Hundreds of charter travelers are stranded in the Mediterranean. And hundreds do not know if they will be able to leave on the charter trips that are being flown by SAS planes this weekend. Both Ving and Apollo are now feverishly looking for aircraft – but the situation is tense.
Both Ving and Apollo are looking all over the world for alternative aircraft after SAS pilots went on strike. But there are few planes that are empty.
This week alone, Ving has 1,800 booked travelers, most of whom are going on charter flights, who have booked trips flown on SAS planes.
At this time, Ving does not know how many of them will have their trip canceled.
”"We are in close dialogue with SAS to make it clear how many people will be affected," says communications manager Claes Pellvik.
Flights operated with SAS Connect and SAS Link are not affected by the strike.
Ving's charter flights operate on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. This means that most of its customers are booked on trips for the weekend, giving the company a few days to try to find alternatives.
The strike also means that those who are on vacation at their charter destinations now and are due to travel home this weekend may have their trips home canceled.
Therefore, a intensive work to find alternative trips home.
”"I want to emphasize that we will never leave guests stranded at their destinations, but we will make sure they get home. However, it may take longer, you may have to stay an extra day," says Claes Pellvik.
Apollo's communications manager Sandra Miller Kinge describes a similar situation. A couple of hundred of the company's guests were stranded in Greece and Albania after the pilot strike broke out on Monday.
”"We are searching all over the world with all our might for other flights to deploy. But unfortunately, it is not just SAS that has problems, the situation is tense for many companies. Our flight coordinators and flight planners have not slept much in recent weeks," she says.
According to Sandra Miller Kinge, much of the airline industry's problems are due to the pandemic. Airlines still haven't reached full capacity. There is a shortage of crew. At the same time, she describes it as a ketchup effect, everyone wants to go out and travel at the same time.
”"We are looking at all possibilities to get people home. We have routines for working with things like this and are usually able to resolve it quite painlessly," she says.
This is not This is the first time that SAS pilots have gone on strike. But according to Claes Pellvik at Ving, this strike is happening at an extra-special time.
”"Previous SAS strikes have typically been in the spring or early summer, when it's an easier situation. July is an unfortunate time. We're working really hard to find alternative solutions and save the holidays, but it's not that easy. We're in the middle of the high season, it's the biggest travel month of the year, and it was very well booked even before," he says.
Both Apollo and Ving pay for hotels for those who do not return home and fully compensate travelers whose trips are canceled.
”"In such an event, we will refund the entire price of the trip immediately, including flights, hotels and any travel insurance, rental cars and food packages. As for any compensation for the inconvenience itself, that is not something we as the organizer are responsible for. There is EU legislation that applies, and such demands can be made of SAS," says Claes Pellvik.
TT: Will you then demand money from SAS for the cancellations?
”"At this point, the focus is on taking care of the guests and making sure they don't lose money. How we resolve our issues with SAS is something we will discuss with them later," says Claes Pellvik..
Source: TT-DI.SE
