Moderator: Cathay Pacific Asia Miles and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Travelling Mystic - YVR & HAM. Today @ MEL
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Posts: 14,149
Quote:
Originally Posted by PUCCI GALORE
Crystal ball at the ready - frankly your guess - for that is what it is - is as good as anyones.
In a country which is unable to sort out the rubbish collection in Naples what hope is there for Alitalia? ....
And to think that British Airways sent all its lost unclaimed luggage by lorry (during the T5 fiasco) to a facility in Milan to get sorted instead of it being done in England might give some hope to the Italians that they might be doing something right.
And to think that British Airways sent all its lost unclaimed luggage by lorry (during the T5 fiasco) to a facility in Milan to get sorted instead of it being done in England might give some hope to the Italians that they might be doing something right.
They are definitely amongst the world's leading specialists when it comes to lost luggage - and this was recognised by BA!
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Read an article in a Dutch newspaper that Dutch travel agents are advising not to book Alitalia, especially not long in adavance, because eventual bankrupcy will make you loose your money. The article also claims that some airports are about to demand fuel payments in cash...
Talking about a downward spiral....I think they are not going to survive the summer.
Well I am just off the phone to them asking for my E-Tickets for our August travel as I hadn't received them since they amended the routing a few days ago.
The agent said no tickets were being sent out for August travel till the end of next month so it looks like they are playing it by ear, week by week. Things aren't looking good and must be having a severe impact on bookings,what a carry on.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zembla
Read an article in a Dutch newspaper that Dutch travel agents are advising not to book Alitalia, especially not long in adavance, because eventual bankrupcy will make you loose your money. The article also claims that some airports are about to demand fuel payments in cash...
Talking about a downward spiral....I think they are not going to survive the summer.
I think they don't have any future.
I mean, the Government is creating a set of rules to legally protect AZ from bankruptcy, hence technically speaking they can survive on the short term.
But what can they do on the "long term", which for AZ is 2-4 months?
They have a very old fleet for domestic and european routes where they facde a firce competition, about only 25 old planes for the profitable long-haul flights, the crude price is going through the roof. On some profitable routes here in Italy like FCO-LIN they're going to cop with the competition of TAV, the high-speed trains.
Furthermore, no foreign partners like AF available anymore, no big players here in Italy for a merge, no Boeing or Airbus planes ready for delivery over the next years (I dreamed of a 787 with a green/white/red flag ).
Ok, let's stop the list now!!
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The smart travellers will stay far far away from AZ now as the end does indeed appear to be near. But the less-informed travellers may yet be brought in. The AZ marketing machine just sent me an email on May 27 that proudly announces "Unbelievably Low Summer Fares". All the fares are from US departures (AZ seems to think Canadian travellers are the same as American ones. )
Interestingly, the fares really do seem to be available. While not necessarily plentiful, the low fares can be had with just a little bit of flexibility. I also see that effective June 1, AZ will start LAX - FCO nonstop service.
So I think a fair number of (not very well informed) American travellers could yet be convinced to fork over hard $$$ to AZ. It won't be enough to keep the ship afloat, but it may be enough to extend the agony just a little bit longer.
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Enjoy your summer vacation exploring the splendid cities of Northern Italy with Alitalia's sale fares starting as low $988 roundtrip. Book your tickets by June 11, 2008 and travel between June 25 and September 9, 2008.
i am taking it a week at a time with AZ, they are the best prices for my travels up and down the Med region, but I am prepared that one day they'll not be there, so i'll say Aug 30th 2008 as the last day ?
Read an article in a Dutch newspaper that Dutch travel agents are advising not to book Alitalia, especially not long in adavance, because eventual bankrupcy will make you loose your money. The article also claims that some airports are about to demand fuel payments in cash...
Talking about a downward spiral....I think they are not going to survive the summer.
You won't lose your money if you use a charge card.
Read an article in a Dutch newspaper that Dutch travel agents are advising not to book Alitalia, especially not long in adavance, because eventual bankrupcy will make you loose your money. The article also claims that some airports are about to demand fuel payments in cash...
Talking about a downward spiral....I think they are not going to survive the summer.
I tried to book a flight on American Airlines to Rome, connecting on to Catania on Alitalia, and AA's agent told me that the Alitalia flights no longer come up in their computer. She said that it was because AA is trying to protect itself from the upcoming bankruptcy. This is another example of potential customers being sent to someone else, in this case, Air One.
I have a flight onAZ on July 10th...just recieved and email tha the fare may not go through and be confirmed, i.e.; i have no seat even though i paid and have a paper ticket...anyone know that stroy..and possible outcomes, i.e. refund or rebookings on other ariline that may come of this...thanks
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I have two sectors on AZ in August- SVO-FCO & FCO-BCN....both are Qantas issued redemption tickets..QF have informed me if AZ was to go down making my flights redundant it would be their responsibility to get me to both FCO and BCN in same class best way possible
Thank God my AZ tix are booked thru QF.
I really think everyone with AZ tix need to be working out what they will do just in case.
CJ
__________________ Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof
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