MikeyZBT

What if Alitalia goes under/stops operating before June 2009?

We are booked on the LAX-FCO non-stop. What are the obligations that DL or AZ has this scenario?

jjglaze77

In my experience, Delta will rebook you on their metal without regard to availability or will rebook you on other Skyteam partners based on availability. Your choice. Enjoy the trip!

AndyTLe

Since being founded in 1946, AZ has had ONE year of profitability. Alitatlia is never going to die. It is a national pride thing, the government keeps bailing the airline out. It'd be a good business school case study.

MikeyZBT

So, you have had a ticket on a flight where the operating airline went out of business and Delta booked you on another flight?

Since Delta doesn't offer LAX-FCO, I wonder if I'd have to settle for LAX-ATL-FCO or something like that. I just really hope it's a simple process and they also maintain us being in business class like we are now.

MikeyZBT

I agree with you there, but "just in case", I ask the question.

jjglaze77

I have never had an airline go out of business, but I have been on flights operated by partners that have been cancelled. As has been reported widely on FT, if Delta serves the destination, they will book you on their metal no questions asked. As AZ is the only carrier operating LAX-FCO, you would have to settle for LAX-ATL/JFK/CVG/DTW-FCO, but what else are they supposed to do? Actually, since you are from SAN, I'd imagine that they would happily book you SAN-ATL/JFK/CVG/DTW-FCO regarless of availability. As long as DL serves the destination, I've always been given wide scope in the event of a schedule change / flight cancellation / etc. Is there a reason you are thinking this would be treated any differently than any other normal schedule change / cancellation / etc?

Air Brian

Delta will rebook you, but Berlusconi will never let Alitalia go under...The bloated union payroll will prevail and the Italian tax payer will continue to suffer...

3Cforme

One could start a 'what if?' thread for travel nine months away for any U.S. airline save Southwest.

g50

I don't think Delta pays Alitalia for the miles until you fly. Now if Delta folded I wounder if Alitalia would honor the ticket. It's not going to happen.

yngdiego

I actually did NOT book LAX-FCO non-stop for June 2009 because the airline seemed so iffy and I couldn't get an award ticket SAN-LAX. I didn't want to chance it that my whole trip would be canceled. I was flexible and changed my trip a bit, and finalized the changes tonight, yet again. Thank goodness for PM benefits!

AndyTLe

So what was your final itin?

usavvy2

Wasn't it just a couple days ago you were worried about getting non-stop tix? [jk]

Reading your question, I reminsced as I was in a similar situation in September 2004. I booked 2 biz class tix from FCO-JFK on Alitalia (inbound was DL JFK-LGW then a cruise ending @ FCO) using DL FF points and there were rumors that Alitalia was going "belly up" a few days before I was to fly Alitalia. I searched for internet cafes along the cruise route to find the latest status of Alitalia on a daily basis. Nothing happened but it was a bit stressful thinking that I might have to scramble for alternate arrangements from FCO home!

Since 2004, I've seen news of Alitalia being in "shaky" straits on and off again and with each news release, I feel more confident that it's an annual tradition almost!

Good luck.

yngdiego

Check the award tickets thread, as I updated my latest routing.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...483860&page=56

#829

MikeyZBT

Just curious because it would be a flight on a partner being changed/cancelled as opposed to a Delta flight.

I also think that DL would let me get SAN-ATL/JFK-FCO as well.

Hopefully, it doesn't happen, but just wanted to prepared.

MikeyZBT

I didn't really care about the award ticket from SAN-LAX, just a little drive for a non-stop flight all the way to my destination is TOTALLY worth it in my book.

Probably, I'll just get a car service for the SAN-LAX and LAX-SAN drives anyway.