Hi,
Just returned from a holiday in Rhodes yesterday flying with Viking airlines and my experience as well as the other passengers who were on the flight was not at all good. (This may take sometime).
It began when we arrived at Manchester to check in. We arrived to find the check in desk empty and no representative there to provide us with any information as to why it was not open. I asked the staff member at the next desk from virgin airlines if there knew what was happening. They directed me to the Viking desk at the other end of the terminal. When we got to the desk it became apparent that there was a problem. Lots of passengers were trying to get scraps of information from the two members of staff that had been given the unenviable task of trying to bring peace to the situation.
The bottom line was that we were delayed as the plane had a technical problem and was being repaired at Gatwick. We were told and provided with a letter informing us that we were being transferred to Gatwick and the new flight time was estimated at 18:30. We should have been flying at 8:00 from Manchester. On arrival at Gatwick we would be provided with a three course meal at the Hilton Hotel attached to the terminal.
We were all shuffled on to the three coaches provided to take us down to Gatwick (May I add that the coach was really uncomfortable and had no toilet).
Five hours later we arrived at Gatwick expecting to be fed but no one seemed to know what we were doing or where we were going. We were dumped outside the coach with no one to meet us and conflicting stories from different passengers on the same flight from other coaches. We were told to follow the signs with an H for hotel and a rep from Viking would meet us at the Hilton. The passengers on the other coaches had been told to go to check in area H.
We all decided to make our way into the terminal and all stick together surely someone would notice nearly 150 lost passengers. It was like the exodus from Egypt 150 of us matching through Gatwick with no idea what was happening. We eventually found the check in desk in area H (good job we found the other passengers as they arrived 5 minutes before our coach and would have been still looking for the Hotel now).
We were told at check in that the flight had been brought forward and we would no longer be receiving a meal at the Hotel. Everybody seemed happy with this as we all should have been in Rhodes by now and were losing time from our Holiday. We were given a £5 voucher that could be used in the airport or on the plane. We checked in at about 13:10 and were told to go straight to the gate as the flight was due to fly out at 14:00 in stead of 18:30 as estimated. As trusting passengers we made our way through passport control and tried to find our flight information on the screens. You guessed it, no flight information at all; the flight number wasn't even on the screen. After about 30 mins of head scratching, information! We were to go straight to gate 91 for boarding. (This gave us no time to use the £5 vouchers in the airport, this is important).
150 confused passengers made there way to gate 91 to board the flight. We all sat down and waited and waited and waited to board. It was around 14:45 and the only information we had was that the caterers had not arrived to stock the plane. Rumors were now circulating that the airline may be going bust as XL airways had. (Guess what we were also told that the chap who owed XL now owns Viking but I don't know if this correct).
Passengers were now getting very angry as we still didn't know if the flight would ever leave the ground. I went to speak to the visibly strained staff who had been sent out like lambs to the slaughter. We were hungry and thirsty and needed a drink (any kind of drink). I asked if we could leave the gate but was told that it would be best if we stayed as the flight could go at any time. My party agreed to leave the gate and go find some food we would wait to hear the gate call for our flight. Thankfully we found two other passengers on the flight who had given their mobile number to a nice man who said the he would send a text when the flight was boarding. We had just ordered when the text message arrived the flight was boarding and we had heard no boarding call. We rushed back to the gate to find the last few passengers going through the gate. We made it!
Bad news there was no alcohol on the flight but we would be getting a free complimentary meal. We still had £20 pounds of vouchers and nothing to spend them on. There wasn't even any duty free.
At last we arrived in Rhodes 10hrs late. I know that this has taken along time to read and I wish I could tell you that it ended here but it doesn't sorry.
We were supposed to be leaving Rhodes at 15:20, 13:20 UK time on the 19th May. We arrived at the airport at 12:30 to check in, the flight had been delayed and would be leaving at 22:20 7hrs late. Passengers again were trying to find out information but there was no representative from Viking anywhere to be seen. We heard in the queue that food vouchers were being given out with boarding cards but this was not the case. The chap at the check in desk said that he knew nothing about any food vouchers. Also some passengers had checked to see if the flight was leaving on time before they left their hotels, but the telephone number provided didn't work and the website said that the flight was on time.
With the flight being delayed we got rid of our cases and left the airport at 13:30, against the advice to go straight to gate 8. We went and had something to eat at a restaurant near the airport and came back to the airport at 17:00 yes 17:00 to go through passport control.
We headed to the gate to wait AGAIN. Recognising some passengers who had travelled with us a week earlier we asked if they had any information. They told us that they had contacted family at home who had told them that the flight had left the UK at 16:00 UK time which meant that it would not arrive in Rhodes until 22:00 at the earliest. I can only assume that the poor passengers who were flying to Rhodes from Manchester had been delayed on their way out as we were the week before. This also meant that there was no chance that we would be leaving at 22:20. But we could take our boarding card and get a sandwich and a drink at the airport canteen. So we did.
This information had obviously not been given to all the poor souls travelling with this doomed airline. As we were claiming our "freebie" another passenger in front of us in the queue paid 20 Euros for three sandwiches and drinks. We assumed that they had already claimed their free crusty butties, as it was now after 17:00, but they had not been told and were furious when we got ours for nothing. I must say that the sandwiches that they were paying for were a lot better that our slapped together cheap ham and old cheese rock hard bread delight. We also got a drink WhOOOOOOO! The passenger who has spent the 20 Euros tried to get a refund but it was refused she had not even opened the sealed sandwiches and cold drinks in fact they had not even been taken off the counter.
Be aware that some passengers with children had used there passes at around 14:00. So we were expecting to be fed on the flight that left at 22:45 Rhodes time. But no, the cheeky sods expected us to pay for food and drink on the flight. Now I don't expect to be given lager on tap but I do expect to receive a drink after waiting for a flight for nearly half a day.
The flight was in chaos passengers were annoyed flight crew had no idea what they were walking into. I though at one point that the flight may be grounded. Understandably people were annoyed they were hungry and thirsty.
The passenger in front on me on the flight was an inspiration and remained calmed, spoke with logic and asked to speak to the senior crew person on the flight. This was a lady called Donna. Donna arrived to hear another verbal onslaught but it never arrived. He polity asked if he could make a compliant, she disappeared and came back with a questionnaire, but this is not what our man was looking for he asked for the address for the head office and a contact number, as that one he had tried back in Rhodes that was on his flight information did not exist. She told him that she didn't now the address and disappeared again. When she returned she had written the address and the number on the back of a sick bag.
I REST MY CASE what an appropriate form of media for a disgusting airline.
I hope that you are still awake. I never complain about anything but have just joined the forum today as this is beyond a joke.
I hope that you still have time to change your holiday or change your airline no definitely change your airline.
There is more evidence for their incompetence:
On the way down to Gatwick all that time ago the coach driver told us that he had been taking Viking passengers on the same ride for weeks.
I asked yesterday on the flight if it had flown from Gatwick and not Manchester but was never given an answer????????
Also on collecting my car that had been parked up for a week the parking attendant told me that all Viking flights are normally delayed.
DO NOT FLY WITH THIS TIN POT ORGANISATION.
I feel for the staff on both flights and commend them on their efforts. YOU NEED TO FIND NEW JOBS I AM DETERMINED TO PUT THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE WAY THIS AIRLINE TREATS IT'S PAYING CUSTOMERS.
Does anyone have any recent news about traveling with them, good news ! 
