Yesterday, my wife, daughter and our one year old son flew to Poland to visit family.

The itinerary was to leave Geneva around 7.30pm land at Warsaw around 9:30pm, take a connecting flight to Rzeszow, land just after 11pm, pick-up the hire car (with baby seat) for a one hour drive to her parents village.

The actual journey was different. Take-off from Geneva was delayed by 70 minutes with the passengers stuck in an umcomfortably hot aircraft.

Our son is too young for us to reserve his own seat, so a 13kg, tired one year-old was a miserable and heavy passenger.

Ok. Fair enough, flights are delayed. It happens.

When they arrived in Warsaw at 11pm, they had missed their connecting flight to Rzeszow.

The airline decided the journey would continue by taxi. This took 4 hours, in an old car, with no child seat, driven by Poland's Schumacher who'd already been on the road for 12 hours. No discussion, no other option.

At 4am, my family were dropped off in a car park outside Rzeszow airport, which was closed, as was the car hire desk, of course.

Family came and got them.


So, am I wrong to think my family have been treated badly, should I shut up and get over it?

Or, should I complain - I'm not looking for money, an acknowledgement, or an apology might be welcome..

Well yes you should make your complaint known. But one thing most people neglect to do is to tell them what would make you happy. Be it frequent flyer miles, a credit towards future travel, cash refund or …

If you don’t tell them, how will they know?

You might be surprised …

Agree with bowlie to know what you'd like as an outcome before you start.

It is completely unacceptable to me that an airline thought a taxi without a child seat was somehow a reasonable option as opposed to putting everyone up in a hotel and continuing the next morning.

Sorry about your family's experience.
Absolutely make it known to the airline(s) about your dissatisfaction and make a claim for some form of a compensation, and don't restrain from asking for financial compensation or a flight voucher. In the end, bottom line is what really makes business to learn and change ways. In this case the total delay at the final destination is more than 3 hours with less than 1500 (not sure, maybe it is more considering the layover in Warsaw) kms distance, so expect 250 EUR, unless there were extraordinary circuimstances.

Here you can find a form to claim a compensation for a delayed EU flight:
https://ec.europa.eu/transport/sites...nt_form_en.pdf

Here is the explanation about your rights in this case:
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizen...r/index_en.htm

Also, here is a well-formatted page from BAG (FOCA):
https://www.bazl.admin.ch/bazl/en/ho...er-rights.html

Agree with all above.....however.....you were setting yourself up for failure with the itinerary. With a one year old I would never have contemplated a trip ending at midnight. You have to, nowadays, assume delays/cancellations etc. I would have started much earlier and if not an option I would have spread the trip over two days.

Which airline was it ? Some cheap stuff ?

Can you not book a seat for a 13 month old? Way back then, one could. Was not mandatory but you could do it. Maybe it has changed.

We had done it with our 20 months old to the US so she could have her own car seat on the seat and sit/sleep comfortably.

In any case yes do complain, talk about the emotional turmoil and danger and do it now whilst fresh. Get reimbursed for actual costs (flight that did not happen, costs of picking up your wife etc) plus some kind of compensation for the stress.

I don't see the problem. The airline arranged a taxi after they missed the last flight. Isn't that better than staying a night in a hotel with 2 children and have a day less holiday?

I’m guessing LOT Polish airlines as neither Swiss nor squeezy are flying the route at the moment.

Very good point

Airline is not responsible for low quality of taxis. I guess oversight around taxi industry is pretty relaxed in Poland ?

I've had to sit on a hot plane on a tarmac for much longer than 70 minutes before. I agree, it is certainly no fun.

We also missed our connecting flight in Philadelphia once, due to a delayed flight, when our son was only 1 1/2 years old. We also ended up taking a taxi, without a child seat, to the hotel. But it was either that or stay in the airport overnight.

I guess that's one of the downsides of flying -- there are always so many unpredictable variables at play.

Anyways... I'm glad your family is okay.

Honestly? Ask your wife. I am used to the same schtick. Years of it. I doubt she cares for an apology, she wants her baby to sleep it off in peace, I bet. All the best to them, nothing like home made mom's food <3

to be honest, 70 min delays happen when flying, and the rest was all just consequence of that. They did get you a replacement transportation. The alternative would have been a hotel and so delaying the arrival further.
Sucks but it doesn't sound like you can gain anything out of this.

Victim blaming? Just a litte?
At this point I would have said.

No.

Not happening.

And kicked up an almighty fuss. And kept fussing until a reasonable alternative was provided. Safety is paramount. (Delay etc. np. but airlines have a duty of care)

Certainly not my intention, however, I was suggesting that an itinerary ending at midnight, with a one year old, that could get blown off course by a one hour delay should be carefully considered.


Apologies to OP if my comments came across negatively.

Me too.

Particularly in Europe, the Later in the day the departure the more likely the flight will be delayed. And, due to curfews, the more likely the delay will turn into a cancellation.

But on the other hand the earlier the flight the earlier you have to rise, and the more difficult it will be to get to the airport.

We need Star Trek technology.

Well sometimes it’s a Hobson’s Choice.

It’s never a Hobson’s Choice when the safety of a child is a stake in my opinion.
I would never have accepted to undertake a four hour taxi journey with a one year old and no car seat. I would have stood my ground until they came up with an acceptable alternative.

An official taxi is an acceptable alternative. It's not airline problem that a taxi industry has poor regulations.