The travel nightmare continues for air passengers trying to go to and get out of Europe…around half of all flights still grounded according to CNN at time of this post. Some 40,000 Americans alone are stranded in the UK..including my friend Peter Greenberg. (He can now add this to his long list of interesting stories he tells…) Many stranded passengers are sleeping in airports, having run out of money for hotels.
I had to sleep overnight once in a Munich train station while I was traveling throughout Europe with three girl friends. It’s a long (and hilarious) story why, but let’s just say staying there was not pretty. Which made me think – what are stranded families doing? If they are short on cash, are young children making a bed on the airport floor?
I am surprised a hotel chain is not stepping forward and offering a gesture of goodwill (and helloooo – good publicity) for the thousands of stranded passengers lacking places to sleep or shower.
Kudos to Qantas and Dubai Air for paying for some passengers’ hotel rooms!! As printed in the contract of carriage you enter with the airline when you purchase a ticket, an airline is not required to pay for any of your inconveniences if a flight is cancelled due to a natural disaster or weather conditions. Qantas and Dubai Air are taking benevolent steps even in the face of losing money from cancelled flights.
But what about the passengers on other airlines? Thankfully there are other places families can find really cheap places to stay in Europe.
1) Youth hostels – not just for young people. There are all kinds…at all different quality levels. They tend to be really cheap and often include breakfast. Don’t expect any remote luxury, but it is better than an airport in my opinion. Good sources to research hostels near your location: www.hostelseurope.com, europeanhostels.com, hostels.com, and www.ricksteves.com – there is a wall on Steves’s website where readers describe their experiences at certain hostels. The descriptions on all these websites are for the most part good, and sometimes there are photos. Hostels coast anywhere from $20 -$50 a night.
2) Convents and Monasteries. Run by nuns these places are often clean, quiet, and safe for families. Best of all – they are cheap, and occasionally free! I stayed at one in Zurich and had a huge room for us four girls. Sometimes the bathrooms are down the hall, so ask if that is important to you. One good source to help find a convent or monastery: europeanmonasteries.eu
