I was supposed to fly to see Wales in the Women's Euros but my trip ended before it even began
Europe is in chaos today [Friday, July 4] as air traffic workers in France have gone on strike meaning hundreds of flights are cancelled, and even planes that just wanted to pass politely overhead have had to write off their flights.
Sadly, I'm one of the unlucky ones stuck on the wrong side of the channel with my intentions to watch Wales take on the Netherlands now firmly grounded alongside my flight. EasyJet, Ryanair, HOP! and Air France scrapped around 500 flights on Thursday as the disruption kicked off and by the time today rolled around, it's safe to say it's carnage out there.
My original plan was to travel from Cardiff to London and fly from there to Zurich. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
But easyJet slid into my DMs last night with the dreaded cancellation message (through no fault of their own) and after a good few hours spent playing the game of 'how many tabs can one person have open?' it became obvious that the trip was going to be a no-go.
By midnight, I think anyone who was able to had already re-routed themselves to any airport in Switzerland that wasn't completely swamped.
I even looked at nearby cities like Strasbourg to see if I could cobble together a train route into Lucerne, where Wales are playing.
But pretty much everything was booked solid, probably by other fans with the same idea, or other travellers trying to flee the crowded scenes.
There were also many journeys which were estimated to last over 18 hours which didn't look work-able so it quickly became apparent that it was looking like it would become a bit of a mare.
Getting there from Cardiff amid the travel chaos to arrive in time was just not going to happen, so I made peace with the idea (after several hours of searching for alternative options) that it wasn't meant to be.
However, I did learn a few things while researching different routes and while it wasn't practical for me to get myself over from Cardiff, I've put together a few tips and tricks for you if you are trying to re-route your journey today or need to re-assess your plans for something like this in the future:
Look beyond your original destination
Zurich will probably be the most popular airport in Switzerland this weekend because of its proximity to Lucerne.
But I found that checking flights to nearby cities like Basel, Strasbourg, or even Milan gave a few more options even if it meant a longer train or bus journey at the other end.
Trains are your friend (if you're quick)
European train routes can often fill up just as fast as planes during disruption but if you act quickly you might snag a seat and I think it's easy to forget how quick and easy the Eurostar can be from the UK if you get your timings right.
Keep an eye on routes from France, Germany, or northern Italy into Switzerland and try searching through both national and cross-border operators like SNCF, Deutsche Bahn, and SBB.
Consider flying from less obvious airports
While major UK airports like London Gatwick and Heathrow were packed or cancelled, regional airports like Birmingham or even Bristol occasionally had routes with availability.
It's worth expanding your search radius if you're still determined to make it.
Split the journey
Instead of trying to book one direct trip, break the journey down into segments.
For example, a coach to London, a flight to a city on the edge of the strike zone, and then a train or another plane into Switzerland from a different place. It can be chaotic, but you might piece together a viable route.
Check airlines' disruption policies
Some offer various types of support.
If your flight is cancelled, jump on the app or website ASAP to see if they're giving free transfers to other services.
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I was supposed to fly to see Wales in the Women's Euros but my trip ended before it even began
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Europe is in chaos today [Friday, July 4] as air traffic workers in France have gone on strike meaning hundreds of flights are cancelled, and even planes that just wanted to pass politely overhead have had to write off their flights. Sadly, I'm one of the unlucky ones stuck on the wrong side of the channel with my intentions to watch Wales take on the Netherlands now firmly grounded alongside my flight. EasyJet, Ryanair, HOP! and Air France scrapped around 500 flights on Thursday as the disruption kicked off and by the time today rolled around, it's safe to say it's carnage out there. My original plan was to travel from Cardiff to London and fly from there to Zurich. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here But easyJet slid into my DMs last night with the dreaded cancellation message (through no fault of their own) and after a good few hours spent playing the game of 'how many tabs can one person have open?' it became obvious that the trip was going to be a no-go. By midnight, I think anyone who was able to had already re-routed themselves to any airport in Switzerland that wasn't completely swamped. I even looked at nearby cities like Strasbourg to see if I could cobble together a train route into Lucerne, where Wales are playing. But pretty much everything was booked solid, probably by other fans with the same idea, or other travellers trying to flee the crowded scenes. There were also many journeys which were estimated to last over 18 hours which didn't look work-able so it quickly became apparent that it was looking like it would become a bit of a mare. Getting there from Cardiff amid the travel chaos to arrive in time was just not going to happen, so I made peace with the idea (after several hours of searching for alternative options) that it wasn't meant to be. However, I did learn a few things while researching different routes and while it wasn't practical for me to get myself over from Cardiff, I've put together a few tips and tricks for you if you are trying to re-route your journey today or need to re-assess your plans for something like this in the future: Look beyond your original destination Zurich will probably be the most popular airport in Switzerland this weekend because of its proximity to Lucerne. But I found that checking flights to nearby cities like Basel, Strasbourg, or even Milan gave a few more options even if it meant a longer train or bus journey at the other end. Trains are your friend (if you're quick) European train routes can often fill up just as fast as planes during disruption but if you act quickly you might snag a seat and I think it's easy to forget how quick and easy the Eurostar can be from the UK if you get your timings right. Keep an eye on routes from France, Germany, or northern Italy into Switzerland and try searching through both national and cross-border operators like SNCF, Deutsche Bahn, and SBB. Consider flying from less obvious airports While major UK airports like London Gatwick and Heathrow were packed or cancelled, regional airports like Birmingham or even Bristol occasionally had routes with availability. It's worth expanding your search radius if you're still determined to make it. Split the journey Instead of trying to book one direct trip, break the journey down into segments. For example, a coach to London, a flight to a city on the edge of the strike zone, and then a train or another plane into Switzerland from a different place. It can be chaotic, but you might piece together a viable route. Check airlines' disruption policies Some offer various types of support. If your flight is cancelled, jump on the app or website ASAP to see if they're giving free transfers to other services.
