Good news for travelers concerned with bankrupt airlines...:)

[Esmerelda]

(from Bestfares.com website)

http://www.bestfares.com/travel/desks/story.asp?id=153174

This is good news to all the travelers concerned about a strike with their airlines. Way to go Mr. Parsons!

its about time we had some "good" travel news around here...sheeshh..!

Esmerelda

 

[WeLoveThePoly]

Thanks for the article link - I'm watching Delta since we have tickets with them for our October trip.

Debbie

 

[johnnyr]

They list United in the article. I though they recently emerged from bankruptcy.

 

[tkldisney]

I don't think this is the case if they strike only if they cease operations because of bankrupcy. I heard this on the news earlier this week and thought the same thing, but I was wrong. If they do strike the other airlines do not have to take the tkts. though some will.
I still doubt they will strike, but just don't know. I have tkts for May so hoping they don't.

 

[new_mouser]

Has anyone heard info on the Delta strike? I thought they were supposed to vote March 22 (yesterday).

 

[lauren0309]

They are still in arbitration. I will they would decide already because I have tickets for April 17th

 

[lauren0309]

Esmeralda,

I just read the article you mentioned. Does this mean if they go on strike I would just call another airline and tell them I have Delta tickets and if they have seats they would give me a flight for a $50.00 ticket?

 

[DebbieB]

I don't think it applies to a strike, only bankruptcy. There's a fine line there since Delta is already in bankruptcy. So the question is are they ceasing operations due to the strike or due to bankruptcy?

Keep in mind other airlines only have to accomodate on a standby basis and most fly at close to capacity these days. You will be competing with thousands for a few empty seats. If someone really wanted to get a flight, they could pay full price for a empty seat so they are not on a standby list.

 

[wdwfamilyinIL]

Has anyone heard anything further on Delta. They were in the news like crazy last week, and everything is quiet now. I don't know if this is good, bad, or in different. We have tickets for June, so I am hoping that there is some calm water ahead.

 

[lauren0309]

This is what I heard this a.m. I hope they come to an agreement already. My trip is 3 weeks away.


(AP) The head of an arbitration panel on Thursday ordered the management and pilots union at Delta Air Lines Inc. to immediately begin negotiating for an agreement to avoid a collapse of the 77-year-old airline

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

They list United in the article. I though they recently emerged from bankruptcy.

They did. It's possible this isn't a very current article (I couldn't find a date anywhere) or the writer is mistaken.

 

[lauren0309]

Pilots are going to have a "practice stike" on March 29th in Atlanta.

 

[wdwfamilyinIL]

I was reading that today also, does a practice strike mean anything? I am not sure about all this, I just wish it would come to an end, so I know that my flights would be ok.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

I was happy to read that those with frequent flyer miles would be accomodated--then I read to the end of the article about flying out of Cincinnati .

 

[DebbieB]

I was happy to read that those with frequent flyer miles would be accomodated--then I read to the end of the article about flying out of Cincinnati .

Frequent Flyer tickets. If you haven't redeemed the miles yet, I don't think it applies. It is so hard to get FF tickets these days unless you have the double miles category (50,000).

 

[lauren0309]

"A union executive on Friday warned customers of Delta Airlines to "think carefully" about flying with the bankrupt airline if it is allowed to void its pilot contract, a step that would almost certainly trigger a strike by Delta's 6,000 rank-and-file aviators"


What does this mean? Does it mean to think carefully about booking a flight with them because they might go bankrupt or is the airplane going to be sabotaged?

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

Frequent Flyer tickets. If you haven't redeemed the miles yet, I don't think it applies. It is so hard to get FF tickets these days unless you have the double miles category (50,000).

I do have travel booked with FF miles. A trip for me in July (meeting up with my sister's family) and another in August with DH and DS.

 

[1000th happy haunt]

They did. It's possible this isn't a very current article (I couldn't find a date anywhere) or the writer is mistaken.

I saw a date on the article of 12/16/2005.

 

[bicker]

I don't think it applies to a strike, only bankruptcy. There's a fine line there since Delta is already in bankruptcy. So the question is are they ceasing operations due to the strike or due to bankruptcy?

It'll basically depend on whether the airline is still in business. If the airline is still in business, then there is absolutely no recourse offered, except that which is available through the airline itself. In the case of a strike, that means a refund, and then you'll be on your own.

Keep in mind other airlines only have to accomodate on a standby basis and most fly at close to capacity these days. You will be competing with thousands for a few empty seats. If someone really wanted to get a flight, they could pay full price for a empty seat so they are not on a standby list.

The remaining airlines could even sell the seats for $51 if they wish (though they'll like charge more). They don't have to sell them for full price. You can be sure the airlines will try to sell them for as much as they can get, and given the capacity concern you raised, they'll likely get close to full fare for most of them.

The protection that law provides is so inconsequential that in publicizing it BestFares.com might be doing their customers more harm than good, giving them a very false sense of security.

Remember: The federal judiciary has been unwilling to allow any transportation company with tens of thousands of employees to cease operations. They've readily transferred the pension debt of a couple of those companies onto the backs of the American taxpayer. It seems unlikely that they will stop taking such irresponsible actions any time soon, so Delta passengers are probably safe.