This story happened to me when I returned to Munich to close down my bank account and other loose ends.
I decided to fly with Ryanair to Salzburg as this was just as cheap and the flight times were easier. Also the airport is tiny and easy to negotiate etc.
The outward flight went well I arrived on time and was out in my hire care within 30 minutes which was great. I manage to take care of my business in Munich with ease and fit in some visits to old colleagues. The next day with my business complete I made my way back to Salzburg. All was going to plan, and why not, I had worked it all out and was anxious to be on my way back to Stansted and the welcoming arms that were waiting for me.
I got my ticket and checked my luggage in and went through to wait to board my plane. I even checked out the perfume 😉
Then I noticed a few agitated people and suddenly realised all was not well. The only drawback to the beautiful setting of Salzburg airport is that its between some beautiful mountains and so is prone to fog. This is exactly what had happened and our flight was cancelled.
So here I was having just given my hire car back at 8pm with no possibility of a return flight and not even sure if I would get a flight in the morning!.
So after the scrum to see who would be lucky I eventually got a ticket for the morning. I decided to wander outside to see where to stay. After all I had no cash left and would need to get some or at least a Hotel. As I was looking around I spotted 2 guys deep in conversation. As I walked up to them they spoke to me in English. After a short discussion it was plain that we could help each other. I knew Munich and the airport which helped them as they needed to be back in the UK the morning. It transpired that they were Dutch and worked for a distribution company.
We caught a Taxi to Salzburg train station where they bought me a ticket (17Euro) to Munich. We had no time to work out anything else as this was the last fast train and it was leaving in 5 minutes.
During the train journey I explained that I knew Munich well having lived there for 5 years and so I could helped ehm get to the Airport on time and also find a reasonable Hotel. Which is exactly what I did.
Arriving in Munich which I had only left a few hours before I took them to a Hotel we had used before. Showing my Siemens badge gained us all a nice discount which more than paid for my train fare. We then met in the bar where I drowned my sorrows for missing the warm welcome waiting for me at home.
The next morning having booked our Easyjet flights over the phone the previous evening on the train we all managed to catch the plane back to stansted where I eventually got the warmest of welcomes.
To me this was a strange event but interesting and rewarding to have met and been helped and been able to help to complete strangers.
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