– We are overjoyed to be back again. It has been a long time since we have been so happy, says Marte Antonsen to news. The Førde / Antonsen family has been on holiday in Crete since 25 June. Basically, they were going home last Saturday. On Friday, they were informed by Apollo that they had managed to find a replacement flight to Bodø. According to the company, it has not been easy. – Yesterday we got home Rhodes – Oslo, and today it is the long-awaited Crete – Bodø that is finally in the air. It’s a day of joy. We have been waiting so long for this. That’s what Beatriz Rivera, communications manager at the travel company Apollo, says. STRIKE: Marte Antonsen and the two children Emrik 3 years and Lilja 7 years) just outside Chania in Greece. Photo: private Strike-proof How many people are on strike-proof around the world in total, news has no figures. But from the holiday favorite Greece, there are still many hundreds left. – Unfortunately, there are still close to 500 stranded Norwegians left in Greece. Among these, there is one aircraft with approx. 170 passengers who were to travel home to Tromsø last Saturday, and one plane that was to travel home to Trondheim with approx. 150 passengers. – The whole of Europe lacks aircraft and personnel. And we are in the middle of a high season. In addition, it has been extra difficult to find someone who can fly to northern Norway, Rivera tells news. HOPES FOR A SOON SOLUTION: Beatriz Rivera, communications manager at the travel company Apollo, hopes for an early solution between the parties. Photo: Johnny Syversen / Apollo Only the charter operators fly from Greece to northern Norway, there are no direct routes. This is one of the reasons why the work has been demanding. Apollo has a contract with SAS for charter flights, and approximately 40 percent of their trips this summer are with SAS aircraft. – It has been incredibly difficult. That was what we feared as soon as the strike became a fact, that this was going to be almost hopeless. First priority But she confirms that they are doing everything they can to get Norwegians home, regardless of whether the strike ends this weekend or not. – These flights have been our first priority all week when they were supposed to be home last weekend, and we continue to search diligently for both replacement flights and alternative home trips. Ving tells news that they have solved the journey home for the vast majority. – My colleagues have worked intensively. Now we have even solved it for those who are going home this weekend. So the vast majority will be home now, says Charlotte Hallencreutz, communications manager at Ving. – We hope for a solution soon, so the planes can get in the air again. 2550 canceled flights The strike was launched on Monday 4 July when the parties broke off negotiations. For a week it was “boom stuck”, but on Monday this week SAS took the initiative for new negotiations. The pilots agreed. The conflict has already had major consequences. So far, 2550 flights have been canceled – 1677 of these to and from Norway. The Bodø family has had their board and lodging covered by the travel company and says that the information from the travel company has been good. Several tourists affected by the strike were gathered at the hotel where the family stayed, Andreas Førde says. Applying for reimbursement The Consumer Council explains that you must apply for compensation from the company to be reimbursed. – It is important to take care of documentation. If the company refuses, you can complain to the Transport Appeals Board, says Amna Haye in the Consumer Council. Normally, the expenses will be refunded within seven days, but Haye says that the current situation means that it could take longer. – SAS is now in a legal process for financial restructuring under the supervision of a US federal court. How your claim against SAS goes, whether it is a claim for refund of tickets, compensation for new tickets or standardized compensation will depend on how the process in the USA takes place. – What this means for passengers waiting for a refund is unclear and a restructuring process can take a long time. Had to take extra holiday The couple from Bodø had to take extra holiday, as both were to meet at work this week. In addition, they had to drop a wedding in Bodø where mother was to work as a photographer, and daughter Lilja was to be a bridesmaid. But despite that, it has gone well to be on strike. – We all think it is boring to have to extend the holiday involuntarily. The children have even grown tired of swimming. But we have received good training with restrictions and quarantine after the pandemic, so we are doing very well after all, Antonsen told news last week.
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The family from Bodø has been on strike in Crete – can finally go home – news Nordland
