LOCALS STRANDED IN SPAIN
Tour group of 30 seeks flights home
As the federal government urges Canadians travellers to return home, those abroad say it’s easier said than done.
“We’ve been trying desperately. I’ve been online every single day trying to get flights out but there just are none,” said Joan Feser on a phone call from the Costa del Sol in Spain, which is in a countrywide lock down in response to COVID-19.
“All the politicians keep saying, ‘Canadians come home now, come home now.’ How do we get there?”
Feser, 74, has been in Spain since Feb. 25 with a group of about 30 other travellers — most from the Windsor-essex area — who booked the month-long trip through a local travel agency.
“The flights are booked, most of them are only flying at 50-percent capacity to try to keep people away from each other,” she said. “And the ones that are left are all business class or first class and they start around €2,000 to €3,000 ($3,100 to $4,600).”
“If I could be on a flight, yes, I’d be home. But it’s just not possible.”
She said the travel agency did find an earlier flight back, however, that would mean making four stops along with a 12-hour layover in the Dublin airport over night.
“We all decided that is more dangerous than staying where we are,” Feser said. “So we all opted just to wait until Wednesday when our flights are still guaranteed.”
She said for now, they’re hanging in there and counting down the days until they can return home, but prior to the countrywide lockdown they were able to enjoy the first two weeks of their vacation.
Since then, it’s been a “ghost town.”
The streets are quiet as only essentials remain open. Police are patrolling the promenade, and walking down the block to get to the grocery store means putting on a mask and gloves.
There have been no confirmed cases at the hotel and everyone feels fine, Feser said, noting the hotel has been taking extra precautions to ensure it stays clean.
“Mind you, we’re down to bare bones, there’s maybe 80 people left in the hotel,” she said. “But none of us are infected at all. It’s stressful because you never know when you’re going to get it.”
For the most part, Feser said, those stuck at the hotel are making the most of what they can.
“Some people are more stressed out than others but, you know, we’re just kind of taking it in stride. We don’t have any choice,” she said. “Most of us are seniors, we’ve lived through a lot, right? And hopefully we’ll live through this too.”
Feser said guests are able to wander around the hotel and the group has still been meeting for brunch and dinner buffets, happy hour, and some time outside on the patio.
“We’re all coping, we get together and we laugh about it,” she said. “Nothing else you can do.”
As for now the group is expected to return to Canada on March 25 and will be self-isolating when they get back.