Thailand by the volcanic dust cloud today were battling for plane seats out of the country's capital.

 

Many were left to sleep on cardboard mats in Bangkok airport after their money ran out.

 

Some were also without a meal or roof over their heads because non-European airlines - including Thailand's main air carrier - declined to offer customers hotel accommodation which must be offered by air carriers under EU regulations.

 

The problems in Thailand have been exacerbated by a violent attempted coup being mounted on the streets of the capital by 'Red Shirts', supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, which have left more than 20 dead.

 

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has urged people to avoid Bangkok except for essential travel and elevated it to the No 1 destination from which to repatriate British tourists.

 

Today an estimated 350 Britons clutching 'promissory notes' angrily crowded around check-in desks after they were refused permission to board flights. One British official described the scene as like 'the last days of Saigon'.

 

Shouts of 'Tell us the truth!' 'Give us the information' and 'Get us out of here' went up as crowds surged in the main departure area.

 

Story continues: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/...ok-airport.html

 

Source: dailymail.co.uk

a couple of months ago we had a topic about flying with british airways, but it seams a Euro carrier would have looked after their stranded passengers.

[lovedog100 1,372]

a couple of months ago we had a topic about flying with british airways, but it seams a Euro carrier would have looked after their stranded passengers.

You are right about that. Does anyone know if American airlines have a similar law they have to adhere to?

[Regyai 415]

Sorry

 

But WTF are people doing on the other side of the planet if they haven't got the resources to see them thru a coupla extra days accommodation (at Thailand prices!)

 

 

Typical welfare state thinking... 'Im in a predicament and its everyone else's problem/responsibility except mine'

 

 

.

[jimmac 66]

You are right about that. Does anyone know if American airlines have a similar law they have to adhere to?

 

No, they don't.

[ajsp9 18]

Sorry

 

But WTF are people doing on the other side of the planet if they haven't got the resources to see them thru a coupla extra days accommodation (at Thailand prices!)

 

 

Typical welfare state thinking... 'Im in a predicament and its everyone else's problem/responsibility except mine'

 

 

.

 

Bloody good post

[ozijeff 9]

Agree with Regyai on this.

 

When shit happens many people go to water and do illogical things.

When the yellow shits took over Poomi, I got stuck in Siem Reap. So did lots of people.

I kept running into people who were making all sorts of wacky plans to get back to a CLOSED airport ... derrr.

Hiring cars, organising buses etc. from Cambo to Bkk.

I rebooked into my hotel, organised some more money from my Bank at home and took it easy.

My next destination was Phuket and when it became obvious I wasnt getting there via BKK I made my way to Phnom Penh.

Got a flight from there to Singapore and on to Phuket. BKK air and Air Asia creditted me on my missed flights.

 

There is no way in hell I would be sleeping on an airport floor.

Organise funds from home. Its 2010. Advance your card, Western Union, get money wired from a friend ... anything!

Standing in an airport abusing someone, who isnt in a position to help you anyway, is just pathetic.

Carrying on like a loony in front of Thais makes it doubley stupid if you actually want their assistance.

 

Stress will kill you quicker than anything.

Do what you can to make yourself comfortable and deal with the airlines/insurance companies later.

[Big_Brian 179]

Sorry

 

But WTF are people doing on the other side of the planet if they haven't got the resources to see them thru a coupla extra days accommodation (at Thailand prices!)

 

 

Typical welfare state thinking... 'Im in a predicament and its everyone else's problem/responsibility except mine'

 

 

.

 

Good post.

[joekicker 53]

But WTF are people doing on the other side of the planet if they haven't got the resources to see them thru a coupla extra days accommodation (at Thailand prices!)

 

... which they didn't need, since Suvarnabhumi airport provided free bed, meals, Internet, phones, TV and more for many days for hundreds of stranded passengers.

 

These are just boorish, dreadful, horrible people with no sense of shame, gratitude or politeness.

 

That is ASSUMING this one solitary unique exclusive media report is correct, by the way. The British press have been known to bring in ploughs and make very high hills out of molehills.

 

.

[wetwillie 12]

You are right about that. Does anyone know if American airlines have a similar law they have to adhere to?

 

 

 

 

The only law American adheres to is

[jacko 8,822]

Sorry

 

But WTF are people doing on the other side of the planet if they haven't got the resources to see them thru a coupla extra days accommodation (at Thailand prices!)

 

 

Typical welfare state thinking... 'Im in a predicament and its everyone else's problem/responsibility except mine'

 

 

.

Yeah I kinda thought the same thing... perhaps should have kept a bit of spending money by for unforeseen circumstances.

Surely there is insurance too.

Edited April 24, 2010 by jacko

[sinbinjack 252]

Sorry

 

But WTF are people doing on the other side of the planet if they haven't got the resources to see them thru a coupla extra days accommodation (at Thailand prices!)

 

 

Typical welfare state thinking... 'Im in a predicament and its everyone else's problem/responsibility except mine'

 

 

.

If you cant afford to be out of your own country for more than the 2 weeks of your holiday then surely you should have saved the money for more important things.I don't think its the welfare states fault, just stupid people living beyond their means.

[monochromeman 41]

If you read the story you'll see far from being on welfare or thinking welfare one is a nurse, one works for a cargo co., one's a nursery nurse 2 are actors.

 

They're complaining due to lack of communication from the airlines. no more.

 

We have been stuck here since Saturday last week. Thai Airways tell us nothing. They don't tell their staff anything and check-in girls have been reduced to tears.

[Regyai 415]

I don't see that anyone said that they are ON welfare

 

They are the product of welfare state mentality (not any of my responsibility...who's going to sort it out)

 

Instead of berating helpless check in girls to tears, reschedule your flight and go check in to a hotel till that day comes around.

 

Be they nurses, cargo handlers et all the OP stated the bleat was that they've run out of money, which as I said is sad testament especially to gainfully employed world travellers n'est pas?

 

& if your tiny little world starts to crumble if you're not back in work for a few days...again...WTF are you doing on the other side of the planet.

 

 

 

.

[bigdelta 46]

One British official described the scene as like 'the last days of Saigon'.

How would he know?I see very little in common with those stranded and the last days of Saigon.

Were any lives in danger?

As Joe said,many items were provided,free of charge-it's simply a matter of getting 1 aircraft to BKK and fly them home.

 

more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/...l#ixzz0m2CVekjn

[Regyai 415]

Not at all

 

What is happening is that everyone is at the airport huffing n puffing and stamping their feet for a seat on the very next flight

 

Well as we all (should) know the good people holding tickets on that flight got there first, so we have a flock of peeps chasing none existent capacity

 

To quoter from the article:

 

Fiona Small, 23, a nursery teacher and Melissa Cove, 25, a nurse, both from London and travelling by Jet Airways, said they called up their travel agent who managed to book them on a flight on May 1 with their original tickets.

 

The answer is to reschedule forward to when there is capacity and stop laying around in the airport grumbling and farting like a bunch of itinerant tramps

 

 

.

Edited April 24, 2010 by Regyai

[JohnnyK 28]

Assholes should sue the volcano!

[monochromeman 41]

I don't see that anyone said that they are ON welfare

 

They are the product of welfare state mentality (not any of my responsibility...who's going to sort it out)

 

Instead of berating helpless check in girls to tears, reschedule your flight and go check in to a hotel till that day comes around.

 

Be they nurses, cargo handlers et all the OP stated the bleat was that they've run out of money, which as I said is sad testament especially to gainfully employed world travellers n'est pas?

 

& if your tiny little world starts to crumble if you're not back in work for a few days...again...WTF are you doing on the other side of the planet.

 

 

 

.

 

I think that's what they want to do. I doubt all those 350 people are showing signs of nanny statism. It looks like it's the airlines aren't helping them reschedule

Edited April 24, 2010 by monochromeman

[lovedog100 1,372]

Wow, you guys are really harsh. If there are 350 stranded passengers in the airport, there are probably thousands more in hotels. You are right, it is not the airlines fault that there was a volcano. However, all those people had a ticket on a plane home. Now the airlines are filling the empty seats on scheduled flights, with those stranded. Many have jobs in jeopardy, that they have to get back to. Here is the real pisser. The airline did not make the flights during the ash. They saved the fuel, food, paying a flight crew and other things. Now they are sending people back on a stand by status. Those people did not pay for a stand by seat, they paid full fare. The airline should replace full flights with those stranded. They are not, and many have been told that they will have to wait weeks. No one has asked for welfare, they asked for the flight that they paid for. They want it now, not in a couple of weeks.

 

Flying across the globe with out enough money is not the issue. There are those that have money, others spent way more than they expected, still some, cut their budget close. It happens, they are human. The flight was canceled, now it should be rescheduled. How many have jobs to go to, important meetings, family weddings or funerals? Isn't it fair that the airline reschedule the flight that they paid for??

[villayouth 37]

Wow, you guys are really harsh. If there are 350 stranded passengers in the airport, there are probably thousands more in hotels. You are right, it is not the airlines fault that there was a volcano. However, all those people had a ticket on a plane home. Now the airlines are filling the empty seats on scheduled flights, with those stranded. Many have jobs in jeopardy, that they have to get back to. Here is the real pisser. The airline did not make the flights during the ash. They saved the fuel, food, paying a flight crew and other things. Now they are sending people back on a stand by status. Those people did not pay for a stand by seat, they paid full fare. The airline should replace full flights with those stranded. They are not, and many have been told that they will have to wait weeks. No one has asked for welfare, they asked for the flight that they paid for. They want it now, not in a couple of weeks.

 

Flying across the globe with out enough money is not the issue. There are those that have money, others spent way more than they expected, still some, cut their budget close. It happens, they are human. The flight was canceled, now it should be rescheduled. How many have jobs to go to, important meetings, family weddings or funerals? Isn't it fair that the airline reschedule the flight that they paid for??

 

Good post . shame you an ugly fucker

[Regyai 415]

Fair... maybe not

 

But

 

I hazard completely in accordance with the term and conditions of the 'flight that they paid for'.

 

 

Just like with an insurance policy, its not what YOU consider moral & just or what YOU think you are covered for, it is in fact what it SAYS in the policy.

 

 

And as I said they are all demanding immediacy which is neither available or an entitlement.

 

 

 

.

[Torres09 0]

You don't get fuck all if you don't ask

 

The report will be blown out of all proportion.

 

I liked Lovedogs response on this

[bigdelta 46]

Wow, you guys are really harsh. If there are 350 stranded passengers in the airport, there are probably thousands more in hotels. You are right, it is not the airlines fault that there was a volcano. However, all those people had a ticket on a plane home. Now the airlines are filling the empty seats on scheduled flights, with those stranded. Many have jobs in jeopardy, that they have to get back to. Here is the real pisser. The airline did not make the flights during the ash. They saved the fuel, food, paying a flight crew and other things. Now they are sending people back on a stand by status. Those people did not pay for a stand by seat, they paid full fare. The airline should replace full flights with those stranded. They are not, and many have been told that they will have to wait weeks. No one has asked for welfare, they asked for the flight that they paid for. They want it now, not in a couple of weeks.

 

Flying across the globe with out enough money is not the issue. There are those that have money, others spent way more than they expected, still some, cut their budget close. It happens, they are human. The flight was canceled, now it should be rescheduled. How many have jobs to go to, important meetings, family weddings or funerals? Isn't it fair that the airline reschedule the flight that they paid for??

Many US airlines have added extra sections to Europe and will continue to do until the backlog as eased.

Very few have paid "full fare".

[jacko 8,822]

I would be interested to hear from anybody who witnessed this at the airport.

It smells a bit of sensationalism and perhaps journalistic licence.

 

I would be quite aggrieved if I could not get to my Biz Class check-in for all these backpackers welfare state scroungers lounging around and making trouble.

 

Glad to see our consular services putting down their sherry and helping out their people.

[ozijeff 9]

Airlines dont have a spare dozen aircraft sitting around 'just in case'.

 

The logistics involved with clearing this backlog must be a nightmare. Its unprecedented.

(except maybe for BA, they should be used to it)

 

Shouting and getting upset at airline staff? Well there is the term .. 'the squeeky wheel gets the oil'.

Dont think that works in Thailand.

 

Its quite simple, the Airlines cant put you in seat that doesnt exist.