My First Experience of Airport Assistance – Spain do it better!

Last weekend I flew back to the UK for a 24 hour trip with my mum. We flew from Malaga to Gatwick with Easyjet and for those that use Easyjet regular at Gatwick, you will know that the walk from their gates in the north terminal is miles away from the main building.

I have been suffering from sciatica for about the last 6 months and over the last couple of weeks, it has been really bad. To the point where I physically can not walk as the pain is so intense it makes me want to cry or throw up!

Because I was worried about the long walk through the airports I arranged assistance to help me and in the long run glad I did as there was no way I could have walked in either airport. On my return, I did actually end up with a trip to A&E to get it checked out and drugged up for the pain.

At Malaga airport it was so easy, we had already checked in via the Easyjet app and had the boarding passes on my phone, as it was only a quick trip we only had a small piece of hand luggage too. When we walked into departures there was a special assistance area clearly marked and very colourful where we made ourselves known and took a seat until they were ready for us.

My mum is fine, nothing wrong with her but as my travel companion, she got to come with me in the buggy with some other guests, through the quick security at the other end of the airport and straight to the departure gate. It was easy and pain-free for me.

When we arrived at Gatwick North Terminal, there was a man there with a wheelchair to assist me, no buggy at Gatwick for us! So my mum was trying to keep up with him pushing me on the 300-mile walk (I know it’s exaggerated but that’s how long it feels) to arrivals.

Coming home, we got to Gatwick North Terminal and could not find any desk or location for assistance. Finally found a phone tucked away in a corner and called to ask how we got the assistance that I had pre-booked. They advised us we had to make our way up to the next level and towards security for assistance and families. Now, I could just about manage that but for someone whom wouldn’t have been able to, it was a bit of a journey and no clear signs to indicate where to go.

We were then taken through the quick security which was fine and then into the main departures hall. There we were dropped off at the special assistance area and informed that I would be in the buggy and my mum would see me on the plane! I advised that I had both boardings passes on my phone so she had to stay with me, they said no. So they printed out a boarding pass for my mum and made her walk the 300 miles to the departure gate. Myself and the 3 others with assistance, were then taken in the buggy through the duty-free areas and then pulled up at a lift and asked to get out of the buggy. We went down in the lift and then told to walk down to the assisted area for check in for the Easyjet team. This was a good few hundred yards walk and when in pain not great. The man on his crutches got there before I did!

We were then transported on an ambulift to the aircraft and boarded before all other guests which were the only good thing about the assistance received at Gatwick but my poor mum was stuck waiting to board. When we got back to Malaga, mum was taken with me on the buggy and straight through passport control and into arrivals, very much like when we left Malaga.

I have to say the assistance at Malaga was spot on, the staff was friendly, they expected my mum to come with me as my travel companion and looked after us well.

Gatwick on the other hand, actually caused me more pain then if I had of walked the 300 miles! And as for not allowing my mum to stay with me, I thought was very unfair. I was not impressed with the signs, the service or the way my travel companion was treated.

I just hope this sciatica clears up before the next trip because I really do not want to go through that again at Gatwick.

Have you experienced assistance and how was you or your travel companion treated? Do you think it is better overseas like my experience at Malaga?

Dawn

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