Thursday 29th April 2010

Things getting back to normal after last week's disruption. I am reading a catalogue of horror stories on our Travel Trade website, with fellow Tour Operators having hundreds of passengers stuck all over the world, most of whom will not have the benefit of EU 261 (i.e. airlines picking up the tab for the extra accommodation) - I know how stressful and costly the ash-fallout was for us (a £12,000 hit) and we are small-fry in comparison - gulp!

Letters have been going out to customers who were affected telling them where they/we stand.

On Monday it was good to get out and have a constructive meeting with the RHS at Wisley, and they seem very pleased with the programme of tours we are running on their behalf - to request a brochure - rhs@brightwaterholidays.com the only problem I have with the RHS is that any profit we might make from running these tours on their behalf usually gets ploughed straight back into their coffers because after my meetings at Wisley I always spend some time mooching around their wonderful Plant Sales area! So as I am loading up my car with half a dozen nice herbaceous plants for my garden I notice I have a virtually flat tyre! There followed a bit of a John Cleese moment as I shook my fist at the clouds!


Tuesday was a day catching up with correspondence and phone calls.

Wednesday it was comforting to be back in the arms of Easyjet at a ridiculously early time in the morning at Bristol Airport (sat next to Andy Robinson the Scotland Rugby Coach -who was a really nice bloke).

In the office we are awash with boxes of 'Summer' brochures - 20,000 of them! This week's priority is to to get them out, so extra hands being brought in and some overtime for the guys.

Friday 23rd April 2010

This too will pass

Well, the intrepid Andalucian group crossed the Channel on the 01.30hrs ferry and were at Gatwick by 03.30hrs - wow, that was a long trip. By mid morning we had two calls to the office from passengers thanking us so much for what we had done.

Letters are flooding in to the office from grateful Bulbfield passengers

'Top marks to Brightwater for getting everyone home to their varied destinations' Mrs Banks Balerno

'I can tell you our party of eight were most impressed - they say that the best managers show themselves in how they handle a crisis, and given your performance on this occasion, we all feel that you are the kind of company we will want to travel with in the future, congratulations, well done, and thanks' Mr Drennan, Rutland.

'My wife and I have just returned from the Dutch Bulbfields Cruise which we enjoyed very much in all respects. We arrived home a day late on account of the volcanic ash from Iceland, but we consider ourselves most fortunate to have done so, when we have become aware of the logistics necessary to ensure our safe return - Thank you very much' Mr and Mrs Banks Edinburgh.

The office is settling back to normal with Joining Instructions being sent out for future tours and bookings and brochures being processed.

I see a gap in proceedings and decide to head for home. As I head out the office Alison gives me a hug, and I think we both realise that it has been a very stressful few days. We have a saying in the office when the chips are down that 'This too will pass'.

Driving through the Scottish Borders watching prancing lambs and displaying Lapwings you would think nothing could be wrong in the world. Then I listen to the radio and hear the rants from stranded passengers, the complaints about who is paying for what, compensation for extra expenses etc, then there is the build up to the Political Debate in the evening -

Excuse me Mr Brown ..... who is going to compensate me for our cancelled tours, lost turnover and margin?

All is forgotten when I arrive home in Somerset and my wee Linsey runs out to greet me with her hands outstretched.

Thursday 22nd April 2010

The dust settles

Wednesday was another fraught day, trying to make sense of what planes were flying and which routes were still cancelled.

Our intrepid group in Spain made it to Bilbao and then started their long drive through France by coach. The last we heard at about eight-thirty last night (Wednesday) was it was doubtful if they would catch the ferry at 11.30pm so would have to just get the next available sailing. We have arranged overnight accommodation at Gatwick and onward domestic flights back to regional airports later today (Thursday).

Latest news is that the Epsom's Coaches are back in their depot, so they must have caught a ferry at some point - but as yet no-one has surfaced at the hotel - best let them sleep!

Meanwhile in Madeira, flights are starting to arrive today to repatriate stranded holidaymakers on a longest delayed returning home first basis - presumably there will be others who will jump the queue if they have extenuating circumstances such as medical reasons to get home as soon as possible. Our Agents in Madeira seem to have the situation under control and are keeping our customers advised. In the end our Crete passengers returned yesterday on schedule and were not delayed at all.

Our domestic tours are all operating as normal with only one gentleman's flight from Manchester to Glasgow already cancelled for tomorrow - so he will be travelling by rail.

It will be interesting to see the fall-out from the Volcanic Ash drama - airlines already are trying to squirm out of their legal responsibilities, Government has admitted that they were 'too cautious', The CAA are sticking to their guns - but just like always the Tour Operator has to take it on the chin, and do the right thing for their customers whatever the cost.

I have not been home for six days and my two year old daughter is giving me grief down the phone to 'Come home daddy!' All being well I'll be home tonight.

Tuesday 20th/Wednesday 21st April

Tuesday 20th/ Wednesday 21st April 2010

Wow, what a day Tuesday was. Passengers still stranded in Malaga, Madeira and Crete, and domestic flights grounded.
Madeira and Crete passengers are still in their resort hotels being well looked after by our agents. The big group in Andalucia are the main worry and we spend all morning looking at options to get them home. About mid-day we find out that a friendly British Coach Operator (Epsom's) has an empty coach in Bilbao in the north of Spain that is heading back to England on Wednesday morning at 0600 local time.
There is no sign of any change in the 'No fly' situation, and the earliest Easyjet can re-book any return flights is around the 3 - 5 May!
We swing into action to look at all possibilities at getting our passengers up to Bilbao.
Michael the Tour Manager has been sent to the airport in Malaga to see how things are on the ground - and has to wait hours in a queue. Meanwhile I take a call from one of the passengers in Malaga who is calm and appreciative at what we are trying to do.
I speak with our Agent in Madeira who is very downhearted - he has had a lot to deal with, especially after the floods in Funchal a month ago - and now this.
All passengers have booked to stay another night near Malaga, and have been told the next meeting with the Tour Manager is at 8.00pm and that they should go out for the day or relax at the hotel. Two passengers take it upon themselves to leave the group and make their own arrangements.
Meanwhile we confirm that Epsom's definitely are free and willing to help, but their drivers are on an 11 hour rest break.
Jenni is a blur on the Internet looking for flights between Malaga and Bilbao, and finds availability on a flight leaving Malaga at 21.50hrs getting into Bilbao at 23.30hrs on an airline we have never heard of before. OK so we can get our passengers there - but will they go for it? We think it is our best option.
We try and contact the airline to see if we can hold the seats - no response from any of their numbers.
Meanwhile our internal UK domestic flights are another issue and we look at options and quickly realise train is the only viable option - so Kerry phones all the northern passengers who are travelling on Thursday to inform them that they must travel by train. All passengers are OK about that - but we must contact all southern passengers to inform of new timings.
One passenger has gone missing en route to Cornwall - who was supposed to be flying from Leeds/Bradford, but he seems to be a resourceful chap - we are confident he will turn up at some point. (He does - arriving at St Mary's at 7.00pm).
Back in Malaga we realise that time is running out if we are to catch the evening flight, and we tell Michael to bring forward his meeting to 5.00pm local time, and tell passengers that we are prepared to get them to Bilbao and home by coach. So we start phoning as many passengers as we can, and tell them if they see other passengers to get them to the Hotel's lobby at five for instructions. Half the group have their phones switched off. I speak to one passenger's daughter-in-law in Glasgow to see if she has another number. (she doesn't). Andrew arranges a coach transfer to the airport.
All passengers agree to travel by 5.15pm (UK time) and we try and book the flights online with Vueling (the previously unknown airline) Jenni types in all the names and presses the 'buy' button, while we hold our breath - System error! We try again - System error! We try another card - same problem. Alison phones a contact who is a Flight Broker in London to see if she can help.
Meanwhile we a have still not made contact with 2 passengers in Malaga. One of the passengers who made their own arrangements has re-appeared and wants to be part of the group again.
The flight broker is making a killing on our booking (but what can we do?) - then she cannot get payment from our cards - I phone the Bank to see if there is a security problem - there is none.
The last two passengers turn up in Malaga and pack in five minutes.
Andrew eventually gets through to someone at Malaga Airport who says no tickets can be bought online for this flight, it must be purchased at the airport. By now the group are at the airport and change queue from Check-in, to the Booking Desk.
Confirmation comes in that our hotel in Balbao will hold the rooms until midnight no problem and they have arranged a coach to pick them up from the airport.
Alison, Andrew and myself slump on our desks at 7.30pm somewhat exhausted. Jenni gets the giggles.
Of course while all this has been going on the day to day life of the office has been going on with people requesting brochures for holidays, paying balances etc.
As I write this blog 0900hrs Wednesday we assume that the group made it to Bilbao and are en route through France - but they are not home yet - I am sure there will be further developments as the day unfolds.
On the ten o'clock news last night it is announced that the air closure has been lifted and it is over. The political ramifications are about to begin.

Tuesday 20th April 2010

More Volcanic disruption!

Another frantic day trying to sort out the mess from the Volcanic Ash.

All groups home safely from Holland with minimal disruption.

So far two tours cancelled Genoa 19th April, and Andalucia 20th April.

So far passengers still stranded in Malaga, stranded in Madeira and stranded in Crete.

Still disruption in Penzance with helicopter flights to and from Scilly Isles and domestic flights to the south west.

Michael Gill (Tour Manager in Malaga) has been great, constantly on the phone looking for up-dates and offering suggestions, but as things stand it looks like they might be stuck in Spain for a few more days yet as the majority of flight restrictions are still in place. The airlines seem to be coming round to the assumption that they are liable for picking up the tab for the accommodation costs, under EU rulings.

Might this be a good time to consider a nice UK coaching holiday?

Monday 19th April 2010

Volcanic Ash keeps coming

Saturday morning was a brief period of reflection as to the drama of getting people home from Holland - the sun was shining, the birds were singing and you would think that nothing could be wrong in the world, however many miles away the unpronounceable Icelandic volcano was spewing its ash into the skies who's net effect was to continue to close UK and most European skies. We had on Friday contacted our other passengers who were abroad and were about to travel saying we would be continually monitoring the situation, however my Somerset sunshine was to be cut short, and all plans were up in the air (or not as the case may be!) I was in the wrong place so I got in my car and drove to Cupar and the office, arriving Sunday morning.

We have people in Andalucia, Crete, Madeira - and tours due to depart for Genoa, Andalucia, Cornwall and Tresco, all affected by the 'no fly' restriction currently in place.

A busy afternoon ensued trying to assess all options - and I have a feeling that this one will run and run for some days to come.

Too much going on to complete blog..... speak later.

Friday 16th April 2010

Ash Friday

One thing about being a Tour Operator is, it is never dull. Yesterday we had a busy day planned full of meetings and finalising forthcoming tour departures, then the volcanic ash appeared and all our plans went out the window.

To have complete shut down of all UK airports and air-space was completely unprecedented territory.

As soon as I heard the news (on the 0900hrs FiveLive news) I contacted the office and spoke with Alison to confirm what we had on tour that might be affected. We were lucky in one sense having only one tour affected, but it was a big one - a Dutch Bulbfields tour was due to return later that day, distributing about 70 passengers to a wide variety of airports throughout the UK from Southampton to Aberdeen (and most airports in between). Quickly we realised the severity of the situation and the importance to look after the comfort and safety of our passengers. We also quickly realised that all spare ferry and hotel accommodation was disappearing fast. Our group was split pretty much in half, with half heading back to Scotland and the others bound for the south of England. Fortunately we managed to grab the last cabins on a North Sea Ferries overnight crossing for the Scottish contingency and we would arrange a coach transfer from Hull back to Scotland. For the southern party we decided on Eurostar, but when we came to book the tickets they had all gone. Fortunately we managed to get some nice accommodation to the west of Amsterdam where the group spent a comfortable night, and today we have managed to get them back to the UK by means of a coach transfer through the Eurotunnel, and everyone should be home safely this evening. Phew! What a couple of days!

I have to say that my Operations team headed by Alison, Andrew and Jenni have been fantastic and the Tour Managers in Holland (Malcolm and Pauline) have performed above and beyond the call of duty. But it is not over yet - poor Malcolm after making sure all our passengers are safely back on UK soil, has to dash back to Edinburgh for another job tomorrow morning - let's hope he catches his train.

The cost to Brightwater Holidays has been considerable, however the level of service we offer our clients is paramount - we only hope that they tell their friends and perhaps we might see them on another Brightwater Holiday some time in the future.

It is still a 'no fly' situation until 0700 tomorrow morning - our next departures are on Sunday with the first clients flying out to Genoa - fingers crossed the wind changes direction and the volcanic ash problem is resolved.

Who would have thought that a volcano in Iceland would cause so much havoc!

Monday 12th April 2010

A nice pile of Holiday Questionnaires come into the office relating to recent Spring Tours.

Tresco 26th March - 'One of the best short breaks we have taken'
'Your staff (Evelyn etc.) were very pleasant to deal with'
'St Mary's Hotel was excellent!'
'The Lord of the Glens was very good'
Andalucia 9-15 March 'A keen and interesting tour Manager - congrats to Michael Gill!'
Tresco 26th March - 'The Tresco Abbey Gardens Curator gave us an excellent tour of the gardens - pity about the weather!'
Tresco 18th March - Brightwater did very well in trying conditions due to fog and rain, thank you'
'We have nothing but the highest praise for the Island Hotel on Tresco'
'The Lord of the Glens was absolutely outstanding'

Friday 9th April 2010

Back to work

I was feeling slightly sorry for myself this morning - my first full day back at work after a lovely family Easter holiday in the Western Highlands. I was on the phone to a client staring out of my window trying to get myself motivated, when I noticed two huge birds circling over nearby farmland heading towards the coast and St Andrews. I had to apologise to who I was speaking to as by now I had completely lost concentration as these big birds were Sea Eagles. Not a bad bird spot to get from your desk! I am told that there has been a reintroduction breeding programme at a secret location in the hills of North East Fife - so my spot was not as far fetched as it might appear!

While I have been away the team have had to deal with snow disruption, threat of Rail Strikes, BA's ongoing saga and a strike of rail workers in Belgium. But the sun is out in Tresco and the blooms are spectacular in Keukenhof. It's good to be back.