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Air Madrid Chaos Leaves
Travellers Stranded in Costa
Rica
With a week before Christmas,
hundreds of Costa Ricans and
foreigners have been grounded,
not being able to fly between
Costa Rica and Spain, following
the cancellation of all flights
by Air Madrid on Friday.
A number of passengers made a
visit to the Air Madrid offices
at the Torre Mercedes (now
Scotiabank) on Paseo Colón, with
tickets in hand, to get some
answers or a refund.
They were told that they would
get a refund cheque next week.
But what happens to those Costa
Ricans who had travel plans to
Spain or foreigners returning
home for the holidays? The
company has no answers, other
than to ask people to be
patient.
In addition to the loss of not
being able to travel, there is
the loss of hotel reservation
deposits and/or tours, car
rentals, etc. to consider,
something that Air Madrid is not
responsible for.
Air Madrid announced Friday the
cancellation of all its flights
around the globe. The company
said in a statement that the
Ministerio de Desarrollo in
Spain questioned the constant
delays in the airline's flight
schedules, beginning with the
delay experienced last month
with a Madrid - Buenos Aires,
Argentina, flight that was
delayed for more than 24 hours.
For many Europeans, the flight
cancellations by Air Madrid
grounds them in Costa Rica, as
other airlines are booked for
the heavy travel period.
The EFE news agency reported
yesterday that the Spanish
government is initiating an
emergency plan to confront the
chaos caused by the
cancellations, especially in
Latin America, where thousands
of Air Madrid passengers have
been stranded.
According to EFE 120.000
passengers are stuck in a number
of Latin American countries with
tickets in hand and no flight to
take them home. Air Madrid flew
to nine Latin American
countries, including Costa Rica.
The Secretary General of
Transport in Spain, Fernando
Palao, told EFE that the Spanish
government will sue the airline
5 million Euros (us$6.5 million
dollars) to cover the cost of
the emergency.
Air Madrid agents in Costa Rica
said the have not time to talk
to the press or their customers
for that matter.
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