LymmParent Posted April 19, 2010 Report Share Posted April 19, 2010 Right - so we should pay the cruise lines AND the navy? Or should the stranded passenges pay twice over? Or all those private companies should ditch any booked, fare-payers in favour of working for free? Logistically, by the time that was organised, they could all have swum home faster. The RN is the most efficient, cost effective option and avoids all the arguing over who pays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 Some cross channel ferry companies have already introduced coach links to and from their ferries. The passengers already on cruise ships will want to get back to Blighty anyway, and those booked on them can't get to them anyway; so they could pick up some additional waifs and strays from around the globe (incl Mrs Baz!) and head for the UK - not rocket science. And before you complain of costs - just wait for the bail out demands from airlines and passengers that can't get their insurance to repay their loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Durnim Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 Very disappointed by some of the posters on this topic, seems they are prepared to ignore and walk on the opposite side of the street rather than help people in time of need, where have all the Samaritans gone? By no fault of the traveling public, but a natural phenomenon, most are stranded and have no funds to make alternative arrangements unlike some people who rely on credit cards and those lucky enough to have enough savings to hire a taxi or hire car at 1000 euros plus. This government is doing the right thing by seeking every option open to them and have my full support to solving this crises. People have traveled by plane in good faith thinking they will return safely and on the given time and date, I do not of anyone who prepares for a volcano or other possible delays and takes an extra ?3,000 spending money just incase they need to spend it on a extra week stay or an alternative route by taxi, bus, train and boat and detour by an extra 1000 miles or so to get home. These people need to get home and at no extra cost if they have a valid ticket to travel home, they should get home with help from which ever means possible and if that means that the tax payer has to pay, then so be it, I would rather my taxes going to a legitimate cause of helping stranded people abroad to get home than the bankers or paying extra expenses to the MP?s etc! There must be people of all ages who are on medication who need urgent supplies too keep them alive etc, families with babies with obvious needs, children who need to get to school, people who need to get to work in all kinds of industry and sectors that this economy and businesses rely upon, the list goes on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 give asp a shout maybe he can earn a bit of beer money bringing a few back with him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 Sue, I agree with your comments, BUT, why has it taken so long to get some action? If it was somewhere, teams from the UK would have been there pronto. With this, as with other issues like Foot and Mouth, the Gov'nment show how incompetent they are at taking immediate action. They have turned it into a PR exercise. I can just see my 96 yr old Mother saying what a nice man that Gordon Brown is, even though she has been a Tory all her life. What about the performance outside No 10 a couple of days ago. What was that all about? We don't get NEW disasters, they have all happened before, and so contingency plans should be in place just in case. That is what they are supposed to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Durnim Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 Peter T, I too agree with your comment. I also believe that in time of crises, big or small, people should not profiteer and put monetary/politics concerns way down the list when it comes to helping people in need of assistance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 Well, the bad news is: there's another (larger) volcano ready to kick off - seems we may have to adapt to a flightless lifestyle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 It?s all too easy to criticise the government a week into the problem and with the benefit of hindsight but when this started, who?d have thought that our changeable weather patterns would have remained static for so long? As for using our national resources to help get stranded people home in such circumstances of course we should, it?s a natural disaster after all and certainly wasn?t caused by the holidaymakers. To draw parallels in this instance with drunken idiots that attempt misuse the ambulance service just beggars belief and shows a total lack of care for the welfare of others. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 Sue, why should ?3000 be required for another weeks holiday? The Navy is heading for France not Antartica. I would never consider travelling anywhere without sufficient funds being available from various sources for emergency purposes. I hate it when gobbins like Broon give my money away without asking me and then silly women come on here and think the man is a hero. Did anyone involved in the Twin Towers catastrophe get Government help, did they heck cos there was no election on the horizon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Durnim Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 Eagle, you should read Bill's comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 Yep, load of old tosh there from Eagle and just as well the rest of the world doesn?t think the same. Not everyone can afford that sort of money for holidays and many that are stuck out there now may have only just been able to scrape enought together for a cheap package deal. I certainly don?t think it?s right to call people for not having sufficient emergency resources because nobody could ever have predicted such an event. Perhaps if he feels so strongly about this he should write to the PM and ask for a refund. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 It is called having an opinion Bill, remember how a Forum works? Lets see then Cheap Package holiday say ?500 now its ?3000 to get them home (according to Sue's exagerration of course). Bill I will call anyone I want OK, because it is easier for moan about a predicament than actually do something about it.? The people who got their acts together are back in the country, the wimps are not. If there hadn't been an election coming up Broon would have done nowt, it would have been logistically impossible and we couldn't afford it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted April 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 An easyjet type plane flew over my house today; obviously from Liverpool so there are some movements. LP, The QE isn't actually in fare paying service until the Autumn and is not the QE2 which is scrapped (it is named after the Queen Mother, not the Queen) so there!! And Bill...... quite why you don't see the connection between getting a warship to drop you off in Blighty and abusing the ambulance service, is beyond me. The comparison is that neither are designed for that job and shouldn't be used in such a way. People who are abroad (my wife included) are there because they can't get back just yet. It isn't the end of the world, it will all be resolved in a few days and life will still go on. Remember, Warships and aircraft carriers are not ferries.....don't abuse your Royal navy.... you never know when you may need them for a real emergency!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Durnim Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 Eagle, Baz J, are you sure you do not work for the Council with that ?Can?t park there mentality?? What?s wrong with helping British Nationals in time of crises using what ever means are available, not every one is as wealthy, rich, clairvoyant or as organized as yourselves, so this government must do what ever they can to help the people/unfortunate get back home to the UK in relative safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 British Nationals!! I hope there are no johnny foreigners who happen to be married to a Brit, Sue would have them thrown overboard. Stop repeating yourself we have got your message and it is a CRISIS not a CRISES. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Durnim Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 Eagle. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat yourself. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 Can't see what all the hype is about and the fact that is has now become some sort of political 'arguement' just shows how pathetic this country and it's people can be at times For those stranded abroad with young kids and possibly nowhere to stay and no access to money it must be really horrible so anything that can be done to help them should be done. ..... the sun loving lager louts wont have sobered up yet so they may not have noticed so can be left for longer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LymmParent Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 Which silly woman said Gordon was a hero? I didn't spot that. Personally, I don't think he's doing anything extraordinary - anyone in a position to help out should do so. We routinely send members of the armed forces at our expense to assist other people who are struggling. Let's be honest, if Gordon had refused to send assistance, he'd be getting just as much stick from exactly the same people. This is not a political issue. A large number of people are in a position that is unpleasant and open to abuse of various kinds, through no fault of their own. If there is a simple way to make them safe, then get on with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted April 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 Read some of these on the sky news website...... made me laugh "I've just worked it all out. Gordon Brown is sending the Navy to Spain, and no where else. Where are the cheaper holiday packages - to Spain! Who buys the cheaper holiday's? The working Class. Who is Labour's main voter? The working class. So, this is a ploy to leave the Conservative voters out in the Caribbean/Asia, bring home the Labour voters, have the election and then re-open the skies. It's too convenient we cant see this plume of ash above our heads!" "I heard a woman on BBC Radio London last night, she phoned in to say that she was stuck in Delhi. The hotel would throw thjem out in 24 hours, they had no money, and could not call their bank! However, they were able to phone a radio station in London to moan about it!!! What a waste of a call! i think you will find love, that if you are in Delhi, you don't need to phone your bank, their call centre is probably within about 100 yards of where you are standing, just go and knock on their door! Some people!!!" "But on the plus side, a really miserable old trout who i work with is stuck in Thailand....Happy days for me" "Brown doubled our debt, caused record youth unemployment, took billions from our pensions, lets 80,000 criminals out early, lost ?6billion by selling OUR gold, gave away our ?7Billion rebate to the EU, has flooded our country with illegals...and you are surprised what a messLabour has made of this! Vote Lib Dumbs and get Brown!!" "First Iceland goes bankrupt than the island catches on fire. Sounds to me like an Insurance fraud" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LymmParent Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 "First Iceland goes bankrupt than the island catches on fire. Sounds to me like an Insurance fraud" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 They interviewed a ferry Skipper on TV; and when asked; he said that the ferries can carry over 1500 passengers, while the RN ships carry about 250; think that says it all about the use of the RN. btw seems Gordon's PR attempt to appear Churcillian, doesn't seem to be matched by actual help and organisation on the ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LymmParent Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 They interviewed a ferry Skipper on TV; and when asked; he said that the ferries can carry over 1500 passengers, while the RN ships carry about 250; think that says it all about the use of the RN. btw seems Gordon's PR attempt to appear Churcillian, doesn't seem to be matched by actual help and organisation on the ground. But that's 250 people per ship per trip who couldn't get on a ferry. If two ships make four trips each, that's 2000 people home in a day. And as more people make it back across Europe to France, there is sense in any reduction of the bottleneck. Realistically, this has been going on a week now, so there's a huge number of holidaymakers on the standard two week package deals to Europe who have yet to make their way to the French coast.... never mind all the longhaulers who are now flying into France and Spain instead of direct to the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 At 20kpm will the rescue ships get there before the election? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 Well, they're flying again, will Gordy take the credit, or will Willy Walsh's little stunt, of disregarding the fly ban, have forced the issue - just hope a flight doesn't take a nose dive - but if it does - who's going to take the blame? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LymmParent Posted April 20, 2010 Report Share Posted April 20, 2010 They're flying for now. Could change any minute. It's about not risking killing people by the planeload, isn't it? Our missing family member has had to do 15hrs flight to New York, one night in a Hotel with cockroaches, several nights in Hotels without cockroaches, endless hours in the airports and all his own laundry in a Hotel room sink. He's extremely miserable, but not in danger of dying horribly. I would not like to be making decisions on this one. Don't see how GB gets credit or blame - it's up to the aviation bods. If they say no flying, nobody flies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.