The trip to Bremen that never was
So here I am writing a story about my trip to Bremen, sitting in my lounge at home, having done a 12-hour excursion to Amsterdam airport and back.
I booked weeks ago to fly with KLM to Amsterdam on Friday 2 August, then catch a connecting flight to Bremen, which should have gotten me to Bremen about 9:30 pm. The plan was to meet mates already there and have a few pints.
I got to Manchester airport in plenty of time, cleared security relatively quick, and settled down with two San Miguel to watch a bit of The Ashes. Ever since booking the trip, my biggest fear was not making the connection, bearing in mind how big Schiphol Airport is. I had about 45 minutes between landing, and getting the connection.
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Anyway, after finishing my drinks, I checked the board, and horror, "Flight delayed by 40 minutes". I thought I had no chance of making the connection, and resigned myself to a night in Amsterdam and catch the first flight to Bremen on Saturday morning. Eventually, we took off 1 hour and 40 minutes late. The reason for the delay being our plane was delayed leaving Amsterdam due to severe weather conditions. My hopes were raised a bit, thinking my connection would also be delayed? How wrong I was: it was cancelled altogether.
Upon checking with the KLM information desk, all flights to Bremen on Saturday morning were fully booked. The only one offered to me was a flight to Munich, then all the way back up to Bremen, getting to Bremen well after kick-off. There was absolutely no point in going, so KLM got me a return flight back to Manchester. Having landed at Manchester about 11:15 pm, I had no way of getting home. The last train had well gone. I had no choice but to phone the missus who came and picked me up.
So here I am, now 13 hours later, sitting at home with my umpteenth can of Amstel. A great weekend totally ruined. KLM are going to get the complaint from hell, though I don't hold out much hope of anything.
So I will watch the match on Everton TV, and think of the great night I will miss in Bremen tomorrow night.
Reader Comments (34)
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2 Posted 03/08/2019 at 05:29:28
[BRZ]
3 Posted 03/08/2019 at 05:48:31
That's your invite to next year's Finch Farm bash for all the amazing supporters who make every home and away game out of the window already - and we're just 3 days into August, Rob!
Real sickner, fellah. Give KLM hell when you get round to penning your letter of complaint. Work Koeman into it, too!
4 Posted 03/08/2019 at 06:02:46
You would have had a good time in Bremen too.
45 minutes to transit in Schiphol, well no chance really especially if the aircraft pulls up on the apron rather than the airport itself.
Really difficult I know that's why these days I travel the day before if I can't get a connection with a minimum 2 hour gap. Unless it's bloody Heathrow when you need at least a week to transit !!!!
5 Posted 03/08/2019 at 07:51:23
6 Posted 03/08/2019 at 08:41:39
Just a thought. Did you consider the train once you'd reached Amsterdam? I've found the European train services very good.
Let's hope we're in for a great season!
7 Posted 03/08/2019 at 08:53:16
8 Posted 03/08/2019 at 09:02:55
Everton have got some absolute fanatics, who build their life around the club, and that's why I'm gutted for you Rob, because I know you are one of these die-hards, who will still be fuming until you get on the train to London next week mate!
9 Posted 03/08/2019 at 09:09:22
10 Posted 03/08/2019 at 09:15:50
Anyway, let's hope we win and score a hatful of goals to set us up for the season. All the best.
11 Posted 03/08/2019 at 09:33:26
Anyway lads, thanks for your kind thoughts.
12 Posted 03/08/2019 at 09:45:08
13 Posted 03/08/2019 at 10:17:25
14 Posted 03/08/2019 at 11:39:52
https://youtu.be/sB5t-NExkRM
15 Posted 03/08/2019 at 11:48:01
17 Posted 03/08/2019 at 17:34:22
Let's hope that during this season that good fortune will come soon to you as you've earned it.
I hope the club takes note of this and back you and both give KLM, hell to get some compensation.
In terms of the match, it seemed like the same old, same old, just like a week ago in Germany.
As it stands I can't recall a preseason in recent decades when we've blanked in front of goal, so consistently.
18 Posted 03/08/2019 at 17:45:10
Any Amstels left over? I can be there in 10 minutes!
19 Posted 03/08/2019 at 17:48:39
20 Posted 03/08/2019 at 21:49:01
21 Posted 03/08/2019 at 21:51:55
22 Posted 03/08/2019 at 22:26:57
23 Posted 04/08/2019 at 05:15:46
24 Posted 04/08/2019 at 06:12:57
Seriously, airline chartering is a fraught business at the best of times, particularly with securing paths and landing rights etc. at foreign airports. Look at how many charter companies have gone tits up in recent years...
Feel for Rob though, and if that was a through-ticketed flight (which it sounds like it was), 45 minutes at Schipol is nuts. Surprised they sold it as a connection. I recall the trials and tribulations some of the fans faced getting to Kharkiv a few years back, when charters were cancelled due to being banned from flying to the local airport due to EU regs... the stories about the trip getting there were part of the "fun", along with an away win!
25 Posted 04/08/2019 at 13:52:57
Shame anyway, though, mate.
26 Posted 04/08/2019 at 17:15:49
27 Posted 04/08/2019 at 17:30:03
28 Posted 04/08/2019 at 17:43:06
29 Posted 04/08/2019 at 19:17:12
30 Posted 04/08/2019 at 19:28:10
I am sure some hefty compensation, few cases of Stella, and England scoring the 386 needed to win tomorrow might just soothe you!! And missing Steve Birds awful jokes!!
31 Posted 04/08/2019 at 19:57:00
32 Posted 05/08/2019 at 12:04:24
I have no idea what your stance on Brexit is, but currently UK is still in the EU and the EU has some very clear rules about delayed and cancelled flights - I think you are entitled to at least 250 euro.
I have experience with flights from KLM getting delayed and cancelled and to be fair, once I found and filled their online form, I received my compensation within a week or two.
See the link below. If you have trouble figuring it out, let me know and we can get in touch, as said to my regret I have experience in filling it out...
https://www.klm.com/travel/nl_en/customer_support/customer_support/refunds_and_compensation/applying_for_a_refund.htm
33 Posted 05/08/2019 at 12:27:25
34 Posted 05/08/2019 at 16:24:26
35 Posted 05/08/2019 at 17:04:39
KLM have refunded the full cost of all flights and pre paid seats. I'm still waiting on any compensation offer.
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1 Posted 03/08/2019 at 05:22:28