US Airways

[flyrr100]

Anyone flying US Airways next year needs to read this story in today's USA Today.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/biztravel/2004-12-03-usairways-labor-contracts_x.htm

[Nostromo]

Help! I have got VERY IMPORTANT flights booked with US Airways to Charlotte and onto Indianapolis for May-June 2005. Linked up to Hotels, car hire etc. I absolutely cannot change my schedule since it is complicated and involves several other people. Flyrr, you're in the Airline business; what do you suggest I do? [msnscared][msnscared][msnscared]

[blott]

Nostromo, you should be covered under the airline failure insurance that you will almost certainly have paid for in with your ticket price (usually about £3-£6 each person).

I'd contact where you booked the flight(s) and ask them what arrangements can be made if this happens. At the very least, they can explain the airline failure insurance in detail to you.

We're flying with US Airways on 13 January (hope it's not unlucky!) from Orlando to Chicago so it could apply to us too.

[E. Cosgrove]

We should fly with Us airways as well, on 19th March. We have booked with e bookers who are abta bonded so we should get our monet back bit there are 10 of us so getting alternative travel may be a problem.
Ah well I'm sure we will work out something. [msnscared]

[Nostromo]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by blott
Nostromo, you should be covered under the airline failure insurance that you will almost certainly have paid for in with your ticket price (usually about £3-£6 each person).

I'd contact where you booked the flight(s) and ask them what arrangements can be made if this happens. At the very least, they can explain the airline failure insurance in detail to you.

We're flying with US Airways on 13 January (hope it's not unlucky!) from Orlando to Chicago so it could apply to us too.
[/quote]

Thanks Blott, but losing money is the last thing in my mind at the moment. We use Wexas and I've only paid 10% deposit (which will be refunded anyway if the airline folds) with the rest due 8 weeks before the flight. That is NOT the problem. My biggest worry is my carefully planned schedule. If I do not arrive at Charlotte from Indianapolis by noon on 30th May,(OK I can give or take a couple of hours) my carefully planned itinerary starts to go to pot right away. I have a very important rendezvous and too many things will then have to be replanned and changed.

[Nostromo]

Update: I discussed the situation with Wexas. They have not yet heard of the US Airways news, but should worst come to the worst, I now have an alternative plan. I'll use American Airlines to go to Indy via Chicago and then use a local connection to fly from Indy to Charlotte or Raleigh (for which my American relatives can pay locally and save money). Getting to Doughton Park area of the Blue Ridge Parkway from Raleigh is not that much more difficult than from Charlotte and 10 days later I can catch the AA flight from Raleigh to Gatwick. So, I may have an escape clause after all. Whew!

[blott]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Nostromo
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by blott
Nostromo, you should be covered under the airline failure insurance that you will almost certainly have paid for in with your ticket price (usually about £3-£6 each person).

I'd contact where you booked the flight(s) and ask them what arrangements can be made if this happens. At the very least, they can explain the airline failure insurance in detail to you.

We're flying with US Airways on 13 January (hope it's not unlucky!) from Orlando to Chicago so it could apply to us too.
[/quote]

Thanks Blott, but losing money is the last thing in my mind at the moment. We use Wexas and I've only paid 10% deposit (which will be refunded anyway if the airline folds) with the rest due 8 weeks before the flight. That is NOT the problem. My biggest worry is my carefully planned schedule. If I do not arrive at Charlotte from Indianapolis by noon on 30th May,(OK I can give or take a couple of hours) my carefully planned itinerary starts to go to pot right away. I have a very important rendezvous and too many things will then have to be replanned and changed.[/quote]

Sorry, should have made myself more clear! I meant in the replacement flight department as well as in the refund department! :) Usually, if you come under the auspices of the replacement flight thingy and the replacement flights are more expensive, the airline failure insurance pays for the difference.

Anyway, I see you've now got it sussed for a Plan B version!

[Nostromo]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by blott
Nostromo, you should be covered under the airline failure insurance that you will almost certainly have paid for in with your ticket price (usually about £3-£6 each person).

I'd contact where you booked the flight(s) and ask them what arrangements can be made if this happens. At the very least, they can explain the airline failure insurance in detail to you.

We're flying with US Airways on 13 January (hope it's not unlucky!) from Orlando to Chicago so it could apply to us too.
[/quote]

Blott, I just heard from Wexas. Apparently, US Airways, like Air Canada and a few other carriers, is now under 'Chapter 11' and so NOT subject to Airline Failure Insurance. He told me that if US Airways folds, there will be no cover. He agreed that it might be a safer option (for me) to swap to American Airlines and my Plan B, going to Raleigh instead of Charlotte.

[blott]

That's really weird Nostromo as every flight I've booked with any airline through an intermediary has charged £3 - £6 for airline failure insurance on the invoice. I assumed that it applied to every flight but obviously not.

[ujpest doza]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by blott
That's really weird Nostromo as every flight I've booked with any airline through an intermediary has charged £3 - £6 for airline failure insurance on the invoice. I assumed that it applied to every flight but obviously not.
[/quote]

It depends upon the agent booking the flight.
Not all Travel Agents sell flight tickets with airline failure insurance as it is not mandatory.
It is a hot topic in the industry at present though due to lack of protection for people booking no frills carriers such as ryanair and easyjet, so more and more agents are subscribing to it and charging it on tickets issued.

[Nostromo]

My Wexas agent now says new info suggets that the threat to US Airways after January 15th is a stronger probability than was last week and so I am changing to American Airlines and using Raleigh-Durham as my jumping off point for my tour of the Carolinas.

[blott]

Thanks for that news Nostromo - we're coming back on 13 January (if they haven't sold the plane by then)! :)