Final 3 Greens
23rd Aug 2004, 11:07
A warning to those who have to travel to the Florence area.
I was due to fly Florence (FLR)/MXP/LHR last week and there were strong winds at FLR, which caused the flt to be cancelled. No complaints about this, since its a safety issue.
However, to get reticketed, I had to queue for 4.5 hours (12:00-16:30) as there were only two ticket agents dealing with several cancelled flights.
AZ do not have their dedicated people there (although AF do - but they would not help, depsite the Skyteam relationship) and use the Aeroporto de Firenze ticket desk, so Skyteam gold card or not, the only option was to wait behind about 200 pax from previously canx flts, without access to food or water in a temperature of 30 odd degrees C. This was because the restaurant is in a different part of the airport and I could not leave the queue.
I was prepared to take a taxi into Florence, to the AZ ticket office there, but was told this was impossible, because it was closed.
So, my advice to other travellers is to fly to Pisa and live with the 1 hour train journey to Florence SMN station, since according to local staff, this type of event can happen anytime there is a strong southwesterly breeze.
I did finally get home, but am not prepared to risk another 4.5 hour experience like this and as BA fly LGW/PSA and AZ LHR/MXP/PSA, the choice of airline is a no brainer too.
I was due to fly Florence (FLR)/MXP/LHR last week and there were strong winds at FLR, which caused the flt to be cancelled. No complaints about this, since its a safety issue.
However, to get reticketed, I had to queue for 4.5 hours (12:00-16:30) as there were only two ticket agents dealing with several cancelled flights.
AZ do not have their dedicated people there (although AF do - but they would not help, depsite the Skyteam relationship) and use the Aeroporto de Firenze ticket desk, so Skyteam gold card or not, the only option was to wait behind about 200 pax from previously canx flts, without access to food or water in a temperature of 30 odd degrees C. This was because the restaurant is in a different part of the airport and I could not leave the queue.
I was prepared to take a taxi into Florence, to the AZ ticket office there, but was told this was impossible, because it was closed.
So, my advice to other travellers is to fly to Pisa and live with the 1 hour train journey to Florence SMN station, since according to local staff, this type of event can happen anytime there is a strong southwesterly breeze.
I did finally get home, but am not prepared to risk another 4.5 hour experience like this and as BA fly LGW/PSA and AZ LHR/MXP/PSA, the choice of airline is a no brainer too.