Repatriation from Fuerteventura

[Emmi Smith]

How do you go about getting on one of these repatriation flights?  Do you just turn up at airport couple of  hours before the one you require - where do you buy a ticket etc. or have to buy ticket in advance?  I am clueless about the procedure. I am currently booked with EasyJet for a flight back on 5th May.  No news from them if it is cancelled or not, so getting somewhat anxious and wondering if to try and repatriate earlier on another airline?  I have a health issue which means I am VERY reluctant to have to be at airport for  hours on end with no certainty of getting a ticket.  Help please.

[FVmouse]

Hi Emmi,

I can’t help at all as I’m in the same boat. I know we are in exceptional times, and prior to this I was a huge fan of Ryanair. But their behaviour this past week has been attrocious.

I am just as clueless as you about how it all works. But how can elderly and poorly people be expected to fight for a seat on spec at the airport. It really is a disgrace.

I will be very surprised if your scheduled flight happens. Does anyone really think that EasyJet will be flying back from here in May. Likewise TUI or Ryanair. 

I will be surprised if they are flying by next May.

I wish both you and me a safe trip home.

[Archer]

Torres said it today in Diariodefuerteventura.es: 

"The Canary Island president has said that there are still around 20,000 tourists on the islands, whose return to their places of origin is expected to occur in the next five days"

EasyJet says:
If you are with them go to Manage Bookings. Select 'Change flight', then tick the one you want to change. Below is a dropdown that you can try various dates. I think 29 March is next one that's not full and a few more after that.

I guess the 'go to the airport' option is hoping that there are no shows on the earlier flights this week. Check flightradar24 on the day. Put in LGW/FUE as the route and watch it leave Gatwick. At least you know there is a flight coming. Not sure how many 'no shows' they are getting...maybe some went back on earlier flights?

[FVmouse]

Thanks Archer. Great information.

[Spitfire58]

We are booked to fly out to Fuerte on 3/5 for two weeks but can’t see it happening now !! Will just have to see what the situation is at the time ☹️☹️

[Will]

I canceled my hotel for end of April. Ryanair seems to have grounded all their planes until June or maybe longer. Or at least that's what they seem to be saying.  Can't rebook because I have no idea when the flights will be back to normal.

[Spitfire58]

Hi Will,
Has there been an official announcement from Ryanair about that ?? Haven’t seen anything yet

[Will]

No that's the problem they haven't announced it. What they've said is

"Ryanair will be grounding most of its aircraft fleet across Europe over the next 7 to 10 days."

https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en/travel-upd...ght-change

There was a different notice that they would keep some important UK to Ireland flights going but everything else is closing

They haven't said how long they'll be grounded. They might not even know.

[Grampiangranny]

Some friends of ours flew back to Manchester on Saturday. There were around 80 spare seats on the flight. The airline in good faith waited and waited for any 'stragglers' or people held up in some way and lost their departure slot in doing so. An hour delay in leaving.

It appears that some people had booked several flights to leave Fuerte, on the basis that they might get on one, but having got on one (probably the first), failed to cancel the others, hence leaving many seats empty. A similar mindset to those currently stockpiling goods!

One couple on that flight had paid £1700 to return home.

It's difficult to 'blame' individual companies for their attitude or perceived profiteering when those with plenty of cash to hand can be so selfish.

Shades of the Harry Enfield character 'Loadsamoney' !

[Spitfire58]

Still don’t see why they can’t do a couple of “final calls” & if the passengers don’t turn up then the seats are handed to the first in the standby queue. If the original passengers turn up after that . . Tough, should have been on time !!
With circumstances as they are & people still to get home & an airspace shutdown looming all the planes leaving should carry as many as they can. IMHO