Alitalia Questions

[ebuddj]

Hello.
I'm new to this board. Someone on Cruise Critic referred me here. I'm due to fly on Alitalia from JFK to Rome on August 12th to pick up a cruise on the 13th & we're due to return to JFK from Florence to Rome & then on to JFK. I'm getting a bit nervous about the flight since there is talk about the airline going belly up. Now that I'm registered here, hopefully I'll get up to date information on this site. Thanks in advance.

[ebuddj]

As all of you are aware from my prior post I don't know anything about the financial condition of Alitalia. All I can say is that when I made my reservations & re-confirmed them via telephone with the airline the people I spoke with seemed very helpful & efficient. They were located somewhere in Italy but I forgot the city. My wife & I have visited italy before & we found the Italians very nice to Americans which is one reason why we're spending some extra days in the Tuscan area after our cruise ends. I rented a car from Autoeurope & I just hope they are as efficient. Again, please keep me posted as to what's going n with the airline as in the U.S. there have been no reports at all. Thanks.

[ebuddj]

Hello Queenvic,
You mentioned that after the meeting on July 27th, there would be some news. I haven't heard anything. Could you please update me? Thanks.

[ebuddj]

Hello again:
I'm enjoying reading all the posts & they are enlightening. However, I'm still concerned about the airline going out of business before I have to fly from JFK to Rome on Aug. 12th & then again on Aug. 29th from Florence to JFK via Rome. Thre is absolutely no news about Alitalia in any of the NY papers & I only heard about the problem (?) from reading the Cruise Critic Board. Can any of you nice people keep me updated on the situation? Thanks.

[Evileyes]

ebuddj,

Your concerns are quite understandable and this is the proper forum for passenger questions.

However, PPRuNe is a rumour network, not Alitalia Customer Service, and therefore not something to base your plans on. We strongly suggest you direct your questions to Alitalia or whomever you purchased your tickets from.

Cheers,
The Mods

[ebuddj]

Hi Evileyes,
Thanks. I bought my tickets directly from Alitalia & the few times I've called them recently they tell me everything is fine. I guess I'll just have to wait & see what happens. I did check other airlines so I know there are other flights available. However, I bought non refundable tickets so I just have to wait them out. Also, I have Travel Insurance so they will pay any difference in fares. I'm only concerned as we are leaving on a cruise on Aug. 13th which is the day the flight arrives in Rome. Anyway, I do appreciate all the information this board posts. There is no mention of any problems with Alitalia over here.

[flyblue]

ebuddj,
there has been talk about Alitalia going belly up for 20 odd years now :hmm:
That's Italy for you.
Relax and enjoy your cruise.

[ebuddj]

Thanks Flyblue. We're very much looking forward to our cruise & then a land trip to Tuscany.

[CHIVILCOY]

Well I have a couple of J tickets from MXP to EZE booked for October and I am not worried at all.
Just realised the dates of your flights so no problems for you on the outbound or the return.
The worst scenario is that it goes into liquidation and hopefully the same as what happened with Swissair and another airline honours the tickets.
To be on the safe side I have booked a couple of redemption tickets with BA if the worst should happen.

[PAXboy]

I found this interesting, Confessions of an air steward too shocking for ailing Alitalia - Europe, World - The Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/confessions-of-an-air-steward-too-shocking-for-ailing-alitalia-897566.html)

Confessions of an air steward too shocking for ailing Alitalia
By Peter Popham in Rome

The Independent (UK national paper) Friday, 15 August 2008


"We are coming apart at the seams in every sense," the blogger wrote on 29 June.Air France-KLM concluded long and painful negotiations to merge with the troubled airline at the cost of more than 2,000 jobs, but during the general election campaign in the spring, before the deal could go through, Silvio Berlusconi attacked it as "arrogant and unacceptable". The notoriously intransigent company unions took their cue to demand new terms and Air France pulled out. "What Alitalia needs is an exorcist," said Air France-KLM's boss Jean-Cyril Spinetta, confirming that he had slammed the door on the company

The company was kept afloat with government "loans" and Mr Berlusconi has since poured hundreds of million more Euros into the airline in the hope of survival.