Pissed off teacher wench!

[Kae]

Ok - I need to calm down and I decided to put it here. We are in the middle of finals week at school. I am hearing from parents that wouldn't return calls 3 weeks ago when it would be possible to save "Ezekial's" grade. Not fun.

To top that off, I am taking a group of teenagers from our school to Germany this summer. It is "supposedly" done through our Sister City program and the City Council. I haven't heard word one from them the entire year. We start with a homestay in Germany - Garbsen and then join a tour of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. We went with a tour group company this time because it sounded better - NEVER AGAIN! In the process, our tour has changed 5 times and the costs have fluctuated dramatically. I still do not have the hotels we are staying in and I just received the flight itinerary on Friday. We leave in 2 weeks. Now they are telling me I may not know what hotel we are staying in the first night until the middle of June - when we will be on the homestay. So I can't arrange transportation from the Frankfurt airport to Hannover (the nearest large city to Garbsen) and back because I don't know where back is! (It is cheaper to buy round trip train tickets then singles.) Then, one of the students - the only girl going - joined late. I verified with our contact that this would be OK. She said it wouldn't be a problem since flights and everything were not booked yet and there was still room on the travel bus. Come to find out, there isn't enough room on the plane they chose to use on United, so she can pay $150 more to fly Continental. This will put her in Frankfurt 2 hours before us and she will be there for 3 hours after us on the return. Single female, not fluent in German, in airport alone. I don't like the scenario.

By the way, the company is Explorica. Come to find out that they work much better with large groups versus us small ones. Wish I had known that in advance. We have managed to go through every possible problem that exists.

Thank you for letting me rant!

[Lady Laurel]

That sucks they should have had this information for you way in advance. Also if the young girl has to stay by herself there is some kind of buddy system that the airlines have for kids. Alot of kids travel by themselves so the airlines arrange for them to hang around a stewardess. Something like that I have heard of it through some people that work with the airlines with my husband.

Good luck with it. I know last minute flying can be an adventure. :wink:

[Kae]

Unfortunately the girl doesn't qualify fo rthe buddy system as she just turned 18. This is her graduation present from her family - they have all worked long hours to make it happen. (My district while rich in diversity is not in monetary funds)
My biggest concern is the single female not used to traveling ending up in a foreign airport very confused.

YUCK!

Kae

[saphoenixsilver]

Can y'all change the flights of one of the adults to put them their at a similar time frame so that she is not alone? I know it would be a hassle, but it would ensure a slightly safer environment for her. Good luck with everything though....

[Kae]

Just tried that, they won't do it. They say they are willing to take on the liability. Don't get it!
Kae

[Captain Stamina]

Here’s an idea. How about turning this over to channel 4 and have the media show up on their door step and asking them all sorts of embarrassing questions?

[Kae]

Would love to - except their door step is in California. Instead, I just have to make sure that other sin my business know about this group and to avoid them.

Kae

[Captain Stamina]

Managed to find this: http://www.passports.com/feedback/cgi/messages/877.asp

[Kae]

Wish I had seen those sooner. I was not the originator of this group, so was not in on that stage of planning.

Kae

[Jeannie Fitzgerald]

Explorica or Expoitica? I personally feel, disappointing though it may be for everyone, that the entire trip should be cancelled. The whole situation is too scary. This company has proved it is unreliable. It's an annoying pain now. What if they continue to vacillate (or is it prevaricate?) once the tour is started? Then there is the crap about them saying they will not know what hotels you are going to be staying with until the last minute. What if you all get there and they still "don't know?" Fluctuating prices? I don't deal with anyone that can't make a firm quote. If I have to, and can, live on a budget, so can they. I would really have been all over their collective backsides if they told me an add on was OK then afterwards tried to tell me it would cost an additional amount and the add on would have to travel separately at different times. Even if she is 18, the scenario of a young lass alone in a foreign country, especially with her not being fluent in the language is just too frightening. If I was the lass' parents, I would refuse to pay for the trip.

The crooks need to be taken to task. Speak with a state representative's or senator's office (or, if necessary, a lawyer) to find out regulatory agencies have jurisdiction. Your State's consumer fraud division may be able to help as well or, at least, direct you to someone who can. Even if everyone has paid anything (or even the full amount) in advance, I would still recommend cancelling. The possiblity of being stranded in a foreign country, especially with a group one is responsible for, is just too scary!