- Title: PERU: Stranded passengers continue to protest amid Air Comet crisis
- Date: 30th December 2009
- Summary: LIMA, PERU (DECEMBER 29, 2009) (REUTERS) AIR COMET PASSENGERS PROTESTING OUTSIDE SPANISH EMBASSY VARIOUS OF PEOPLE YELLING AND PROTESTING EXTERIOR OF EMBASSY RIOT POLICE ARRIVING VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PROTESTING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SPANISH PASSENGER LUIS MACHADO SAYING: "I want someone to be responsible if something happens, and not Air Comet because it goes bankrupt. There's traveler's insurance that has to cover this and the embassy is responsible for it. There are a lot of people who are losing their jobs, which is my case." PEOPLE PROTESTING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PERUVIAN PASSENGER JACKELYN MINAYA SAYING: "There are Spaniards and Peruvians that need to leave. These people are asking for their return trip to Spain, nothing more. That's all we ask for. Please, ask President Zapatero to listen to us, because there also Spaniards here and immigrants who need to go to work." PEOPLE LINING UP TO GET INTO EMBASSY GENERAL VIEW OF RIOT POLICE
- Embargoed: 14th January 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Peru
- Country: Peru
- Topics: International Relations,Transport
- Reuters ID: LVA6P7WDD4UXC5Y320GFR5V1284D
- Story Text: Air Comet passengers stranded in Lima, Peru march on Spanish consulate to demand Spain's government pay return tickets.
Some 100 passengers affected by the suspension of flights of the Spanish company Air Comet protested on Tuesday (December 29) outside the Spanish consulate in Lima, demanding a return trip to Madrid.
It was the second day of siege by the angry customers on the consulate. Riot police arrived to guard the building after Monday's incident when protesting passengers burst into the building.
Many passengers stranded at airports were shuttled home after the December 22 closure of Air Comet, but others how were vacationing are now realizing they have lost return trip and have no way to return to Spain to jobs and family.
Spanish passenger Luis Machado said it was time for the Spanish government, whose public works ministry closed down the indebted airline, to step up.
"I want someone to be responsible if something happens, and not Air Comet because it goes bankrupt. There's traveler's insurance that has to cover this and the embassy is responsible for it. There are a lot of people who are losing their jobs, which is my case," he said.
Peruvian Jackelyn Minaya was also worried about her job.
"There Spaniards and Peruvians that need to leave. These people are asking for their return trip to Spain, nothing more. That's all we ask for. Please, ask President Zapatero to listen to us, because there also Spaniards here and immigrants who need to go to work," she said.
Spain suspended Air Comet's license after a UK court impounded nine of its aircraft at the request of German bank HSH Nordbank, which the airline owes 17 million euros ($24.32 million). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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