SPAIN: Over 120,000 passengers stranded by collapse of Spain's Air Madrid

Record ID: 402309

  • Title: SPAIN: Over 120,000 passengers stranded by collapse of Spain's Air Madrid
  • Date: 19th December 2006
  • Summary: (EU) MADRID, SPAIN (DECEMBER 18, 2006) (REUTERS) TRACKING SHOT OF HUNDREDS OF STRANDED PASSENGERS AT MADRID'S BARAJAS AIRPORT AFTER TRANS-ATLANTIC CARRIER AIR MADRID HALTED OPERATIONS ON DECEMBER 15 COUPLE WITH SMALL CHILD VARIOUS OF PASSENGERS POLICE MATTRESSES, GROUP OF PASSENGERS WHO CAMPED AT THE AIRPORT FOR THREE DAYS PASSENGER READING NEWSPAPER CHILD (SOUNDBITE) (Spa
  • Embargoed: 3rd January 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Spain
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVA9XNO4D09L4PDLB3NZTYDJR8IV
  • Story Text: Workers and executives at Spain's Air Madrid have asked to temporarily run the grounded low-cost airline to help more than 120,000 stranded passengers reach their Christmas destinations, the firm's manager said on Monday (December 18).
    The trans-Atlantic carrier halted operations without warning on Friday (December 15). Spain subsequently suspended its licence a day later, citing the privately-owned airline's repeated failure to manage its aircraft adequately.
    Some passengers have been camping out at Madrid's Barajas airport for three days.
    One Ecuadorian said he was offered another flight home but no return flight to Spain.
    "Until yesterday afternoon, it was completely shameful, all of this. Really all of us here are working, we pay taxes, we pay everything. I think we have the same rights as everybody. Now they say they will board us at
    50, we've checked in and they have given us boarding cards for flying out, but without any return trip. When we get to Ecuador, we will have to find a way to return because our work is here, everything we have is here."
    Air Madrid Manager Pablo Morera said workers felt bad about tens of thousands of passengers, many of them Romanians or Latin American emigrants in Spain, who might not be able to spend Christmas at home.
    Morera told state radio a viability plan would be presented to the government on Monday, which if approved, could see flights restart on Thursday or Friday. However, the government told Reuters it had not received the plan but was prepared to study any eventual proposal. Spain has found alternative flights for around 8,000 passengers and has promised to help flyers win compensation for cancelled flights.
    Spain's Development Minister Magdalena Alvarez said on Sunday (December 18) that the privately-owned airline had acted irresponsibly and must pay for the cost of rescuing 120,000 stranded passengers,
    "We are going to claim from the company the expenses they are causing to all the Spanish people because, don't forget, this operation is being financed by the taxes of all Spaniards. We are claiming a sum of approximately 6.5 million Euros. And in addition we will assist in order to cover all compensation and return of tickets which will have to be assumed by Air Madrid," Alvarez told journalists.
    The airline had become notorious for long delays and technical problems.
    The Development Ministry said they had kept a a close watch on airline since May. Inspectors grounded five of Air Madrid's seven planes on seven different occasions for failing to meet safety requirements.
    On Monday, one association representing Ecuadorian migrants in Spain said it would take legal action against the airline on behalf of unhappy passengers.
    However legal action is likely to be small comfort to passengers who cant find or pay for replacement flights.
    Many of the passengers left stranded by the airline are Latin Americans or Romanians working in Spain.
    Some of those waiting in Madrid's Barajas airport said with tears in their eyes that they had used all their savings to go and visit their families for the first time in years.
    The ministry has found return flights for 5,000 passengers so far. It urged passengers with tickets to get in touch with ministry call centres (www.fomento.es) for help.
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