Alitalia Survival? What if it doesn´t?
May 5, 2004, 4:41 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Programs: LH Senator, Million Miler but now only Silver DL, No status AA
Posts: 134
Alitalia Survival? What if it doesn´t?
I have a ticket from GVA to GRU in 2 weeks on AZ. What happens if they stop flying? It´s a discount coach ticket.
I am SkyTeam Elite (Delta Platinum). Is there a chance that maybe Air France would honor the ticket? How would I go about securing a seat ASAP in the event that AZ dies? Do I call AZ, AF, DL or Expedia who sold me the ticket?
Any ideas on the best strategy would be appreciated!
I am SkyTeam Elite (Delta Platinum). Is there a chance that maybe Air France would honor the ticket? How would I go about securing a seat ASAP in the event that AZ dies? Do I call AZ, AF, DL or Expedia who sold me the ticket?
Any ideas on the best strategy would be appreciated!
May 5, 2004, 5:58 pm
#2
In Memoriam
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Switzerland/Atlanta,GA
Programs: Executive Club Gold/Frequence Plus Red
Posts: 1,756
Contact Expedia ASAP. Now. Don't loose any time and prepare yourself. Read attentively the purchase conditions and guarantees they offer. If you are not satisfied contact them ASAP and ask for an immediate answer on the questions you have, prior to the grounding, which might well happen soon.
If you can, ask for a change of carrier if at all possible. To go on the safe side, try to get a travel insurance, if in Switzerland, try Wincare. do all these things before it happens just to make sure. If the ticket is only valid on Alitalia, it might be that the alliance partners might not accept the ticket in case of grounding. Is your ticket issued GVA-FCO-GRU or otherwise?
If you can, ask for a change of carrier if at all possible. To go on the safe side, try to get a travel insurance, if in Switzerland, try Wincare. do all these things before it happens just to make sure. If the ticket is only valid on Alitalia, it might be that the alliance partners might not accept the ticket in case of grounding. Is your ticket issued GVA-FCO-GRU or otherwise?
May 6, 2004, 1:45 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Naples, Florida
Posts: 7,419
It wouldn't hard to follow magexpect's advice.
Yes, it doesn't look good with Alitalia, however, in many cases like this, other airlines honor the ticket.
And I have read, that Alitalia has cash until September.
Yes, it doesn't look good with Alitalia, however, in many cases like this, other airlines honor the ticket.
And I have read, that Alitalia has cash until September.
May 7, 2004, 3:54 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Programs: LH Senator, Million Miler but now only Silver DL, No status AA
Posts: 134
Feeling relieved!
Sounds like things will be OK at least till I get home from Brazil!
Sorry about the double posting....I had first put this on the "Other European Carriers" board, but then realised that that area was supposed to be about Frequent Flyer Programs only....since this wasn't really miles related, I then decided to post it here. It's a bit ironic that the post in the wrong area got a lot more responses than it did here!
Anyway thanks for everyone's responses and support. I did look into travel insurance from one place. www.travelguard.com Their financial default protection only applies if you buy the insurance within 15 days of purchasing the ticket and then the airline must survive for at least 14 days after the purchase of the insurance. I wouldn't have met either condition if Alitalia would have died this week. I guess this protects the insurance company from just this sort of last minute buying! I looked at the Wincare site, but when I told it I was from Switzerland, it switched to French, so I didn't get too far....I was also doing it from the slow computer in the AF lounge in Paris, so I ran out of patience.....I assume they and all insurance co's have similar wording to Travel Guard?
Sorry about the double posting....I had first put this on the "Other European Carriers" board, but then realised that that area was supposed to be about Frequent Flyer Programs only....since this wasn't really miles related, I then decided to post it here. It's a bit ironic that the post in the wrong area got a lot more responses than it did here!
Anyway thanks for everyone's responses and support. I did look into travel insurance from one place. www.travelguard.com Their financial default protection only applies if you buy the insurance within 15 days of purchasing the ticket and then the airline must survive for at least 14 days after the purchase of the insurance. I wouldn't have met either condition if Alitalia would have died this week. I guess this protects the insurance company from just this sort of last minute buying! I looked at the Wincare site, but when I told it I was from Switzerland, it switched to French, so I didn't get too far....I was also doing it from the slow computer in the AF lounge in Paris, so I ran out of patience.....I assume they and all insurance co's have similar wording to Travel Guard?
Last edited by BruiserB; May 7, 2004 at 3:56 am Reason: typo....oops!
May 7, 2004, 9:10 am
#6
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Naples, Florida
Posts: 7,419
It's getting better:
http://www.atwonline.com/
Alitalia unions avoid layoffs by accepting rescue plan
May 7, 2004, 3:38 pm
#7
In Memoriam
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Switzerland/Atlanta,GA
Programs: Executive Club Gold/Frequence Plus Red
Posts: 1,756
Originally Posted by BruiserB
I looked at the Wincare site, but when I told it I was from Switzerland, it switched to French, so I didn't get too far....I was also doing it from the slow computer in the AF lounge in Paris, so I ran out of patience.....I assume they and all insurance co's have similar wording to Travel Guard?
May 8, 2004, 12:01 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Programs: LH Senator, Million Miler but now only Silver DL, No status AA
Posts: 134
Originally Posted by magexpect
Not necessarily. I was stranded for two days when Swissair went and therefore got a contract with Wincare. They cover me on a yearly basis, also for additional hospital costs and repatriation if necessary. Their rates are quite good and the whole process is easy. But you should go to their offices. I thought you were in Lausanne. The company is Winterthur Insurance.
I did find them on the web, but I was in the AF lounge in Paris when I was looking and the internet terminal was excruciatingly slow! When I clicked the link for products in Switzerland, the site changed from English to French....I can usally muddle my way through, but combined with the slow internet connection and a departure for Geneva, I gave up. When I got home, I had a brochure for this Travel Guard place, so I checked their site and found the restrictions. I'll check WinCare again. Where would they have an office? Just any Winterthur office? Thanks for the advice....even though everything seems OK now with AZ, I really don't want anything to go wrong with this trip, so I would buy the insurance if available.