Vancouver as Promised, but first, the Volcano

My British family is trapped in Atlanta.  They left Hartsfield for Dublin Friday night, only to be turned back after a few hours.  A woman on board burst into tears as the pilot made the announcement; she and her family were on their to way to Ireland for her wedding.  

My husband’s sister, her husband, my 5 year old niece and 3 year old nephew had spent a wonderful week and a half with us for spring break.  They explored the Okefenokee Swamp and Chattanooga with me and my husband, then a few relaxing days in Callaway Gardens on their own (I’ll share these trips with you in upcoming blogs; we found some real gems along the way).  They were scheduled to fly home to London on Thursday night.

Instead, on Thursday morning, we awoke to news of Iceland’s erupting volcano.  Their flight was cancelled.  They managed to get rebooked to Dublin the next day (Dublin was clear as it’s to the West of the path of the volcanic ash), figuring they could eventually get back to the UK via ferry or private boat.  But after takeoff, continued eruptions changed the situation and they had to turn back.

We still don’t know when or how they will get home.  They have tickets to fly to London next Tuesday, but that means nothing if the airspace is still unsafe.  Every TransAtlantic ship arriving in the UK in April is booked.

I want to thank all the people in the travel industry who have been so good to my family during this stressful experience.  My British family’s positive view of Americans has surely been solidified by the way they have been treated.  From the agents at both British Air (first attempt out) and Delta (second attempt out), to the desk agent at Hertz, to the staff at the Hyatt (where they wearily checked in at 2:00 AM on Saturday), everyone was more than friendly and helpful.  They were caring, too, and this had made all the difference.

Finally, a very special mention goes to Lisa Jungwirth (1-800-310-9010) the travel agent who has stuck with my family and will certainly continue to have her work cut out for her until this is through.  Her calm, communicative style has kept my family feeling hopeful.  Thank you, Lisa.

Now, as promised, my insights about the wonderful hotel my husband and I enjoyed in Vancouver…. skirt.com/shetravelsnearandfar/blog/wonderful-wedgewood-hotel-spa-vancouver-0