Stranded in the Solomon Islands, domestic flights cancelled

[Tiki]

We have been on a birding trip in the Solomon Islands covering hotspots such as Kolombangara, Rennell and Guadalcanal. These are all highly recommended by Solomon Tourism and favorite destinations for the big birding tour groups. Last Tuesday we arrived on Rennell very normally. Flight was maybe 15 minutes late, no biggie. We spent 2 days in a guesthouse and walked around the usual places where birds are seen.

On Thursday we showed up at the airport for the regular scheduled flight on Solomon Airlines back to Honiara where we planned to get a taxi to Parangiju Mountain Lodge (booked via WhatsApp cash on arrival), then 2 nights in Honiara at Kitano Mendara (prepaid on Agoda).

This is when the trouble started. The flight we were booked on was cancelled due to weather. They rebooked us for Saturday (yesterday) on a special recovery flight. In the meantime we stayed at a guesthouse just opposite the airstrip for access to the tiny shops and walkable to the airport. The flight yesterday was also cancelled due to mechanical problems. As of now there is no scheduled recovery flight for the 15 people who were supposed to travel Thursday. We are the only tourists on the island although a birding group was supposed to arrive Thursday from Honiara as we would be returning on that plane.

There is a regular flight supposed to operate today and the local in charge of Rennell airport had prioritized us on this flight……. If it arrives. I was also hoping the birding group would be putting pressure on the airline to fly to Rennell as they would be wanting to see the local endemics and birders are very determined people.!

We already missed the 2 nights at Parangiju and one night at Kitano Mendara. Now what is really worrying me is the flight to Brisbane on Monday. It’s a classic award flight and if we can’t make it, the next award seats are Sunday, week. I know there is 5000 points change fee but we don’t know how long we will be trapped on this island. There are no ferries and cargo ships maybe once every month or 2. Apparently Solomon Airlines has had trouble with their domestic flights. A Dash8 is out of service and only 2 Twin Otters are doing domestic flights. Both planes were mechanical yesterday. This has been covered in local news and the local people are making informed decisions about visiting Rennell knowing that they could be stranded here. Foreign tourists would not have known about this and no one warned us when we checked in at Honiara. I would have cancelled Rennell rather than take the risk.

We have Tick Travel Insurance standard cover with an extra cover for natural disasters. I’m having trouble calling the number from here even with Vodafone roaming active. I also have. Our Telekom SIM card with heaps of data but no local phone calls.

I would appreciate any advice especially from people who know the Solomon Islands. Since I don’t know how long we will be stranded I don’t know when to try to change the QF flight. There are cash flights on Wednesday, also Solomon Airlines has cash flights but you can imagine my trust level in them! Will travel insurance reimburse if we cancel the award tickets and buy cash tickets on the next flight possible when we get to Honiara? Or do we have to take the next available award flight even though it would require more hotel nights?

 

[luxury-lizard]

I can't help much on the Solomon Islands and their airline but I would call your travel insurer ASAP - if you don't have regular phone service (via Vodaphone) - use one of the many WiFi calling apps. They can advise on what will be covered (e.g. buying a new cash flight which I would assume would be covered) and maybe they can assist in other ways (charter flight or helicopter??)

 

[Tiki]

I have 3G, that’s the best connection on this island. The airline doesn’t have WhatsApp or other wifi communication service I can find. The guesthouse has spotty solar powered wifi.

 

[Flyfrequently]

I have 3G, that’s the best connection on this island. The airline doesn’t have WhatsApp or other wifi communication service I can find. The guesthouse has spotty solar powered wifi.

Such a worrying and frustrating time @Tiki
With limited communication, can you email a family member/friend with your questions and get them to call Tick 24/7 number on your behalf?

 

[Tiki]

We don’t have any family or close friends to ask favour from. I sent an email to the high commission in Honiara but today is Sunday. I also emailed Tick but just told to file a claim within 30 days.

 

[Quickstatus]

@Tiki
Maybe get a private air charter if today's flight back to Honiara does not eventuate.

Email this mob:
[email protected]

Services — Air Taxi Solomons

www.airtaxisolomons.com

Alternatively if you have voice phone:
(+677) 77 22717

Between the regular flight and the charter, hopefully you can get to HIR for the return flights

QF 358 departs at 1645hrs Monday
IE700 (Solomon Airlines0 departs at 1520hrs Monday
.......

 

[offshore171]

the big birding tour groups.

Pardon my ignorance - big birding = birdwatching?

 

[kpc]

We don’t have any family or close friends to ask favour from. I sent an email to the high commission in Honiara but today is Sunday. I also emailed Tick but just told to file a claim within 30 days.

Your travel insurance should cover your extra expenses and flights. Just get written confirmation of flight cancellations or screenshots of website showing cancellations. Keep all hotel and restaurant receipts, and pay by card if possible, although this may not be always possible.

If you know you are going to miss your flight back to Australia I would cancel it. Hopefully in Honiara you can ring your insurance company prior to purchasing cash tickets in the same cabin as you were originally booked.

Read the Ts and Cs of your insurance...you might be able to buy and claim essential toiletries and clothes.

I know it is stressful but when this has happened to me in the past, it has all worked out in the end and Im minimally out of pocket, sometimes ahead.

Just accept there is nothing you can do but wait for the replacement flight.

I doubt your insurance company will reimburse you for a private charter flight!

 

[Tiki]

Pardon my ignorance - big birding = birdwatching?

That means the expensive birding tour groups that people pay $1000’s and essentially are in the same planes and guesthouses. Up to 7-8 people. Example Birdquest, Ornis, Rockiumper

 

[Tiki]

Your travel insurance should cover your extra expenses and flights. Just get written confirmation of flight cancellations or screenshots of website showing cancellations. Keep all hotel and restaurant receipts, and pay by card if possible, although this may not be always possible.

If you know you are going to miss your flight back to Australia I would cancel it. Hopefully in Honiara you can ring your insurance company prior to purchasing cash tickets in the same cabin as you were originally booked.

Read the Ts and Cs of your insurance...you might be able to buy and claim essential toletries and clothes.

I know it is stressful but when this has happened to me in the past, it has all worked out in the end and Im minimally out of pocket, sometimes ahead.

Just accept hjere is nothing you can do but wait for the replacement flight.

I doubt your insurance company will reimburse you for a private charter flight!

After waiting at the airstrip with about 20 locals the plane left Honiara en route to Rennell. Then half an hour later we were informed the plane turned around back to Honiara. At this point it’s like torture. If there was a ferry or cargo ship we’d take it. Air taxi is way out of our league, we are just pensioners. The most infuriating thing is that they successfully completed a round trip to Gizo before planning to come here. If they came here first we would have been home. Unless they send a rescue plane early in the morning, we won’t make our Qantas flight. Actually THEY should use the air taxi to rescue the passengers they left stranded on a tiny island with no infrastructure. People stranded on Gizo have options- ferries, nice hotels, restaurants.

It was economy award tickets 20,700 points plus tax around $100. What is the latest I can cancel and get my points back?

 

[kpc]

It was economy award tickets 20,700 points plus tax around $100. What is the latest I can cancel and get my points back?

I think you can cancel online prior to 24 hours ....inside that time you have to call Qf. Others can confirm.

 

[Seat0B]

wifi communication

I think @luxury-lizard is talking about an old fashioned VOIP service rather than an app like what’s app etc.

For example we use CrazyTel for situations just like this, you need Internet, but using the CrazyTel service, you call a standard phone number anywhere in the world. It was a lifesaver for us when Covid hit whilst we were in Japan and needed to call Qantas to reroute our flights which were via Shanghai. And we have used it all over the world to call banks, insurance companies and even just for plain old work when there was no What’s app.

There are other companies that offer this, I just know of CrazyTel because that’s what we use.

I hope things settle down quickly for you as I’m sure this is very stressful.

 

[kpc]

I think @luxury-lizard is talking about an old fashioned VOIP service rather than an app like what’s app etc.

For example we use CrazyTel for situations just like this, you need Internet, but using the CrazyTel service, you call a standard phone number anywhere in the world. It was a lifesaver for us when Covid hit whilst we were in Japan and needed to call Qantas to reroute our flights which were via Shanghai. And we have used it all over the world to call banks, insurance companies and even just for plain old work when there was no What’s app.

There are other companies that offer this, I just know of CrazyTel because that’s what we use.

I hope things settle down quickly for you as I’m sure this is very stressful.

I use https://www.yadaphone.com/en-AU

 

[Tiki]

Flight is 26 hours away, should I cancel now?

 

[kpc]

Flight is 26 hours away, should I cancel now?

Do you think there is any chance you can get to Honiara in the next 26 hours to catch this flight? If the answer is 100% NO, then I would cancel. If there is even a small chance, I would hold off cancelling.

 

[Seat0B]

Flight is 26 hours away, should I cancel now?

If you are certain that you will not make it, then yes I would cancel. That way you can do it on line. I would also email your insurer now and provide them a timeline of events and tell them you need to cancel the return to Aus flights now to minimise losses and what do they advise you to do about re-booking. Add you questions about what they will do to help you leave Rennell.

 

[Tiki]

My out of pocket losses would be 12,000 QF points plus the cost of new tickets. Not sure how they treat the value of points. Solomon Islands are somehow blocking use of Vodafone roaming. I used Tello to call QF USA on hold now. Plus hotel nights. The guesthouse here is 400 SBD a night about $80. Hotels in Honiara $150 a night if I get a good deal on Agoda. Wednesday Fiji has flights via NAN around $370. Thursday, Friday, Saturday nothing cheap. Sunday has points bookings. I just don’t know how long we will be trapped here.

 

[Denali]

Hubby was once stranded in the Solomons because the plane was commandeered by politicians wives to go shopping - gotta love corruption

Sorry this is happening to you and dont go cheap on safety when booking your hotels. I hope youre home soon

 

[serfty]

My out of pocket losses would be 12,000 QF points plus the cost of new tickets

Are these one way Qantas awards?

If so you can cancel up until the scheduled departure time of the first flight in the intinerary.

If you cannot do it online you will need to call.

See 14.6.2 of the current QFF terms and conditions.

 

[Tiki]

Ok just got off the phone with QF USA and they kindly agreed to cancel with full refund due to being stranded by Solomon Airlines. He said points should post quickly, is that right? If by some miracle we get back tomorrow I can repurchase the points seats. Otherwise it will be first reasonable cheap cash fare. I really want to just get home. Holiday spirit completely ruined.