Not So Easy Jet

Right now I should be arriving

At my parents house in Spain

We should be having a quick cup of tea

Before unpacking swimmers for the children

And jumping in the pool

Instead we have just arrived home

At our temporary house

Having missed our flight to Alicante

And spending a horrible four and a half hours at Gatwick Airport

We left our house at 3am

We are all absolutely shattered

Today Easy Jet proved that they tell the truth in their online documentation

They do not provide any assistance when travelling with small children!

Does easyJet offer extra help to people who are travelling on their own with children?
We’re not able to provide any extra assistance.

http://www.easyjet.com/common/img/EN_FAMILY_TRAVEL_QA.pdf

We arrived at the airport in plenty of time

Checked in our one hold bag

I had paid extra for Up Front seats

Because this was the only way I could see of getting four seats together

Which you need when your children are all aged 6 and under

The Up Front seats have some special bag drop area

But this was not at all clear

There were some family bag drop desks

But how to reach them was not clear

Thankfully David was still with me at this time

As we queued to drop the bag

We then went to departures

Went to the toilet

And headed for the Family / Assistance Lane at Security

At this point Esther and William realised that Daddy was not coming with us

They have always known this

But the moment for goodbye hit us all harder than we thought it would

There were lots of cuddles and tears

Lots of reassurances made

We had just all got it together

When it was our turn at Security

Now I understand that the world is a dangerous place

I understand the need for strict and stringent security

I knew that our bags would be searched and we would have to be scanned

And that I might possibly be searched

I knew that I had to get Bea out the buggy

The Security officer insisted that I walk through first

Bea ran after me

As any two year old would

Esther walked through no problem

Then William walked through and set off the alarms

He was frightened

And even more so when we were told

He was to be taken a different way through security

On his own

To be searched

Because the alarm had gone off

He was so upset and clung to me

We spent a lot of time

Trying to reassure him it would be okay

But he would not go on his own

And why should he

He is a six year old boy!

Then they said I could go with him

But not Bea and Esther

And that if I felt the need to go with him

I too would have to be fully searched

Esther was amazingly confident and brave

But Bea, being two, would not go without Mummy

So we all had to go with William

Meaning we all had to be thoroughly searched

Taking a long time

Much longer than we had anticipated

The whole time the children were upset

And poor old William was sobbing and so confused

He had to take his shoes off

And stand in a scanner box

He could not understand the instructions

And was so upset and confused

So then they searched him with a metal detector

The detector kept alarming

Which they soon realised was because he was standing in front of a metal pole!

The staff were trying to be nice

But the whole experience was just horrible

Especially for William

The worst one of my children for this to happen to

My heart was aching for him so much

And he was trying so hard to be strong and brave

Once we were finally through

We saw that our plane was boarding

And headed to the gates

I admit we were late to the gate

The gate closed at 5.20

And we arrived there at 5.24

As we realised the gate was closed

And they were not going to let us on the plane

All four of us just sobbed

I was basically begging

Surely there was a way to get us on the plane

There was 25 minutes before the plane was due to leave

It was not our fault we had been held up at security

No one was interested in our circumstances or our story

No one cared that my children were AGAIN scared and in tears

It was horrible

We had to find our way back through the departures lounge

Trying to get past the crowds coming the other way

We went to the Information Desk

Where we had to wait to be collected

And escorted out of departures

It was horrible

I felt sick

We were told the earliest we could fly was 8.00pm at night

I called David to come back to the airport to help us

He called my parents to tell them we might not be coming today

After a long wait

With no information on what was to happen to us next

We were taken to the Easy Jet customer services desk

No one asked us what had happened

No one cared

By the time we were in the queue at the desk

David was back at the airport

I queued for half an hour

Perhaps more

To try to transfer our flight

We were given a choice of driving to another airport

For an 8pm flight

Or coming again tomorrow morning

With three tired children

I knew we had to go home

And try again in the morning

The lady at the desk

Booked us on to tomorrow’s flight

Although I paid extra for special seats

We will no longer have them

In fact we are not guaranteed seats together at all

The flight crew will have to try to put us all together

Which to me sounds like it is just going to annoy other passengers

I am not looking forward to it at all

Then to make it all worse

We were charged £320 for missing the flight

£80 each!

£320

I could have cried

In fact, I did

Our flights to Alicante have now cost us over £1000!

So with flights transferred

We then just needed to get our bag

I was told to go away

And come back after half an hour

Which I did

Thank goodness David had been able to come back and help!

When I returned I had to queue again

Another half an hour

Then I asked if it would be much longer

We had been in the airport for four hours by this point

The children were going a little doolally!

Finally someone came to escort me to find my bag

She asked for my boarding card

Which I did not have because the lady at customer services had taken it from me

Ripped it up and put it in the bin!

Suddenly along with all the other turmoil

There was a possibility

I might not get my bag back

Because of the actions of Easy Jet staff

After much toing and froing

I did finally retrieve my bag

And exhausted and deflated

We all sank into the car to drive home

Feeling physically and emotionally

Battered and bruised

I know that Easy Jet are a budget airline

I accept that our missing the flight was partly my fault

But I was saddened today

That so little regard was given to our circumstances

So little care was given to us after the event

And that no allowances were made for us as a young family

David hit the nail on the head

Easy Jet do not need to be nice to their customers

Every flight is sold out

They do not need to make people feel special

Make a fuss of children

Offer discounts

Waive missed flight fees

It was not Easy Jet’s fault that we missed our flight

But it was in their power to look after us once we had

And they didn’t really

No one seemed to care why we missed it

I am dreading having to do it all again tomorrow

But determined to do it and get there

And if I were Gatwick or Easy Jet

I would be thinking what I might do

To make right such a horrible experience of flying

Or not flying

For my children

Not because they should

But because they can

It would cost them nothing

And would make all the difference in the world to us

not so easy jet

29 thoughts on “Not So Easy Jet

  1. Oh this is just awful but you know, it’s the second blog post I have seen written about the awfulness of easyjet in recent weeks. I can’t believe how badly they treated you, it amazes me that these people seem to be trained to have absolutely no compassion. I hope that your next attempt is a success and that you make it to Alicante.

  2. Jenny I am so cross for you!

    I know we have to be careful, but who in their right mind thinks it’s a good idea to give a parent the choice of either leaving a scared six year old alone in unfamiliar surroundings, or leaving another scared six year old in unfamiliar surroundings in charge of a 2 year old?
    I fail to see why they needed to then search all of you! Clearly if you had of left William alone to be searched they would not then have needed to search you all so why the need when you understandably decided to keep all four of you together?
    I really do feel both the Gatwick Security Team and EasyJet should offer you a full apology. They clearly also need to bring in some sort of measure whereby if you have to be searched you are given some sort of form for if you are late to Board? And four minutes late when you’d already put your bag in suggests they knew you hadn’t simply not turned up.
    I am really disgusted that due to the actions of a minority, you have been penalised so much money.
    I really hope EasyJet see this post and act with some compassion and refund you.

  3. I am a mum to two, and celebrate kindness. Yet i am pondering on your post. Had I have seen you struggling, I would certainly have offered to stand with your other two children. Alternatively, I would have sought sympathy in a fellow passenger and explicitly asked them to help (which I’m sure they would). Ultimately, the staff are probably not that well paid, have systems to adhere to and a job to do (to a schedule). In the scenario you describe, I’m not sure what more was or is required from them (nor what ‘remedy’ is now being sought). Seek kindness in the other people…ask for help! I suspect you will be suprised!! Have a wonderful holiday!

    • Thank you for your message. I think my post was to highlight that much of today could have been dealt with using the quality you mention, kindness.
      There was not really anyway today that other passengers could have helped us but kind words and smiles from staff could have made a huge difference. My six year old son is now crying to his Daddy that he does not want to have to go through security again tomorrow. It was not a nice experience and I think small changes could be made to make huge differences. I think we were very unlucky today with an unfortunate series of events. You will notice in the post I do not blame anyone in particular I just strongly feel that the situation could have been handled more gently. With kindness.

  4. So sorry to hear about your appalling treatment. Sharing everywhere in the hopes that it shows others that it can’t possibly be worth any saving to be at risk of what this terrible company put people through.

  5. That sounds awful for you. It sounds like there could be some much better processes when searching children / families and it sounds like a lot of time was wasted sorting it all out. I hope things go better tomorrow for you xx

  6. It all sounds awful. Good luck for tomorrow. I’ll be thinking of you.

    Have you worked out what William was wearing or had in his pockets that set the detector off? A metal zip, perhaps? or money? Try to find out now so it doesn’t happen again.

    My advice for tomorrow would be to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before your flight departs; check in as soon as possible; and then go straight through security.

    My advice for the future is to buy seats when you first make your online booking to ensure that you all sit together – maybe it is not too late to go back online and do this today.

    • Thank you x I had paid extra to ensure we were all sitting together. I did this at the time of booking.
      We could not find anything on William that was metal and nor could the security team.
      We will definitely be there super early tomorrow x
      Thank you x

  7. I think I was the lady in the wheelchair travelling alone on EasyJet to Paris when we were all being traumatised by EasyJet. I am full of praise for special assistance staff for those of us with handicaps and they are Gatwick Airport employees not EasyJet! EasyJet employees seem set to terrorize the customer no matter our age. I arrived 3 hours early and only reason I did not miss my flight was because plane was 2 plus hours late. I only flew EasyJet to find alternative to Eurostar between London and Paris which totally disrespects disabled people! I used to fly 1 million miles a year and I have never had a more HORRIBLE flight experience than EasyJet…not on Nigeria not philippines not China not Mongolia!!
    Like many people I could be good and loyal customer because I go RTlondon to Paris at least 10 times per year. Now I dread my flight back to Gatwick and my Nov trip to france. For me it would have been cheaper to fly Air France! Sorry for your poor babies. EasyJet doesnt give a damn.

  8. Oh no 🙁 we had a similar customer service experience and vowed NEVER to fly with EasyJet, for a couple of hundred more it’s worth flying from a local airport using BA or Flybe. So cross for you. We got caught at security and missed a flight too. There should be proper kids lanes with friendlier staff at security. How Easy Jet treated you afterwards is unacceptable. Good luck tomorrow xx

  9. How horrible! I can’t believe anyone can be so unfeeling to a mother with such young children. I don’t think it’s their normal policy to refuse you if you’re late as I was once 25 mins late (my fault) and they couldn’t have been nicer. I was in a terrible state after running all the way and they gave me cup after cup of water until I’d recovered. I think you were just unlucky to be confronted by cold, heartless Easy Jet employees. Shame on them…and the people you encountered afterwards. Hope you have better luck tomorrow

  10. I use Easy a lot,but never again,that is if it is proven it was their fault ,but as other’s say ,do they care? Security staff in my opinion or their equipment may need to be investigated.

  11. I have just read your post and it is apparent to me that you are highly strung and not coping well. Clearly, your children tuned into your anguish and became distressed. I travel five to six times a year with easyjet and have often been impressed by how professionally the staff handle irritating passengers who will not take responsibility for being late. Maybe you think you are particularly special by travelling with children? Loads of parents do it with ease and do not demand special attention. My advice to you is simple – grow up.

    • God lord what a nasty and thoughtless comment to make. I’ve been in the same situation at an airport on my own with two small children, one being ripped from my arms to be scanned while the other is utterly terrified. Clearly you have no children, or no sense of humility, to make such a sweeping and senseless comment to Jennie to “grow up”. Did you just come here to troll or do you actually follow her blog? What she and her kids struggle through daily and what they have overcome makes them stronger than you could ever imagine, they are human and have a right to be treated fairly and with respect. They were not treated that way at the airport. End of. People like you are the kind that watch someone struggle just so you can revel in the satisfaction you get from a side snide glance, tut or outward abuse. Must be perfect in your world, or maybe you don’t have one.

  12. It is not EasyJet fault you been kept at the airport and the members of the Departure have wasted your time and make you and children loose your flight .
    You should always arrive at leat 3 hours early expecially if travelling with small children in order to avoid disappointment.
    Could have been any company they can’t wait people lateness. …you have to make a complain to the Airport departure ….thè have make you loose your flight. .

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  14. This is absolutely terrible. I can’t believe that the Easyjet staff would not let you on the plane. For the sake of 4 lousy minutes. I am also in shock that the security staff gave you the choice of leaving 1 child or 2 children. This is atrocious. I hope you get some serious apologies and the missed flight fees waivered at the very least. I hope you do manage to get to Spain and have a lovely time there when you do. Hugs Lucy xxxx

  15. I think the security staff were the ones who were wrong. Just insane how they treated you which then made you late. Yes you were late, but I can’t believe for 4 minutes when you had booked seats together and the flight wasn’t setting off there and then is ridiculous. But ultimately security should have been able to realise that 3 young children is not going to work being split up from their mother.

    I’ve also read another blogger had trouble with Easyjet – they’d read that they’d put kids with parents but when they got to the airport were told the child was sitting on their own somewhere else, and refused to help out. Eventually after the child was traumatised and plane was held up, eventually another passenger said they’d swap to help a parent sit near the child. Sometimes, it does make life hard.

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