Hi , firstly we are a family of 5 myself ( sean) my partner Faye and 3 young girls , Scarlett aged 9 , Harper aged 5 and Luna aged 3 . We was a week into our dream holiday in Cape Town South Africa when disaster struck and the country was added to the red list . The holiday was many years in planning and included a family wedding and visiting family members that live there . We arrived in Cape Town on Saturday 20/11/2021 .
On 26/11/2021 out of nowhere and with no warning South Africa was added to the red list . A place our government said was safe to go too on holiday . Flights were suspended and the challenge of getting home began . This obviously put a massive downer on our holiday .
We was now faced with compulsory hotel quarantine and had to book this or we wasn’t allowed back into our own country . The bill was £4,365 . We don’t have the money and had used all our savings on our holiday . We applied for the hardship arrangements and was sent a email saying we was booked into Gatwick holiday inn . There was no other information apart from at the bottom saying payment is due as per your contractual agreement . There was none , we didn’t agree to pay anything . We tried to contact ctm by phone and numerous emails but was ignored . We had urgent questions that needed answering . We live in derby , our car is parked at Birmingham airport . We need warm clothes , coats and things for the girls and putting us in quarantine over 3 hours away makes it impossible to get urgent things dropped off . Ctm continued to ignore us so I contacted my local Mp Amanda solloway for help .
Nobody got back to us and it was time to travel back home to England . Our flight was from Cape Town to Munich , then straight onto Birmingham airport . We set off for Cape Town airport at 03.30am gmt . The long journey home began and we arrived at Munich at 20.45 we was escorted off our plane before everybody else and greeted by a number of armed German police officers . These checked all our forms , passports , pcr test certificates and passenger locator forms and we was on our way to our next flight .
22.40 we arrive at Birmingham airport and our nightmare with ctm begins . We walk through passport control and tell them we have been to South Africa . A call is made and two men turn up and escort us to a empty room . They take our reference number for ctm and can’t understand why we are being made to travel to Gatwick so ring ctm to get us moved to Birmingham they decline . Clearly not expecting us they are both in a panic ringing various companies trying to sort our transport to Gatwick . Meanwhile my children have been awake over 20 hours . We have a few dirty chairs for them to sit and lie on but no access to food or water . 01.25am our transport finally arrives we are escorted to our taxi my family shattered and needing a bed . We get to the taxi and there are no child safety seats . I speak to George ( the man in charge of red list arrivals at Birmingham) he explains he told them when making the booking and there was now nothing they can do as we are now under government restrictions. We have no option but to get in the taxi and put my children’s life’s at risk . It was raining and we had a very long journey ahead . Ctm at this point have full control of our actions they have a duty of care to my family which they have broken . We are joined in the taxi by a guard and head on our long journey south to Gatwick .
04.10am We arrive at Gatwick holiday inn we are all shattered my kids crying as they are exhausted . Our guard takes our passports in but then comes straight back out and says it’s the wrong hotel . We set off again and get to our destination another holiday inn ( worth ) as pulling up to reception a group of men in hi viz vests approach our vehicle . Our guard explains the situation then a manger comes out to our vehicle and becomes aggressive with our guard and driver . It’s apparent we are at the wrong hotel again . My kids frightened in the back with a group of men surrounding our taxi . Another manager comes out the hotel and the situation calms down . He explains ctm have made a big mistake and we are not booked into this hotel but he’s found out we are booked into Heathrow crowne plaza . He offers to make us a room there but it would only be 2 beds for the 5 off us . I decline his offer as inadequate and we agree to make our way to Heathrow airport crown plaza hotel . We set off at 05.20am now mentally and physically exhausted.
06.30am we arrive at the crown plaza Heathrow airport and finally we are at the correct hotel . We are sat down and given a form to fill in and told some information about our stay . We finally get into our room just before 07.00am . 27.5 hours travelling . Ctm putting my family through a totally unacceptable ordeal . Why was nobody expecting us when we landed at Birmingham when we sent them all our flight and arrival information? Why was we put in a hotel so far from our arrival airport ? Why was we put so far away from our home address ? Why was there no car seats for my children in the taxi ? Why did we have to wait so long in the airport ? Why did they take us too the wrong hotels twice ?
Timeline : 22.40pm (Saturday 4/12/2021) arrive in the uk at Birmingham airport 01.30am (Sunday) leave Birmingham in a quarantine taxi with a guard 04.10 arrive at wrong hotel in Gatwick 04.30am arrive at second hotel in Gatwick once again the wrong one 06.30am finally arrive at the correct hotel ctm putting us through a totally unacceptable ordeal
We are currently on day 3 in our quarantine hotel . This is obviously tough going on the kids . We are too far away to get the coats and warm clothes delivered by family . Ctm still ignoring all correspondence with me . We went out for exercise and a guard/worker said there’s 9 people who have tested positive on our floor . we could only stay out in the car park a few minutes as the kids have no coats and the weather is very cold and windy .
We are now on day 8 it has been a total nightmare we are all struggling . We are in solitary confinement it is no good for anybody’s mental health especially 3 young children . We are trying to get out for a walk once a day but the whole procedure is exhausting itself . It involves numerous phone calls and waiting at least 60/90 minutes . You ring security direct and can’t get through as it’s constantly engaged or offline . You then ring reception and they put you through to security , you ask to go for a walk and tell them your room number . They say they will send someone . After half an hour nobody shows up so you call again and go through the same procedure and explain you have been waiting 30 minutes already , this happens 2 or 3 times before anyone actually shows up . All they say is they are really busy but when we do get out there’s guards just sat about playing on there phones or sat talking to each other .
The food supplied is absolutely disgusting and most the time inedible . Meals are turning up under cooked , cold and some meals you wouldn’t even feed your dog . Puddings are turning up frozen , vegetables turning up under cooked so your unable to even cut it let alone eat it . They are obviously sourcing the cheapest lowest grade food they can find . We have had to get loaves of bread and ham in from asda and are basically living off ham sandwiches as most meals are inedible.
There are no windows that open in our rooms as government guidelines say to keep windows open to allow fresh air in . I’ve found a report regarding the ventilation systems used and this says that the systems used at Heathrow airport hotels ( where we are ) risk causing localised outbreaks as they provide inadequate airflow or could even spread the virus . With being informed 9 people on our floor have the virus this has also caused us lots of stress not knowing if we are getting infected air pumped into our room .
We are now on our last day the whole ordeal has been a nightmare . Ctm still ignoring all my emails and my complaint . What kind of company are they , Not even a phone call or email to apologise for what they have put my family through . Another stressful ordeal today when ringing reception to organise our lift back to Birmingham Airport. She said , no we can’t take you to Birmingham you will have to get the train . I explain to her i have the managed quarantine service welcome pack in front of me and it clearly says “ your quarantine package includes a transfer back to the airport “ she still declines and I explain ctm must get us back . I’m transferred to a ctm call centre this is the first time I’ve spoken to anybody from company . The lady from ctm says we need to get a private taxi and pay for it ourselves ? I then call the hotel security and explain the situation the man says we can be taken to terminal 4 or terminal 5 at Heathrow only and anywhere else we need to sort ourselves. I tell him to send the security manager to my room immediately . 20 minutes later I have a call back and they say we will be taken back to Birmingham as part of the quarantine package . Why have 3 separate individuals all got it wrong ? If they don’t know or understand there own procedures should they be answering phone calls and giving false and misleading information to people . .
Quarantine nightmare 