A SKIBBEREEN family have vowed never to travel with Aer Lingus again after they were forced to fork out €3,500 after the airline cancelled their flight home to Cork on June 27th.
Eugenia and Eddie Humston and their four children had just enjoyed a 10-day holiday in Fuengirola when Aer Lingus cancelled their return flight. Eugenia was told that the next available flight to Cork with the airline would be on July 9th – 13 days later.
‘We ended up booking flights with Ryanair for €3,500, flying out Saturday morning to Cork, because we were so worried we wouldn’t get home and would end up being stranded there for days,’ she said.
‘The communication from Aer Lingus was shocking,’ said Eugenia. She said their original flight home was cancelled on the app, while they were being still directed to the gates at Malaga airport. ‘We were then told on Friday that there might be a chance that Aer Lingus would put on a flight at 3pm.’
So the family rushed to the airport from the hotel and made the Aer Lingus flight, but are now out of pocket to the tune of €3,500 because of having booked the Ryanair flights, which they didn’t need in the end.
She said their great holiday has been tarnished by the nightmare they endured with the airline.
‘It was absolutely horrific. We are trying to see if we can get our money back now. That amount could be our summer holiday next year.
‘Eddie has been emailing and ringing Aer Lingus, but we are having no joy,’ said Eugenia.
The family have vowed never to fly with Aer Lingus again. ‘It was the unknown, and getting no communication from Aer Lingus was really upsetting. It would put you off flying again. We fear it will be like pulling teeth to get reimbursed. We have even been onto public representatives about it,’ she said.
