It was supposed to be a beautiful start to this year's vacation. Three days in Barcelona. My daughter's dream. Therefore, as a birthday present - I got her a ticket to the capital of Catalonia. And one for myself, also. No occasion. We have organized such trips a few times before. They always turned out great…

This time we were supposed to spend time watching Gaudi's buildings, walking around Las Ramblas, and maybe even do a little sunbathing. The detailed plan has been worked out for the last two months. Accommodation booked. Suitcases packed.

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  When the first news of air strikes started to appear the week before our departure, I felt a little uneasy. The staff of several carriers, traffic controllers, as well as ground workers of some European airports have planned their protests for "our weekend". I followed these reports. But I was comforted by the fact that it was mostly Ryanair that was supposed to be on strike. And we were flying with Wizzair. In addition, there was a reassuring message in the app. Confirmed flight. Phew.

Disturbances over Germany

Friday, June 24. Just in case, we arrive at the airport earlier. Not two, but three hours before departure, scheduled for 3:50 PM. Just as the experts recommended. It is completely peaceful at the Chopin airport. No queues, no nervous atmosphere.

We go through the security control without any problems. Just a short visit to McDonald's (there’s no meal on board the budget airlines), a customary run through the duty-free shops and we are at the gate. It is still calm, although information about several canceled flights appears on the board ...

Wizzair employees show up at the entrance on time, check the boarding passes, and direct us to the bus. We’re waiting a bit longer than usual for the staircase to pull up, but finally, we’re on board … luggage and all. At 3.45 pm, the flight attendants ask for our attention and go over the mandatory presentation of safety procedures. Emergency exits, life jackets, oxygen masks ... etc. Seat belts fastened. Cells off. We wait for the take off.

A few minutes pass. And… then it starts. The captain in a polite voice announces:: “We are very sorry, but due to bad weather conditions in Germany, we did not get permission to take off. According to preliminary information, our flight will be delayed at least 90 minutes ... This also means that we will not fly with you. Another crew will take our place… ”

Confusion. 90 minutes is a lot. Half of the scheduled flight. And on a small plane. Yet, what are we to do? Barcelona will have to wait. We land not at 7 pm, but just before 9 pm. We will arrive at the hotel late. We won't be able to do the shopping. But whatever. We can do it.

We fill the waiting time by studying the guide and adding new items to our sightseeing itinerary. Saturday is the most intense. We have already purchased tickets to the Sagrada Familia and Park Güell. Are 2 hours for the cathedral enough? Especially if we want to climb the tower?

Another forty-five minutes or so pass. The time of the postponed start is approaching. However, instead of the sound of running engines, we hear another message: “Unfortunately, the situation is not improving. We are still waiting for permission to take off. It does not depend on us. Maybe in an hour… ”

I start to report on what is happening on Facebook. I find out that a friend flying to Paris was also delayed. But he's waiting quietly at the airport. Not on a stuffy and tight plane. I envy him a little. But decide to be patient. My daughter sends a text message about the delayed flight to the owner of the guesthouse, where we are supposed to stay overnight. We are starting to fear if public transport from the airport will still be available once we land. Well, it's Barcelona after all. Spain. A country that lives at night…

By the way, we check the weather maps over Europe. You can see some disturbances over Germany, but the sky is full of planes. There is no information about extreme weather events on the internet. A colleague - flying to Paris - takes off 50 minutes later than planned.

The stairs will be up soon

We are still on the ground. Text messages with an update on delay keep coming in. One about a departure at 6PM , arrives quarter past.…

We keep on waiting. It's getting stuffy on the plane. Air conditioning is being turned on and off.

After three hours of waiting, we notice some commotion. Children start to whimper. Around us, the Ukrainians explain to each other the crew announcements. Passengers go to the bathroom. They try to stretch their legs.

Finally, the crew announces that we will be served a meal. We're happy. Not so much because we’re hungry (although our supplies are less than symbolic) but because something is happening. The promised meal turns out to be only a snack: a pack of salted peanuts or a chocolate bar. But the extra bottle of water comes in handy. That's good enough.

Because it's 7:00 PM. The time at which the wheels of the plane were supposed to touch down at the Catalan airport. Meanwhile, the neighbor on the left gives us some disturbing news. Wizzair's plane from Barcelona, ​​on which one of his family was supposed to fly to Warsaw, has just been canceled. Before we have time to think about what it could mean for us, the pilot speaks again:

"Ladies and gentlemen - we received permission to take off at 19.30. Unfortunately, meanwhile, some passengers have already decided to cancel the flight and disembark. Their baggage drop-off procedure cannot be completed by this time. The next slot (airport slots give the planes the right to take off or land at specified times - ed.) will only open in 3 hours. Unfortunately, in this situation, we have to cancel the flight. You must leave the plane. The steps will be up soon."

Shocking. But how? We will not fly? Why? Impossible! But we have the tickets. What about the hotel, the weekend, the birthday…

Everyone is so tired and confused that no one protests. We're just trying to figure out what’s next. What about alternative flights? Because there ought to be some ... The crew throws up their hands: We don't know anything. We're sorry. Please try at the airport.

We walk off frustrated. But we’re not yet deprived of hope that somehow we could still fly out. If not now, maybe in a few hours. We more or less know that the airline is obliged to rebook the tickets - we have this information on our mobile phones. Certainly, someone will instruct us on what to do. After all, you cannot just ignore a few hundred people.

Maybe to Malaga?

There is no one waiting for us at the airport. We’re passing by people who returned happily from their holidays. Their faces are tanned and smiling. Ours - filled with frustration. Two elderly ladies grab a random man in the airport uniform by the sleeve: “Our flight has been canceled. Where should we go? ”. The man shrugs but directs us to the departure lounge. The guards already know what's going on. “Please go that way and to the left. There will be a long line. "

We go. There is a line indeed. It leads up to a counter with many different airline signs, including Wizzair. The bald man on our plane lost control over his nerves. “I want a f ... hotel and a taxi. Immediately! I don’t live in Warsaw. I have the right to spend the night at the expense of the airline. You f ... hurry up! He keeps on screaming, cursing every few words..

- But we have run out of available hotel rooms- says the lady behind the counter.
–I don’t care! Call your boss! –the man keeps screaming.
– Please calm down – the ladies at the counter begin to get upset.

The conversation turns into a shouting match. The airport guard shows up. Yet they’re keeping their distance. I manage to find my way to the counter. What shall we do? When can we fly? -I keep asking.
– I can reschedule your flight to Monday or Tuesday night – I hear.
– But I have the return flight on Monday! And my daughter’s birthday is this Sunday!
– Really? I am sorry. We don’t have anything. Please check the website. Or call Wizz Air. This is the second flight canceled today. I just spoke to a lady who was flying to Dubrovnik for her son’s wedding. Such a pity…

My daughter manages to access the flight schedule online. There are no available flights to Barcelona. Maybe something from another airport in the country: Modlin, Katowice, Gdańsk or Krakow? Nothing. I am asking about a different airline.„I can only offer Wizz Air flights. Maybe to Malaga?”

It slowly daunts on me that it is the end of the dream of Barcelona. I get teary-eyed. My daughter’s disappointed face hurts more than the thought of the wasted money. I’ll perhaps get it back. But I won’t be able to “reschedule” her birthday.

In a desperate move, I push my way to the front of the neighboring counter, where the ordinary tickets are being sold. The man is nice and calm. I ask about a chance of getting to Barcelona. “I can have you fly via Paris and arrive in Barcelona tomorrow at 2:30 PM” I think for a minute. We won’t be able to make it to Sagrada Familia – the tickets are for 10:00 AM. The Guell Park was supposed to be at noon so that’s out too. We will be tired after a sleepless night and stopovers. Still, maybe it’s worth just wandering around the city. Salvage some of our plans. I hesitate but ask for the price. - 4 thousand PLN (approx. 830 Euro) per person - that’s what I hear. I throw my hands up in the air and walk away resignedly.

It's after 10 PM. A friend is coming to drive us home. One last time I want to try negotiating at the Wizz Air counter.

The wild crowd seems to be endless. No chance. I'd be standing until midnight. I am still trying to call the hotline provided in text messages. Although the information that the call costs 5 PLN per minute is off-putting. So what if it turns out that it doesn't work on the weekends anyway ... I feel defeated and powerless ...

We come home in gloomy moods. Is there anything more I could have done? Should I have argued more? Call the cameras? (as a journalist ed.). Maybe I let it go too easily? Is it the case of a single flight? Or the entire airline?

Amelia on the loop

I spend the next two days nervously studying information on the web and contacting other victims. I know that I am entitled to EUR 400 in compensation. I am writing a complaint and sending it via the Wizz Air website. After 3 seconds the answer comes:

“We are very sorry for this unfortunate situation and after careful consideration of your case, we confirm that flight W6 1475 WAW - BCN 24/06/2022 was delayed/canceled due to air traffic control restrictions. The above-mentioned circumstances, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004 of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, fall under the category of extraordinary circumstances, therefore we would like to inform you that, unfortunately, no compensation is due. "

I think this "detailed analysis" irritates me more than the "air traffic control restrictions." Still, on that day, everyone was talking about the adverse weather conditions. So which version is true?

My Facebook searches lead me to a page of travelers who feel cheated by Wizz Air and Ryanair. From the posts, I learn that those willing to go to Barcelona on Saturday and Sunday - had no more luck than we did. However, their flights were canceled a few hours before take-off. Not after 4 hours on board! The final effect, however, is the same. And the office's treatment is equally impersonal and soulless.

Someone tells me to use a commercial airline compensation company. I apply. What do I have to lose?

I still have one more problem to solve. The flight to Barcelona was canceled. But the return one was not. How to cancel it so that it does not seem that I did so because of my whim? I go over the Wizz Air app - there is no such option. The helpline is still silent. On the website, at every step, I come across the bot "Amelia", which repeats itself after the third question ...

I decide that on Monday morning I will go to the airport, to calmly, without the angry crowds behind my back, ask for the cancellation of my flight. After all, someone who sells tickets must be able to do so.

It’s not good that you canceled that flight

Must be? How naive. On the 27th of June at 8:30 AM I arrive at the Chopin airport. Ladies at the counter even remember me: a flight to Barcelona, daughter’s birthday, we’re very sorry… I explain my issue: I want to cancel my return flight at no additional cost. I clearly cannot return from somewhere where I haven’t been.

- But we cannot do that. There’s no such option in the system. You have to do this yourself on the website or over the phone.

I explained that the hotline does not work. I receive another number. One that is not listed on the website, although it is meant for people like me whose flight was canceled.

I’m calling. No one is picking up. I return to the counter. Please help me somehow! One of the ladies finally pulls up a tablet. She finds a section: canceling a flight. A warning pops up saying that if I use this option the money cannot be refunded to my Wizz account.

Don’t worry. They will reimburse you to your normal account- I hear. I click. Still, I find the announcement that I am owed 0.00 Euro unsettling.

It is 9.00 AM. Just in case I dial the secret number again. Surprisingly, someone picks up. I explain the situation.

– O! – I hear – It is not good that you canceled that flight. If it wasn’t for that I could get you a refund. Now there’s nothing I can do. Please write a complaint. One of our employees will get in touch.

I leave the airport, twice as upset as when I came in. I return home and write two complaints. One for each flight. Now the system informs me that “the form was registered correctly”, and it will be assessed within a month. While I am at it I email a complaint to the Civil Aviation Authority and the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection.

I cancel my vacation and return to work. I want to forget about this nightmare as soon as possible. With my daughter, we’re planning another vacation. This time not on our own but via an agency. With insurance. And we made a solemn vowel: no more cheap airlines. And especially Wizz Air.

– Anna Sarzyńska

TVP WEEKLY. Editorial team and jornalists

Translated by: S.J.