As for me, well, my ticket has been changed free of charge I am flying first thing to linate getting a hire car doing a little shopping in Milan (the gf will be pleased then to Lake Como for dinner, drop the hire car/luggage trolley with a roof at Malpensa and get ready to be told our flight to Sao Paulo has been cancelled after all that due to crew shortages (because they wanna be at home on Christmas Day, maybe so do we????)
So, in fairness, you can't really complain too much, hey? They could have told you to f**k off, that's what you booked and paid for online. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the reason I never flew AZ again ever is because I was stranded on Christmas Eve in FCO after the cancellation of a flight to BKK where I lived at that time. I'd been in New York, London and Milan on business and was loaded down with presents for my kids, who were young at that time, and just wanted to get home for the holidays. And the general lack of help and support susequently from AZ, even flying First Class. I truly hope it doesn't happen to you.
But AZ problems, again, can be summarised as follows:
- It's mismanaged and inefficient, in part because of corruption involving Italain Government Officials and their families.
- It is only still flying because of illegal Government subsidies, dressed up as "Nationalism" in a cloud of smoke and mirrors with a Red, White and Green fireworks display.
- The "Rescue" by CAI is an asset strip by Uncle Sylvio and the boys, dressed up in similar attire to the above. CAI will pay half the value of the valuable assets and dump the bad assets, accumulated losses and the retrenchment costs on the Governent (Aka the taxpayer)
- None of this is the doing of any of the AZ staff but in any Company there is a "Culture", which starts at the top. If that culture becomes one of "Why should I care. it's not my problem?" then, particularly at the customer interface, it becomes a disaster and quickly falls apart. That's what is happening now.
- Best solution? Let it go under, it's not worth saving and it will cost the Italain taxpayer less by letting it go. As is, the Italain taxpayer will have to absorb AT LEAST Euro 1.3 Billion NET, whereas in an honest and transparent BK it would be close to breakeven. The landing slots at LHR/JFK etc. alone are worth that much.
- Does the World need AZ? No. The aviation world has changed whereas AZ still lives in the past. There is no room in the middle ground any longer for "Legacy" carriers. Either you are a Low cost carrier serving as abus, with busfares. Or you are a Full service carrier charging premium fares and providing premium service. Most people want a bus and are only prepared to pay a bus fare. Those who want and are able to pay more expect to receive far better service, which is generally available only on the Middle and Far Eastern Carriers (Emirates, Qatar, Etihad, Thai, Malaysian, Singapore, Cathey etc.) Really, Lead, Follow or get out of the way. This is just business strategy and seeing the trends in the aviation business. You can't survive any longer as a "Legacy" carrier being neither of the above. But this is particularly the case with AZ?
- The employees are understandably frustrated and appear to be essentially trying to BK AZ. I suppose understandable if the objective is to tap into the deal whereby the Italian Government will bankroll the redundancy costs and will pay cabin crews a guaranteed 80% of present salaries for the next 10 years. Nice, stay home, invest the money, forget AZ. If not, remeber it will be VERY difficult for AZ crews to get employment with other lines as a a result of such intransigence. OK, play it, but it's a dangerous game?
- Does any country really need a "Flag Carrier"? Not really. Give me a break. If it makes money and is something to be proud of, then fine. If not? If the Head of State wishes to travel, He/She can pay for a Charter, large or small, just like they SHOULD do at present but don't. WHich is, of course, another loss leader for the "Flag Carriers"
Sorry for the long post but trying to cover lots of issues and summarise where we stand all at the same time.