Our non-holiday in Tenerife

It is Monday morning after the Toussaint holidays. I should feel a slight fatigue after traveling, full of positive energy from new experiences, delicious Southern food and blissful sun. Except that I am not feeling any of those. Thank you Aviapartners strike, our planned trip to Tenerife never happened. Having packed for days, conducted several visits to various stores and attic to gather summer clothes in right sizes for all kids we arrive to the airport on time and end up spending the whole afternoon 5 h waiting news whether we could fly or not. At one point we are sent home (since we have four kids including a 6 month old baby) and are told we would be contacted in the following morning about the flight, which would likely leave from Charleroi airport. Our kids were really superstars. We took them for huge crepes and ice cream and headed home for an early sleep. By the next morning, we had received no communication from Tui our travel agency. My husband leaves immediately to the agency. He comes back with great news - we are booked for an afternoon flight from Charleroi! Hop, close the suitcases, prepare another set of sandwiches and we are on our way to the airport. Parking the car, taking the airport bus and we are in check-in desk on time. Only to learn thatthere is no flight from Charleroi going in the afternoon. We are speechless with my husband. Where is the hidden camera, this must be a joke! We have been lied now twice straight to the face. Hello humanity, how are we treating people? Fortunately we have our little angels attentive eyes looking up to us and we leave disappointed, but with elegance. On our way back home, I cheer up the tribu and start planning the week ahead, it will be the BEST holiday at home I promise (and it actually was). My husband leaves for grocery store and we unpack with the kids. In the evening we call the insurance company, the travel agency, the hotel, the car rental and try to understand if we will be re-imboursed, even partially. This seems unlikely, as “planned strike” is not force majeure (the information came the same morning!). We make a detailed plaint of our experience and close the case while still deeply puzzled at the events which life can throw so unexpectedly.