Primera Air ceases operations, thousands of passengers stranded
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
The Danish leisure Airline has gone bankrupt. It was announced that it would stop all of its operations at midnight on Monday, 1 October 2018.
Primera Air has left thousands of passengers stranded all over Europe and the world. The airline started operating long-haul flights from Stansted recently, and some experts say that this could be the factor why the airline had to file for bankruptcy.
Where are Primera Air’s passengers stranded?
The airline’s fleet only consisted of 15 planes. They have all been stranded and flights departing from America and Europe have been cancelled. Examples of the long-haul flights that have been cancelled are:
- Paris – Toronto
- London – Washington
- London – New York
The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority’s hands are tied because the airline is not part of its ATOL Protection scheme. Therefore, it has advised passengers to organise their flights back to their homelands on their own. Because some of the cancelled flights cover a considerable distance, passengers are expected to pay a hefty sum of money to secure a ticket back to their countries of origin.
Can you claim compensation for a Primera Air flight cancellation or delay?
Unfortunately, when an airline goes bankrupt it means that it will be insolvent when it comes to paying out its debts. Therefore, small claims will be of the least importance for the liquidators.
What can I do if I’ve been affected by Primera Air’s insolvency
Here are some actions to consider if you’ve been affected by Primera Air’s insolvency, as also recommended by the BBC:
- If you paid your ticket by credit card (more than £100), you may be able to claim compensation from your credit card firm under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
- If you paid your ticket by debit card (more than £100), contact your bank and ask about "chargeback
- If you booked through a travel agent which is ATOL-protected, you may be able to claim a refund via your travel agent.
- If you have travel insurance, ask if you are covered in case of an airline’s insolvency.
What were the reasons that caused Primera Air to go into administration?
Alex Macheras, an airline analyst, said that the airline's growth model "simply wasn't sustainable". Competing with Norwegian and WOW Air in the low-cost, long-haul market proved too much for Primera Air. On top of that, the airline suffered a delay in the arrival of new aircrafts. That meant it had to cancel flights and lease aeroplanes, increasing its operational costs considerably.
Fight delayed or cancelled while travelling from Europe? Claim compensation!
Other European airlines are still flying every day. Under European law, if your flight has been delayed or cancelled you may be entitled to compensation. Let us check the validity of your claim for you and, if we consider that you are entitled to compensation, we will take care of everything for you. Best of all, our 25% win fee covers all the legal costs involved with claiming your compensation. Even if we have to initiate legal proceedings against the airline. Exercise your rights!
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