Tenerife holidaymakers stranded in Thailand
The ordeal continues for four tourists from Tenerife who have been trapped in Thailand for several days after their flight was cancelled due to the impact of the Middle East conflict. Although they have finally secured a rebooking for a return on the 20th, those affected say this solution comes far too late and they are still searching for alternatives to get home sooner.
A holiday turned into uncertainty
The group, consisting of María Tomé, Borja, Guayarmina and Juan, was on holiday in the Asian country when their flight was cancelled just hours before departure. Since then, they have denounced the lack of information and assistance from both the airline and official institutions, which has forced them to extend their stay in Thailand indefinitely.
Rebooking achieved through family pressure
According to María Tomé, the new flight rebooking did not come from direct management by the airline, but after persistent calls from their relatives in Spain. The ticket was purchased with Etihad Airways via the Gotogate platform, and after several hours on the phone, they managed to get the company to assign them a new flight. “After two hours on the phone, our relatives got us rebooked for the 20th,” she recounts.
However, the date does not suit them. “It is very late for us, there is an awful lot of time left,” states the Tenerife native. For this reason, the group is trying to find alternative routes via other Asian countries, even if it means very complex journeys. Some of the options they are looking at include trips with up to seven stopovers to get back to Tenerife without the price exceeding a thousand euros.
Soaring costs and unequal treatment
The financial situation is also a worry for the travellers. While the original ticket cost less than €600, many of the available flights now easily exceed €3,000, making it even harder to find a viable solution. Furthermore, the Tenerife residents point out that other Canary Islanders stranded in Thailand have received rebookings before them, with flights scheduled for the 9th.
This disparity increases their uncertainty, especially as some of the routes pass through Abu Dhabi, an area they prefer to avoid due to the international tension. The emotional toll is beginning to show. “We are quite stressed about this, emotionally we are in a very bad way,” admits María, who explains that the only help they have received so far has come thanks to the efforts of family and acquaintances in Spain.
Lack of official support and self-organisation
In fact, one of the few contacts they managed to make with the consulate occurred thanks to the intervention of a relative who managed to locate a consular worker, and not through direct initiative by the authorities. Meanwhile, those affected continue to organise themselves with other travellers in a WhatsApp group with more Canary Islanders to share information and possible alternatives for return.
While they wait to find a flight that will allow them to leave the country sooner, the Tenerife group remains in Thailand without a clear return date, in a situation that has transformed their holiday into an experience marked by uncertainty.
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