2023-08-23 17:34:23
Patricia and Sylvain had had a rather quiet day this Thursday, August 17. The couple, soon to be retired, had granted themselves a day of rest under the Barcelona sun. To get there from Perpignan, they opted for Flixbus, this inexpensive coach service, to travel the 200 kilometers between France and Spain. These regulars of day trips only take with them two bags with, inside, their identity papers, their bank cards or the keys to their home.
If on the way there is no problem, the return was only a succession of adventures. After having missed their bus in Barcelona for the first time, the Catalan couple bought tickets for the next one. And it is at this moment that the story changes, regarding thirty kilometers from the border crossing to reach Perpignan.
The chauffeur, “who only speaks Spanish or Romanian”, according to Sylvain, indicates a fifteen-minute break on an area of the AP-7. The Catalan couple go downstairs to stretch their legs, take a detour through the toilets, then head to the shop.
Shortened break
Before buying snacks, Sylvain returns to the bus, where he left his bank card. He glances around the parking lot, but he doesn’t see any Flixbuses on the horizon. He immediately understands the situation and alerts his companion. The bus left without them, before the indicated time. “She was distraught, she didn’t believe it, she shouted ‘how do you?’, I told her to calm down, that we were going to find a solution”, he recalls. It’s nearly 9 p.m., night has fallen on the rest area. The couple only have a cell phone with them. No money, no papers.
Most cars stop in a hurry, put on some gas and drive off once more. Few are interested in the makeshift sign made by Sylvain: “I found a box of pizza in a trash can, I wrote on it that Flixbus had abandoned us and that we were just trying to return to Perpignan”. But the technique does not work. “People were scared, it’s a backpacker technique that worked better in the 1980s”he regrets.
So the couple changes tactics. He publishes a post on Facebook, asking their friends if someone can pick them up, although the motorway service area is difficult to access from France. It is even complicated to know precisely where they are. “The agents at the motorway station didn’t help us at all, they repeated ‘no comprehension’ to us and ended up getting annoyed”says Patricia, still in shock.
Yet, the situation is urgent. The couple left their three dogs alone for the day. Sylvain must also take medication at fixed times. But all their stuff is on the bus. The couple then manages to reach the Flixbus assistance service by telephone. In English, Sylvain details their misadventure. “I was told that nothing was planned for these exceptional situations and that we had to manage”sighs Sylvain.
No obligation to recount passengers
At the end of the line, the person from the bus company nevertheless told him that the driver had been alerted to the incident and that a member of their family might go to Perpignan to collect their luggage. “Otherwise it may take up to forty days to be reshipped”we explain to him.
Patricia’s brother-in-law therefore immediately went to Perpignan station, where the bus was to stop at around 10 p.m. On site, despite the language barrier, he manages to get on the bus, collect Patricia and Sylvain’s bags. “At the time, it suited us well, so we’re not going to say anything, but in terms of safety, it shows that anyone can get in, grab a piece of luggage and leave as if nothing had happened”, note Sylvain.
The couple will eventually return around 2am. “We had to pay someone to repatriate us.” The return will therefore have been much more expensive than expected for these Catalans who still don’t understand how this might have happened. “We don’t know if the driver counted the passengers before leaving, but in any case we weren’t in it. So if he counted and didn’t notice that two were missing, It’s still a problem.” laughs yellow this inhabitant of the Soler.
Contacted, Flixbus deplores this situation. Charles Billiard, spokesperson for Flixbus: “According to our Spanish driver, it was a technical stop to clean the toilets and not a break for the passengers. They were not supposed to go for a walk towards the station, but to stay inside or around the bus.” In this precise case, no compensation might therefore be considered, according to the company which ensures that the responsibility of the driver cannot be questioned. He had not no obligation to recount the number of passengers on the bus before leaving.
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