Consumer Rights Erode as Travel Plans Disrupted

The democracy deteriorates each day as citizens witness the impunity of arbitrary decisions made by companies that undermine their rights, forcing them to undertake costly legal actions to restore not only those rights but their own dignity. A journey that should have lasted less than two days ended up taking six, resulting in lost holiday days, a distressing feeling of being wronged, and an expense of €1,400. Here’s how it unfolded.

Embarking on a Journey

Barcelona, Friday 25 July, 7:00 am. After loading the car, we set off for Huelva. My daughter, my dog, and I faced a twelve-hour journey to cover the more than one thousand kilometres to the port to board a Fred. Olsen ship, departing at 23:59 for Las Palmas de Gran Canaria for our holiday. The trip was scheduled to conclude early Sunday morning.

Cancellation and Confusion

Around 13:30, shortly after entering Andalucía, we received an email. The company informed us that our journey had been cancelled. The reason given—“for operational reasons”—was ambiguous and disrespectful to consumer rights. We were also told we could travel on another ship departing the next day at 19:30.

We were left bewildered and frustrated. We immediately tried to contact customer service. We realised that an overnight stay was necessary and that the company should cover the costs of accommodation and meals. However, getting through was not easy. As you may know, it was the end of July and finding accommodation, especially with a pet, was challenging. Customer service was unable to provide any clear answers and suggested we make the expenditure and submit the invoice later. After some time, we decided to make a reservation ourselves. We managed to secure a hotel in Seville. Hours later, a message from Fred. Olsen offered us a hotel that did not accept dogs. Then another hotel that did was suggested, but by the time we received that information, we had already made our other booking.

The Port Predicament

On Saturday, we arrived at Huelva port as instructed by the company. To our surprise, access to the port was closed. The ship was present, but a customs officer informed us that they closed at 15:00 on Saturdays and that the company had not notified the passengers, many of whom were in the same situation. It was impossible to arrive in accordance with the company’s own guidelines. We went to the Fred. Olsen offices, where dozens of people with similar issues were gathered. Employees managing the cargo indicated that the ship was fully booked and that some passengers had been alerted to arrive before customs closure. Was there overbooking? Only one employee was attempting to assist all affected customers, stating that they had addressed over 500 complaints that day. Moments later, we watched in disbelief as the ship set sail. To illustrate: it’s akin to an airline selling a ticket for a flight that cannot depart because the airport is closed, and when a customer complains, they are told it is their fault for not being at the boarding gate on time.

Seeking Alternatives

Left without a ship, two women and a dog, a thousand kilometres from home, awaited a solution from the company. The only response we received was that we could take the aborted journey on 5 August—11 days later. Yes, 11 days later. In solidarity, several affected individuals managed to find passage on another company’s ship three days later, but from Cádiz. This incurred three days of accommodation, meals, and travel expenses. Eventually, we arrived in Las Palmas six days after our intended arrival.

Claiming Accountability

After raising a formal complaint with the company, Fred. Olsen denied any responsibility, simply stating that we were not at the dock at the designated time, ignoring the fact that we were there as scheduled but that access to the port was closed. They added that customs schedules were not their responsibility. Apparently, we were at fault for presenting ourselves at the boarding gate when instructed by the company. The impunity of corporations is concerning, but so is the indifference of political power in the face of the erosion of our rights. This shipwreck of customer service recurs repeatedly.