Bulgarian kids from a rhythmic gymnastics club are stranded in London. They were literally left stranded after their flight to Bulgaria was canceled due to the snowstorm and transport chaos. The children of the Burgas sports club waited ten hours at the airport on Monday. They were welcomed into a hotel in the evening, but were asked to leave on Tuesday morning. And there is still no plane. Over 30 medals won for Bulgaria, of which 25 gold. The excitement of the success of the international rhythmic gymnastics tournament in London vanishes upon returning home.
“On the blackboard it was written that the flight was canceled. The children were scared and so were we. We didn’t know what we were going to do. We waited hours for a solution. The children were lying on the benches and on the floor,” says Denitsa Andreeva, rhythmic gymnastics coach.
10 hours later, the airline brought the Bulgarian group of 28 people to the hotel. 18 of them are children. “Today we understand that at 11 we have to leave the hotel, as we have no information or contact details of the people who yesterday told us that until we find a flight we will be warm in the hotel, there will be food for us,” Andreeva points out.
The hotel compromises and allows the group to use the lobby until they find a solution.
“The temperatures are low, it’s bitterly cold outside. The children are very tired. We take them outside periodically, bring them back inside to warm up. We go out again. It’s all some kind of hellish chaos. The children are crying, there are children who are without parents,” says Elena Apostolova, mother of one of the children.
Parents and coaches have tried to contact the airline multiple times. “No one gives us any information on how to act, who to contact. The only thing we know is that on the 15th and 16th maybe we will fly. Possibly. But until then we don’t know where to go and what to do,” said Nevena Stoyanova, trainer.
The other concern of Bulgarians is that it is possible for children and adults to fly on different days and times. “It happens that some mothers leave one day, their children another day. We don’t know if a power of attorney will be needed. In principle, any child who is with one parent must be on the parent’s flight. And other children should stay with the coaches, because we are responsible for them,” says Denitsa Andreeva.
After NOVA’s intervention, our embassy in London also started talks with the airline. After several hours of waiting, the children and their coaches were accommodated in a new hotel, but again only for one night. And the children should return to us in two groups – on Thursday and on Friday.
“As a result, food, vouchers, transport from the hotel to the airport are provided. I believe that at the moment the situation is under control. They have the ambassador’s assurance that we are available for any kind of logistics should it be necessary. At the moment , these flights have been confirmed,” emphasized Consul Natasha Blazheva.
NOVA also tried to contact the carrier through its representatives in Bulgaria – from there they replied that they would investigate the case.
