TXL-AUH cancellations -re-protection guidelines for AB tickets

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Sep 5, 2017, 1:49 pm

#31

SK2751

Join Date: Jan 2012

Location: Koala Lemur

Programs: SK EBD LTG (*G)

Posts: 2,447

Quote:

Originally Posted by Concerto

As far as similar situations go, the Swissair bankruptcy in 2001 was very messy and left loads of people stranded. But I have the impression they got their act together very quickly indeed and everything went ok after a few days. I was in the middle of it and the credit card company immediately reimbursed all lost tickets. Even the mileage programme, which is low priority now, was saved and continued.

Indeed. I was an inexperienced flier back then. Had almost zero miles in Qualiflier, yet they had been elegantly transferred to miles-and-more. Their value was negligible, yet the folding into MM turned out to be effective in my case. My flying was intensifying over time, and I stuck to MM and *A for at least 10 years more, achieving some meager status. I believe we might be over estimating the population of FT as being representative. There are many customers that are simply loyal. And they would follow to the program that would take their miles. I don't know whether it paid off for MM overall, but it certainly did for my particular case.

Sep 7, 2017, 2:55 am

#32

Fyd

Join Date: Feb 2013

Location: SFO, MNL, SIN, HAM

Programs: UA GS, SQ PPS, IHG Plat Amb, Marriot Gold, Hilton Gold, Club Carlson Gold, Accor Plat

Posts: 488

Quote:

Originally Posted by oliver2002

AB is operating fairly normal, minus some contract lounge access and topbonus. They were losing 2 million € /day at the end, and no longer had a sustainable business case. By the end of the summer schedule they will cease to exist in their current form. I don't see any 'chaos'. Chaos would be if they had stopped flying and sent everyone home two weeks ago.

AZ is a interesting case study on how many times an airline can receive a restart. I doubt the new AZ that will emerge this year will survive for long and needs a restart again.

you don't see chaos? You think it's "normal" to rush the sale of a multi-billion dollar bussiness in two weeks? Already cancelling routes because a sale is assumed to be completed by the end of Oct? Can you point to any M&A of a $4B business done in 2 weeks?
The Alitalia sale is handled more professionally, with an open bidding process, time for interested parties to review financials, prepare bids, evaluate said bids, make a decision...
And AB isn't hemorrhaging anymore cash than Alitalia, they haven't even used the government loan yet... they are actually trying to save Alitalia, but regarding AB, the cards are stacked for LH and collateral damage is accepted in the process... it will be interesting to see which of the loosing bidders will sue, the loan sets some pretty tight standards for the bidding process, which will be difficult to meet in the scheduled time...