We are booked this summer on a roundtrip flight on Alitalia from the Los Angeles to Rome. I understand they are in financial difficulties and wonder if anyone has any insight into what might happen, and whether I need to worry about losing my money. Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.
Posted by
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
705 posts
Yes they are and have been for ages, years in fact. There was a take over bid from KLM+Air France that fell through last week. Try googling "Alitalia+what's happening". Lots of the latest newspaper reports will come up. It's hard to know exactly what will happen though. Crystal ball needed.
Posted by
Pleasant Grove
11 posts
Oh great! I hope not! That is who part of our flight is with coming back from Rome to the US. EEK!
Other than the fact that they might be going bankrupt, are they a decent airline to fly?
Posted by
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
705 posts
Leslie - there have been numerous posts about Alitalia and lots of horror stories. I fly within Italy with them a couple of times a year and have only one issue and that is that they are rarely on time. They have never lost my luggage and I have never had any other problems. Internationally I don't have any experience.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
You may want to see this prior discussion of Alitalia here (or not): click
Posted by
Pleasant Grove
11 posts
And now after reading that thread I am thoroughly freaked out....
Question: Can't you lock your luggage to prevent things being stolen from it or do they not allow you to lock it anymore?
Posted by
Portland, OR, USA
805 posts
Highly doubtfully you will lose your money. All credit card contracts (at least those I know of) have a clause allowing you to recover for "services not performed" which applies here. I have had some friends who had tickets on airlines that died and they all got refunded, not quickly but eventually.
Posted by
The Hague, NL (AMS)
2207 posts
I have countless Alitalia (AZ) stories, most of them not positive, but I would agree with Helen - most consistently they are rarely if ever on time. A famous cartoon here shows an AZ plane landing and the plane breaks out in cheers!
Yesterday was the election in Italy and Berlusconi won "re-election" (lost in 2006) in a BIG way. He is very focused on solving the AZ issue as the gov't had brokered the deal with Air France & AZ... so hopefully that will get back on track.
The big stumbling block now in the AZ unions, almost all jobs in Italy are unionized. The unions are resisting the job cuts Air France wants to make and the AF provisions on "NO work stoppages." AZ union personnel were very prevalent during the campaign demanding "no work force losses." Their side lost... I think that means progress for int'l travelers, Air France, and the Italian consumer - not sure how long that will take! AF walked away from the table 2-3 weeks ago, but now they are motivated to return
Posted by
Scottsdale, AZ, USA
1127 posts
My Italian friends told me they clap upon landing to congratulate the pilot on a safe landing. In general Italians are uneasy fliers. I frequently see them crossing themselves as the flight attendants go over the emergency procedures before takeoff.
Posted by
Wodonga, Australia
440 posts
Loved that cartoon, Ron in Rome. In my experience they all stand up and turn on their mobile phones!!
Do you really think Slippery Silvio will get his act together and improve the economy, Alitalia and everything else?
Posted by
The Hague, NL (AMS)
2207 posts
Pat - regarding "slippery" Mr. Berlusconi... UH, NOPE!
Last week he made comments suggesting that he (worth 9.4 billion Euros) and "friends" could help "pave the wave" to buy Alitalia. Since he was running for public office he was censored and warned regarding that suggestion!
He did win a stunning majority and they have not even finished counting all the votes - They're saying he will get even more votes as all are tabulated. That shows how unhappy Italians have become with government.
Sam, having flown on Alitalia, Volare, and other Italian airlines I know personally why the Italians are uneasy fliers! I used to fly 2-4 times a week in the US and I'm uneasy on their planes!!!!! And yes, they do clap and cheer upon landing - in a way it's kind of fun. Makes me think I'm back on Southwest!
Ciao!