you're on holidays and your airline goes belly up, leaving you fucked... (1 Viewer)

[plug]

just posted this in the worst/best airlines thread...

so, basically, I had a return flight in february from mexico city to madrid with air madrid. I had been in communication with them over the last week and a half because I needed to change my flight to january. no problem... but when I called back to make the change after sorting out my itinerary etc. I was told that their system was broken, and to call back tomorrow. ok. called back a few times, with no success. then on friday the phone line went dead...

the reason: the company, in the face of some dispute or other, has decided without warning to SUSPEND all operations, leaving over 100,000 people stranded, according to news sources. not good! furthermore, the spanish aviation authorities have cancelled their license as part of the ongoing dispute.

the airline are uncontactable; and it seems they have no plans for their thousands of affected customers. from my point of view, it creates a difficult situation. I have to get home... presumably this entails finding a new flight, with a different airline. not a pleasant option. there are numerous take off locations to choose from, numerous possible connections and of course a choice of desinations in europe.. london, madrid etc. etc. it's quite literally a logistical nightmare. and flying via the US, or even stopping there for a bit... I assume it's not as simple as booking a flight and heading off. I could try to go via new york, visit my cousin, and grab an aer lingus flight maybe.. but US customs. would I need a visa or wha? is it a headache best avoided. haven' been in the US in 14 years.

christ...

I'm wondering about a few things. I'm wondering if it would be possible to recoup the cost of a potentially astronomic airline ticket... I'm wondering if there is anyone that I can call. is there somekind of airline insurace system that I can fall back on... I'm a bit uninformed about all this! guess I should also look at my travel insurance and see if there is anything there.

in short, if anyone has any advice or any suggestions on what might be a good course of action, or any good budget flight sights, or anything for that matter... I'd really appreciate it!!! thx. d

 

[hanley]

fuckin.dose

if i heard of anything thatd help ill let ya know

 

[RSJ]

i don't know if it helps, but here's a list of airlines out of cancun airport. Probably not comprehensive, but it's a start.

 

[clive]

probably shouldnt have booked to go to mexico. IMHO.

 

[sexypornolady]

Again with the insensitivity Clive.

 

[plug]

thanks rsj. that might be useful.

 

[flashback]

Plug, how did you pay for the ticket?

Did you buy it with a Master card or something? Because, if you did you should contact the credit card people stat, and tell them what the deal is, and they can probably get cash back to you.
My old man just bought a couch and chairs of this Danish company that went bye bye, locked the doors, told everyone to fuck off. But, since he bought it on the master card, he contacted them, and they were able to just get money out of them somehow and return it to the old man the next day.

Just a thought.

 

[plug]

yes, I did buy it over the internet with a credit card... hmm... thanks. I wonder does it matter that I have paid for it already, or the fact that it's the return of the flight?

thanks.

got the web address of the irish aviaton regulator so hopefully they can help me out in some way. fingers crossed!

 

[flashback]

yes, I did buy it over the internet with a credit card... hmm... thanks. I wonder does it matter that I have paid for it already, or the fact that it's the return of the flight?

thanks.

got the web address of the irish aviaton regulator so hopefully they can help me out in some way. fingers crossed!

Well, in my old man's case, the money had gone, it had been paid for, and because it was all on the credit card there is some protection or something, and he got all of it back.
WRT you getting like, half of what you paid for, I dunno. Let them deal with that problem. Those big credit card companies go in with the steal toed boots when companies go bust, and take first pickings.

 

[RSJ]

Yup, credit card payments are protected so if you get ripped off, there's some form of insurance, especially with flights.

 

[hugh]

I would think your travel insurance should cover something like this as well.

 

[plug]

apparently not according to the travel insurance cunts. although the guy replying used funny language... "rearranging your flight does not blah blah." I don't have a flight, so there's really nothing to rearrange... I need a new flight. dunno. I have to read the policy wording myself. don't trust 'em, and probably rightfully so!

got the number for the irish embassy in madrid. gonna bell 'em.

if none of this works, I'm off to join the sandanistas! viva sandino etc.

 

[plug]

this is looking increasingly bad....

anyone got a loan a teleporter?

 

[flashback]

this is looking increasingly bad....

anyone got a loan a teleporter?

have you been in contact with the credit card company?

 

[ratmonkey]

You still stuck there? Que cabron, eres chingado para el gato del diablo!

 

[plug]

bought some new flights... weren't too bad. only problem is it's with air europa who only fly out of cancún. which is several countries away from nicaragua. but fuckit.

will sort out trying to get money back after I get home.

in an amazing place at the moment so I'm over the rage and gnashing of teeth etc. it's an island called isla de ometepe; it's made out of TWO volcanoes coming out of lago nicaragua. climbed one volcano today; it was pretty fucking big. and dangerous. in fucking BITS now.

¡buenas kevin! ¿cómo estás cabrón? mucho tiempo. ¿que pasa con las hijos de putas en cork? espero que estés bien hombre. hmm... creo que voy a borracharme ahorita. nice wan.

ph yeah, también gracias a todos por la información. rsj, hugh, flashback etc. ¡feliz navidad, y que se vaya bien a ustedes! arriba etc.

 

[flashback]

De nada.
Buena Suerta y Alegria amigo.

 

[RSJ]

Nice one boss, at least you're not stuck there eh!

 

[plug]

yeah! could be worse than being stuck here. I miss my mommy though.