Stranded in Gran Canaria since March

robinbird · 14-05-2020 1:30am #1

Very strange story. Woman travels to the Canaries on holiday a few months ago
Her husband of 52 years stays behind.
He is diagnosed with terminal cancer in March. Died May 9th
Says she has been stranded and unable to return home because of travel ban for last two months. And that even if she had come back she would have been unable to see husband before his death because of quarantine. Had to watch funeral online. “It was awful having to watch it on my phone.”
Is this credible?

PS. She has put this in public domain by going on Joe Duffy and giving interviews to media so surely public interest in checking what she is claiming.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/irish-woman-stranded-abroad-due-to-covid-19-has-to-watch-husbands-funeral-on-mobile-999311.html

14-05-2020 5:54am

Such rubbish. What stopped her coming home?

zerosugarbuzz · 14-05-2020 5:59am

bubblypop wrote: »

Such rubbish. What stopped her coming home?

Lack of flights, would you have had her swim....

Guy:Incognito · 14-05-2020 6:00am

So she went on holiday completely alone?

How come everyone else managed to get home and she couldn't? Doctors and nurses were deciding to come home from Australia where they lived at a few days notice.

Also, minor annoyance but they can **** off with "cell phone"

14-05-2020 6:00am

zerosugarbuzz wrote: »

Lack of flights, would you have had her swim....

Lack of flights?
There have been plenty of flights between March & May, she just chose not to take any.

splinter65 · 14-05-2020 6:05am

Rubbish.

14-05-2020 6:26am

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

So she went on holiday completely alone?

Is that weird or something?

Darc19 · 14-05-2020 6:28am

Joe Duffy is like the daily mail. Never ever let the truth get in the way of a good story.

My brother was in gran Canaria in March

Came home on 26th

It was all coordinated by officials there. People were moved into specific hotels. Scheduled Flights continued into early April.

My guess is she did not want to return and deal with her husbands cancer. She then felt guilty and decided to blame everyone else except herself.

Nothing wrong with that, some people find such things very difficult. But to come out publicly and try to blame others is a joke.

But too many fools will believe everything someone says on Joe Duffy and that show thrives on such sh1te

Guy:Incognito · 14-05-2020 6:32am

Deleted User wrote: »

Is that weird or something?

I would have thought for a retirement aged married woman, yeah.

It's a package holiday to the canaries too, not like a hike in the Andes or a trip to a historical site.

Bullocks · 14-05-2020 6:39am

I heard her on Mary Wilson yesterday and must say I believed her . She said she was very prone to chest infections so didn't chance traveling because she would have had to go through a few airports to get home when he was sick .
Then from what I could make out he went downhill very fast and keeled over

14-05-2020 6:49am

Bullocks wrote: »

I heard her on Mary Wilson yesterday and must say I believed her . She said she was very prone to chest infections so didn't chance traveling because she would have had to go through a few airports to get home when he was sick .
Then from what I could make out he went downhill very fast and keeled over

So, her choice to stay.
Not stranded.

Bullocks · 14-05-2020 7:09am

bubblypop wrote: »

So, her choice to stay.
Not stranded.

Ya , simple choice .
The way I see it is she is an old woman who just lost her husband of 52 years . We all heard about underlying conditions and age so it's not likely she stayed to soak up sun and sangria as opposed to being afraid of traveling .

angel eyes 2012 · 14-05-2020 7:24am

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

I would have thought for a retirement aged married woman, yeah.

It's a package holiday to the canaries too, not like a hike in the Andes or a trip to a historical site.

Don't know what her age, gender or marital status has got to do with it. Not everyone's idea of a holiday is hiking up a mountain or looking at historical ruins. Gran Canaria is a perfectly appropriate holiday destination if that's your preference.

14-05-2020 7:35am

Bullocks wrote: »

Ya , simple choice .
The way I see it is she is an old woman who just lost her husband of 52 years . We all heard about underlying conditions and age so it's not likely she stayed to soak up sun and sangria as opposed to being afraid of traveling .

Whether it was fear or that she felt like it, the point remains that she choose to stay.
She was not stranded & could in fact come home whenever she wanted to.

dartboardio · 14-05-2020 7:43am

Yeah nobody was stranded. There were plenty of flights..

average_runner · 14-05-2020 10:56am

zerosugarbuzz wrote: »

Lack of flights, would you have had her swim....

Irish came home from the Canaries at the end of March, there were flights to bring people home from all regions. Neighbour came home for Poland in April

vicwatson · 14-05-2020 10:58am

Sad story no matter what I guess

titan18 · 14-05-2020 11:09am

Ya, even if there was no direct flight from Gran Canaria to Ireland, you can easily get back via Gran Canaria to another Spanish airport and then via London pretty much any day of the week.

It'd have been expensive of course, but 100% not stranded.

splinter65 · 14-05-2020 11:48am

Bullocks wrote: »

I heard her on Mary Wilson yesterday and must say I believed her . She said she was very prone to chest infections so didn't chance traveling because she would have had to go through a few airports to get home when he was sick .
Then from what I could make out he went downhill very fast and keeled over

It’s not a question of not believing her. It’s not a question of having no compassion either. It’s a sad story but it’s not anyone’s fault and she’s the responsibility of her own loved ones and it’s very hard to see what can be safely done about it.

NIMAN · 14-05-2020 11:51am

Sad story for sure but don't see how it's anyone's fault, if She was on the radio trying to blame people.

I bet she wasn't asked any probing questions by uncle Joe.

spurious · 14-05-2020 12:26pm

I didn't hear it.
Was she blaming anyone or just telling her story?

biko · 14-05-2020 1:23pm

It's a terrible thing when your spouse of 52 years fall ill and you can't be there, no matter the circumstances.

Bullocks · 14-05-2020 1:32pm

spurious wrote: »

I didn't hear it.
Was she blaming anyone or just telling her story?

No she wasn't blaming anyone, just telling her story really.

Glencarraig · 14-05-2020 1:41pm

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

I would have thought for a retirement aged married woman, yeah.

It's a package holiday to the canaries too, not like a hike in the Andes or a trip to a historical site.

It wasnt a package holiday, the family have an apartment out there which they go to every year. The lady in question suffers from breathing problems and finds the dry warm climate beneficial. Her husband had been battling cancer for years and didnt feel well enough to travel with her at the time. He was told only a couple of weeks ago that he was in danger of losing a leg. Was admitted to hospital early last week and went downhill rapidly and died on Saturday lunchtime. His wife had no need to come home earlier as he was in ok condition and was being looked after by other family members, there was no warning signs that he would go downhill so quickly. She wasnt trying to get home in March, only when he was admitted to hospital.

I think people here need to cut out the cynical comments, you dont know the whole story, please have some compassion.

splinter65 · 14-05-2020 2:07pm

biko wrote: »

It's a terrible thing when your spouse of 52 years fall ill and you can't be there, no matter the circumstances.

It is but it’s just one of those things. There’s huge risks attached to elderly/sick people travelling abroad that’s why they often can’t get travel insurance cover. Once again it’s sad but hasn’t any relevance in the public interest sphere.

sasta le · 14-05-2020 2:10pm

Is she still stranded?

John Mason · 14-05-2020 2:13pm

Nah, her choice.
A friend of mine recently flew home from Spain. She had to fly through 3 different airports but was home the same day as she left.

robinbird · 14-05-2020 2:13pm

She is doing a lot of interviews. Irish Examiner, Irish Independent , Mary Wilson and Liveline that I am aware of. Probably more.
And she is clearly claiming that she was unable to travel back over last few months . Not that she decided not to.
And peculiar that there has been no comment from her family on her stranded claims.

"I've tried so many ways to get home" a tearful Mona said.

"There was no way I could get home" Mona said.

"I would have been home well in time for his passing but for this lockdown that's causing so much pain around the world.

"I'm keeping in touch with Aer Lingus and still trying and hoping to get home at the earliest to be with my family."

sabat · 14-05-2020 2:13pm

sasta le wrote: »

Is she still stranded?

Yeah yeah yeah

banie01 · 14-05-2020 2:15pm

There is a world of difference between stranded and choosing not to travel because the options available didn't suit her.

There were and are still direct flights from the canaries to the Spanish hub airports and from there to Ireland.

She made a choice to not take alternate routing, and now is looking to lay blame.

splinter65 · 14-05-2020 2:16pm

Glencarraig wrote: »

It wasnt a package holiday, the family have an apartment out there which they go to every year. The lady in question suffers from breathing problems and finds the dry warm climate beneficial. Her husband had been battling cancer for years and didnt feel well enough to travel with her at the time. He was told only a couple of weeks ago that he was in danger of losing a leg. Was admitted to hospital early last week and went downhill rapidly and died on Saturday lunchtime. His wife had no need to come home earlier as he was in ok condition and was being looked after by other family members, there was no warning signs that he would go downhill so quickly. She wasnt trying to get home in March, only when he was admitted to hospital.

I think people here need to cut out the cynical comments, you dont know the whole story, please have some compassion.

Anyone would have compassion but it’s hard to understand why this story needs to be aired in public? Liveline is really supposed to be on to allow listeners to air public service grievances they are dealing with in the hope of, at least, alerting others to anomalies in the systems which might affect them.
This poor lady appears to have taken a chance and travelled abroad at what has turned out to be the very worst time. No one is to blame and there’s nothing can be done about it. I can’t see the public interest angle really.

robinbird · 14-05-2020 2:17pm

splinter65 wrote: »

Once again it’s sad but hasn’t any relevance in the public interest sphere.

I think by her giving so many media interviews with her claims it is very much in the public sphere. Interviewers are afraid to ask any hard questions because she is grieving so for that reason her claim that she was unable to travel back from the Canaries for last few months has gone unchallenged.
Makes her family and authorities look very heartless and negligent.

14-05-2020 2:24pm

robinbird wrote: »

Makes her family and authorities look very heartless and negligent.

She did not come home. There were any amount of ways she could have came home but she didn't. That's her fault. I don't think anyone could blame her family or the authorities?

Tbf, I think she is feeling very guilty & trying to make herself feel better. Which is very sad for her. Doesn't change the facts though

splinter65 · 14-05-2020 2:50pm

robinbird wrote: »

I think by her giving so many media interviews with her claims it is very much in the public sphere. Interviewers are afraid to ask any hard questions because she is grieving so for that reason her claim that she was unable to travel back from the Canaries for last few months has gone unchallenged.
Makes her family and authorities look very heartless and negligent.

Yes I’ve said her story has no relevance in the public sphere.
Her family may have tried their hardest to stop her from going in the first place and to get her home in good time after that, for all we know.
Who do you mean exactly when you refer to the “authorities” ? To the best of my knowledge there isn’t an “authority” in charge of rectifying the consequences of reckless personal decisions.

splinter65 · 14-05-2020 2:55pm

bubblypop wrote: »

She did not come home. There were any amount of ways she could have came home but she didn't. That's her fault. I don't think anyone could blame her family or the authorities?

Tbf, I think she is feeling very guilty & trying to make herself feel better. Which is very sad for her. Doesn't change the facts though

I don’t agree that she feels guilty about anything. I think that she’s just hoping someone Irish in Spain with access to a private plane will pick her up and bring her home. Anyone waiting for any Irish journalist either on air or in print to ask her what specific efforts she’s made to get home will have a long wait.

robinbird · 14-05-2020 2:59pm

splinter65 wrote: »

Who do you mean exactly when you refer to the “authorities” ? To the best of my knowledge there isn’t an “authority” in charge of rectifying the consequences of reckless personal decisions.

The irish government and Simon Coveney in particular were proactive enough in organising repatriation flights for the few countries that stopped them completely.
Although even in these countries there had been advance notice.
Peru and India are the places I recall, although there may have been others.
Remember back in March when the tens of thousands of irish holidaymakers in Spain and Canaries were told to come home within a week. Which was then extended. Extra flights put on and no charge to change return dates. Those that didn't were still able to travel afterwards though. Because flights didn't stop.

And now you have someone who is all over the airways and the media talking about how she was stranded in the Canaries for months and unable to find a way home.

.

splinter65 · 14-05-2020 3:07pm

robinbird wrote: »

The irish government and Simon Coveney in particular were proactive enough in organising repatriation flights for the few countries that stopped them completely.
Although even in these countries there had been advance notice.
Peru and India are the places I recall, although there may have been others.
Remember back in March when the tens of thousands of irish holidaymakers in Spain and Canaries were told to come home within a week. Which was then extended. Extra flights put on and no charge to change return dates. Those that didn't were still able to travel afterwards though. Because flights didn't stop.

And now you have someone who is all over the airways and the media talking about how she was stranded in the Canaries for months and unable to find a way home.

.

I think we’re talking at cross purposes. There’s no obligation on the Irish taxpayer to bring this lady home.

robinbird · 14-05-2020 3:21pm

splinter65 wrote: »

I think we’re talking at cross purposes. There’s no obligation on the Irish taxpayer to bring this lady home.

The irish taxpayer has paid for charter flights to repatriate those who stayed after they were told to come home in March but only for those countries where flights were not available. So no need in this case as there are still cheap flights available from Gran Canaria to Ireland. Surely the journalists who are covering this story could have done very basic due diligence by checking this.

https://www.google.com/flights?hl=en#flt=LPA.DUB.2020-05-18;c:EUR;e:1;sd:1;t:f;tt:o

"I've tried so many ways to get home" a tearful Mona said.

"There was no way I could get home" Mona said.

"I would have been home well in time for his passing but for this lockdown that's causing so much pain around the world.

"I'm keeping in touch with Aer Lingus and still trying and hoping to get home at the earliest to be with my family."

belfe · 14-05-2020 4:55pm

robinbird wrote: »

The irish taxpayer has paid for charter flights to repatriate those who stayed after they were told to come home in March but only for those countries where flights were not available. So no need in this case as there are still cheap flights available from Gran Canaria to Ireland. Surely the journalists who are covering this story could have done very basic due diligence by checking this.

https://www.google.com/flights?hl=en#flt=LPA.DUB.2020-05-18;c:EUR;e:1;sd:1;t:f;tt:o

"I've tried so many ways to get home" a tearful Mona said.

"There was no way I could get home" Mona said.

"I would have been home well in time for his passing but for this lockdown that's causing so much pain around the world.

"I'm keeping in touch with Aer Lingus and still trying and hoping to get home at the earliest to be with my family."

I'm not 100% sure about the situation now that Spain is deescalating, but I can't tell you for a fact (people that I know were stranded in Ireland and wanting to return to Spain) that these flights are on sale, but you buy them, then is canceled and you get a voucher. For around two months, all direct flights are scheduled but canceled. There have been repatriation flights, but not regular ones.

Also, there is always the option of flying through an airport in the third country, but this is especially risky. You don't want to be stranded in an airport in a third country that could be also in lockdown.

splinter65 · 14-05-2020 5:15pm

belfe wrote: »

I'm not 100% sure about the situation now that Spain is deescalating, but I can't tell you for a fact (people that I know were stranded in Ireland and wanting to return to Spain) that these flights are on sale, but you buy them, then is canceled and you get a voucher. For around two months, all direct flights are scheduled but canceled. There have been repatriation flights, but not regular ones.

Also, there is always the option of flying through an airport in the third country, but this is especially risky. You don't want to be stranded in an airport in a third country that could be also in lockdown.

This is all as maybe. What I don’t get is how this lady thinks that her predicament is anyone’s responsibility or even business, apart from this herself and her immediate family?
Nearly 1500 people in this country have died of covid and left family and loved ones bereaved and unable to mourn properly.
1000s of elderly people are coping alone due to cocooning.
Parents of disabled children are coping alone at home with no services.
All in silence.
This woman made some decisions which came back to haunt her (literally) and she’s demanding (and being given) prime time radio and front page coverage in the vain hope that someone will bring her home. Why??
What it is actually is indicative of the appalling state of Irish journalism.

spurious · 14-05-2020 7:22pm

It's a human interest story.
Lots of accounts out there of people being badly affected by the whole situation.

Not really feeling the need some seem to have to pick holes in her story or condemn her for decisions made or not made. The woman is grieving away from her family. Anyone normal can relate to that.

splinter65 · 14-05-2020 7:39pm

spurious wrote: »

It's a human interest story.
Lots of accounts out there of people being badly affected by the whole situation.

Not really feeling the need some seem to have to pick holes in her story or condemn her for decisions made or not made. The woman is grieving away from her family. Anyone normal can relate to that.

There’s literally 1000s of stories of people who have been seriously let down by the system in this crisis. There’s 1000s frontline staff who thought they’d have childcare in place to let them do their jobs on Monday and have been left in the lurch, again. But what’s making the news? This nonsense.

Stranded in Gran Canaria since March

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