Stranded Britons held to ransom

STRANDED Britons last night told how they had been held to ransom as they battled to get home.

Stranded passengers are being held to ransom as they struggle to get home Stranded passengers are being held to ransom as they struggle to get home

Travellers returning through English ports complained of being forced to pay exorbitant fees for car hire, hotels and train fares.

Teacher Steve Hancock, from Gloucester, said: “We have been ripped off by everyone.”

Mr Hancock, 51, and wife Karen, 49, were in southern Italy when their Flybe flight to Birmingham was cancelled last Thursday.

“There were no rooms in the hotels by the airport but the tourist office managed to find us a room outside Milan but at 450 euros (£396) for two nights. On Saturday, we tried to hire a car. Europcar said we could return a rental to Germany. But we had to pay 570 euros (£501) to drive their car back to Frankfurt. From there we got trains to Paris, Lille and Calais.

“We were charged 65 euros (£59)each as foot passengers.”

The Albrow family from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, spent over £500 on trains and hotels in Germany, Belgium and France after their flight from Geneva was cancelled.

Eurostar is charging £223 for a single train ticket from Paris to London over the next two days, more than three times the £69 for a similar journey in two weeks’ time.

But a Eurostar spokeswoman said: “We are absolutely not trying to take advantage. It’s quite simply that demand has taken prices to the top of our existing fare structure.”

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