Wow Air canceled all flights due to bankruptcy, leaving hundreds of passengers in different countries

Icelandic budget carrier Wow Air ceased operations and canceled flights, causing airline passengers to be stuck in several countries around the world.

Фото: Depositphotos

The airline announced the closure in a statement posted on its March 28 website. Passengers were advised to book new flights on other airlines, noting that some of them may be entitled to compensation, writes CNN.

Wow Air CEO Skuli Mogensen told RUD Icelandic state broadcaster that the airline’s rescue talks continued until early morning local time.

“People believed that we would get investment. We worked very openly, but this did not happen,” Mogensen said.

Mogensen noted that more than 1000 passengers suffered from this decision, adding that he does not have an exact figure for the number of tickets sold.

“I really regret this because these are the people who supported us. I am disappointed that I cannot fulfill our obligations,” Mogensen said.

Saurab Aggarwal, who was supposed to fly Wow Air from Toronto to Reykjavik, described the chaos at Toronto airport.

Aggarwal said that conflicting information on flight status was provided to customers before it was finally canceled on 22: March 55 27. According to her, the passengers were not provided with housing, there were no refunds either.

“It really scared everyone. We finally got our luggage back, no money has been returned to me as of now,” Aggarwal said.

It was not until Thursday morning that she received an email from Wow Air informing passengers that the airline had ceased operations and all flights were canceled.

Other affected passengers also criticized Wow Air on social networks for the lack of timely information and feedback.

“I just found out about this news. They didn't even notify any of us directly, I found out everything from Twitter and Reddit,” wrote Jonathan Koo, who was stranded at Newark Liberty Airport after his flight was cancelled.

Many passengers wrote about crowds at the gate, as well as attempts to figure out how to proceed.

Some airlines, including EasyJet, Icelandair, Wizz Air, XL Airways and Norwegian Air, have offered preferential fares for travelers affected by these difficult circumstances.

Wow Air clarified that passengers who bought tickets from a European travel agent as part of a package tour were protected. Others who have purchased travel insurance may also have the right to demand compensation. Wow Air said it could pay compensation "in accordance with European rules on the rights of air passengers." According to these rules, if the airline declares bankruptcy, passengers can file a claim with the administrators or liquidators.

Alex Spence, a Wow Air passenger who was due to return to Toronto from Berlin on March 30, said she had not received prior notice from the airline.

“Now I have to find housing very quickly, which will probably be incredibly expensive. Honestly, the worst part is that Wow didn’t even try to communicate the situation to passengers like me,” the woman said.

Founded in 2011, Wow Air was known for its low-cost transatlantic fares for flights across Iceland.

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