1/2 Busy times at the Prijsvrij Vakanties office (photo: Imke van de Laar).
The ongoing problems at Schiphol are causing great pressure at the Prijsvrij Vakanties travel agency. The head office in Den Bosch is being called flat by people who are worried about their vacation. Pricefree has even opened an office in America, so that e-mails can also be answered when it is night here. “We have our hands full with it”, says owner Marc van Deursen, who is concerned about the crowds during the summer holidays.
At the Prijsvrij Vakanties office in Den Bosch, all employees are busy calling on Friday. Many people come forward with questions about their booking. “If it drips at Schiphol, it will rain here,” explains Van Deursen. Customers who call sometimes have to wait up to an hour. “In the twelve years that we have been in existence, we have never experienced this.”
Most people want to know whether their flight from Schiphol will still take place. Or they want to know at the last minute whether they can still rebook their flight. “A lot of people also walk in with questions in our stores. The situation is becoming almost untenable.”
“As an organization, we were completely ready for the new season after corona.”
Van Deursen mainly mentions the acid for his customers. “They have been unable to travel for two years and think they have booked a nice holiday. But now they are faced with all that uncertainty and problems at Schiphol.”
Prijsvrij also imagined the summer holidays after corona differently. “As an organization, we were completely ready for the new season after corona. We have fully committed to this and made the organization bigger. But since Schiphol has been in trouble, we have also undergone a turnaround.”
The owner is therefore concerned about the large crowds to come. “We do see that consumers are looking for a solution themselves, for example by booking a flight from another airport. Eindhoven Airport is especially popular, just like the foreign airports. But the solution must mainly come from Schiphol.”
“A flight is not supposed to take off without you.”
Price-free tries to help customers as much as possible. “We have opened an office in America where a lot of administration can be done at night, such as rebooking flights and answering emails. Then we have more space here in Den Bosch to speak to people by phone and deal with urgent matters. have to be creative and see how we can solve this.”
What should you do if you have booked a flight that flies from Schiphol in the near future? “Be on time and above all be patient. A flight is not supposed to leave without you. If you take into account the waiting times that you can expect now, you can just enjoy your holiday.”
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