Norwegian one step away from bankruptcy: waiting for a refund? Here's the situation
The travel world has been turned upside down several times by the Covid-19 pandemic. From the initial chaos to the many cancellations to the panic [...]
Norwegian Air Shuttle
The travel world has been turned upside down several times by the Covid-19 pandemic. From the initial chaos to the many cancellations to the panic generated, on both sides, by the huge dose of refunds owed.
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One of the companies to have paid the highest price is, without a doubt, the Norwegian Air. Looking at company data from a couple of years ago or so, it is clear how strongly the company was making its way into the low-cost market. How can we forget the big advertising launch of the Low-cost routes on the Europe-US route that would have allowed it to suddenly find itself in New York at costs acceptable to all. But the company's previously meteoric growth has now come to an almost permanent halt: today, in fact, Norwegian Air is in receivership.
Difficult times not only for the German company. Between 2020 and early 2021, the industry's losses were astronomical: Covid caused more than 130 billion euros of financial hole. Every carrier is struggling, and some are working on necessary changes to make up for the losses, Just think of Ryanair and Easyjet's new baggage rules.
Refunds
Norwegian Air is in receivership. News that has a net burden on customers who had booked a flight with the company in previous months. Seeing back the money paid in the form of a refund is not a given.
The extraordinary commissioner commented on the matter. Kieran Wallace, working to try to save the company, who reached out to customers who were unable to take the flight. He asked them to send a detailed e-mail to [email protected] by February 24, 2021.(the time allowed was 7 days).
Users are waiting, therefore, to be contacted by the company, which points out that not all flights have been canceled. Norwegian continues to fly, in fact, although on few routes. These, however, are assured, both now and in the near future.
According to Norwegian procedures, the company could not refund tickets purchased before November 18, 2020. Norwegian has already commented on the whole matter with representatives of the European consumer center (Ecc). As many as 95% of requests would have already been refunded. There would be a contrivance in that statement, however, considering how that percentage could also include voucher o points for loyalty programs. De facto refunds unusable in confirmed bankruptcy.
The employees' protest
Deep crisis for Norwegian base workers at Fiumicino airport. In fact, the Norwegian Air Resources Italy. This poses a serious danger to as many as 322 employees, divided between 76 pilots and 246 flight attendants. Staff who could find themselves out of work.
The reaction of the unions was harsh, pointing out unacceptable behavior on the part of the Norwegian company: "It decided to disappear, acting as if the Rome-based employees had never been part of Norwegian," they said. At the scheduled meeting there was no sign of company representatives, except for the lawyers. These confirmed that the company on which the Italian workers depend, NAR Ltd., has begun liquidation proceedings in Ireland.
