Ryanair today 27 Jan is offering a Spanair rescue fare of 49Euro following the 'bankruptcy' of the airline. Separately reported is the failure of a Qatar Airways led refinancing.

Spanair is or rather was a Star Alliance member centered on Barcelona, a recent new base to Ryanair, with Easyjet and Vueling the Iberia part owned low cost operator.already ewell stablished there. With Spanish unemployment at over 20% will Iberia's pilots continue with their strikes? Spanair's 25 minibuses must have employed at least 200 pilots.

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Not seeing any of this on the news, must be they class it as news any more.

Hope all them people get home ok, but did see the a guy on the news from Qatar telling UK to build more airports.

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Full information is here (in Spanish):

http://www.spanair.com/es_pos/es_ES/portal/Error/Page404

and translated below (via Google Translate)

Air Europa and Spanair codeshare extensively so Air Europa passengers should check if their flight is actually a codeshare with Spanair and affected

In the meantime, flights on services where passengers are being re-accomodated are shooting up in price.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spanair Press customers

- Spanair reports that today on January 27, 2012, the airline has ceased operations and, therefore, under these exceptional circumstances from all flights are canceled today.

- If you purchased a ticket with Spanair for the coming days or weeks, you have several alternatives:

a-If you paid the bill with a credit card, inquire at your financial institution about the possibility of reimbursement.

b-If you purchased cancellation insurance, contact your insurer to find out your coverage.

c-If you bought your ticket at a travel agency, find in it.

d-If you have purchased a ticket on Spanair but operated by another airline, in principle, their flight is guaranteed. Please confirm your flight with the airline.

e-Spanair, in coordination with the Government, has reached an agreement with Vueling, Iberia and Air Europa for passengers who buy a ticket and fly over the next three days have a special rate.

The price of tickets, depending on the destination will be:

- Domestic flights and Balearic Islands: 60 euros.
- Flights to the Canary Islands: 90 euros
- International flights: $ 100

f-In any other case, to claim the refund of your ticket, you can file the claim for any of the following channels:

· Offices Spanair sales
· Desks located in the corresponding AENA airports.
· Offices Tourism corresponding airports.
· Agencies Catalana de Consum

- Spanair is in constant contact with Spanish aviation authorities and airports where the company operates its flights to cope with this situation.

- Both the Spanair Center (900.13.14.15 - from outside Spain +34 971 916 047) as our sales office at the airports will remain open to serve you.

- For updated information, please consult our website www.spanair.com

- Spanair public apology to all those people who have been affected.

Barcelona January 27, 2012

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Malev, the state owned Hungarian Airline, looks to be next as it has declared its finances inviable, followed by SAS.

In the end only 5 European Airlines are reckoned to survive, AF-KLM, BA/IAG; Luftie-Swiss; Easyjet and Ryan Air - so predicts Howard Millar the FD at Ryanair.

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Is Finnair on the list for IAG? I don't think they are the basket case that SK are so may be a viable buy out whereas SK should be allowed to die quietly and then others will move in, probably the LH group but maybe AY are well placed.

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I thought SAS was jointly owned by LH?

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RichHI1, there has been numerous discussions over the years regarding SAS Group being acquired by the LH Group but nothing has happened. SAS Group did hold 20% of BD after the introduction of the disastrous BD/SK/LH JV in 1999 which culminated with LH buying the SK stake as well as Sir Michael Bishop forcing the sale of his call option.

SAS Group will be aversely impacted by this as they still hold around 10% of Spanair, having sold the rest to a local Barcelona investment group. The impact is estimated to 1b SEK (£100m) impacting liquidity around 150m SEK.

SAS Group will announce 2011 results next week, but have flagged that they expect a positive operational result but obviously have some non-recurring posts bringing the net results below expectations.

They are generating positive cash flow, and is believed to have around 10b SEK (£1b) in cash and cash equivalent assets. The strategy challenge is coming from too few long-haul routes, entrenched competition from Norwegian (DY) in core home markets, as well as (still) bloated cost structure.

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Air Malta almost went middle / end of 2011 although they are restructuring they are very much still on the edge.

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Malev, the state owned Hungarian Airline, was ballied out but its working all ok it down to the EU saying that they could not bail it out but what about all the banks that been bailed out and other firms EU seems to be picking some country's not others.

Malev is very good airline better than BA i would say just shame that they fly from gatwick.

Finnair have some deal with Flybe (Flybe around 10% or more owned by IAG).

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I prefer Malev when travelling to Bud, its a good airline. However Reuters, FT and others are reporting things differently Chris wrt Malev's financial viability though fair point wrt Bank bail-outs, certainly a case of double standards again by the EU.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/31/uk-hungary-malev-idUSLNE80U03620120131

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Malev was run in to the ground after privatisation, the axeing of there long haul killed them, the long haul to the US has be restarted by AA boy you dont want to be on a flight on that time of the day the airport is packed in Budapest.

Malev's financial viability should be ok as the goverment won't let it go down like you said Tête_de_cuvée "double standards again by the EU" hold they dont fall to the EU!

Malev would make a good hub for long haul at Budapest as it in the centre of Europe, BA use Malev as a Hub lot people fly to Budapest from London fly on from there.

Dont want the topic to get off Topic so wont say any more.

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Sorry, again off topic - but my concern is Malev.

I have tickets booked to fly to Budapest in just under 2 weeks.

Should I be worried? What's likely to happen if they aren't bailed out & have to stop flying?

Chris, you sound like an expert - any thoughts? Also, if anyone else has experience of a situation like this (or are in the same boat/plane) please share your thoughts too.

Thanks!!

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The simple way to protect yourself is to purchase all travel tickets on credit cards. This means your refund is the responsibility of the card firm not the carrier.

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How about debit cards?

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No protection if you pay with a debit card. It's just like paying with cash.

As for credit cards, Rich is correct when it comes to UK-issued cards (for sums over £100) because holders are covered under section 75 of the 1974 CCA. But does similar protection apply for cards issued outside the UK ?

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ballzi81 I would not worry Malev is all ok, I was not trying to worry people, again its some of the press think it funny to worry people as there is no real news. Malev is owned by the government they will not let it go under, this more due to the EU saying they could not bail it out. Same can be said for Ireland Aer Lingus where the EU not poking there nose in so dont get why EU poking there nose in.

ballzi81 have great time in Budapest, if you need any tips feel free to ask. I live between London and Budapest so on a Malev or BA flight 2 times a week nomal fly out on Malev and back on BA due to the times. The crew are very happy that it owned by the government as the last owners where bleeding it dry and selling everythink off.

I herd on radio 2 today in the car about Spanair herd about here 1st so the media is slow.

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RichHI1 is Amex protected I known Visa is but not bank card.

But plz don't worry ballzi81you be all ok. ballzi81 did you Book with BA as they codeshare with Malev?

Could the nice people at businesstraveller.com move the Malev, posts in to a other topic feel bad for this being a Spanair topic.

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Thanks for all the info Chris! If the crew are happy, that must mean that they have jobs to look forward to, in the near future at least!

Booked through Malev's website.....on a Visa Debit Card.....

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ballzi81 make sure to get your airmiles if you got a BA club card think you might get teir points but I book on the BA site but it worth it if you got BA club card.

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And Spanair ............. ?

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Oh dear...bad news - Malev is no more.

Having done some quick research, the stance on refunds is not yet clear. However, WizzAir are offering 'rescue packages' on flights booked before 31st January. Problem is, I'd rather ge t arefund & not go than having to shell out extra costs for flights & baggage.

But, booking on debit card is now looking like a major faux pas! I've just got to hope that Malev are able to refund customers who had flights booked. It's a waiting game now, unfortunately.

If anyone has any further info on this, please do share.

Cheers!

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Dear ChrisBuda82, I don't want to be smug, nor gloat in anyone's misery. But on 31/01/2012 22:11 GMT you stated: "I would not worry Malev is all ok, I was not trying to worry people, again its some of the press think it funny to worry people as there is no real news. Malev is owned by the government they will not let it go under".

In an objective manner, what do you think has happened here?

As I said, it is more curiosity as you seem to be well informed about what happens in Budapest.

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I cannot help thinking that the European Union member states would benfit from a Chapter 11 provision to allow airlines time to reorganzie and refinance after the European Commission tries to close them down.

Seen lots of posts here and on Malev thread about Germans and French subsidizing but different rules for other states. This is a tad naive. The EU has alwways been about Germnay and France and the problems that the Euro zone has stem from France and Germany being allowed to flaunt the Euro Budgetary rules. Some would say the whole crisis has been engineered by Germany to take over Europe economically in a way they have failed to do in previous military attempts.
I have to say I do not see how closing Span Air and Malev helps European Consumers but then maybe I am being naive.

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Senator what I wrote at the time was right that "Malev is owned by the government they will not let it go under". But Sadley the government was black mailed from the EU by way of the farming subs. Malev was under some sort of Chapter 11 and the money give was loans from the government to the airline. Just seems to me they where picking on the airline. The airline had the backing of the plane leasing company and where making money and would paid the loans off, just stinks to me what the EU did some one playing dirty!

Malev have a huge gound crew opt at Budapest Airport this going to effict the airport a great deal and the county, as the Airline was a lifeline to the county. I herd as most the loans where owed to the government so they will take back ownership, to me does not make sense what the EU did as the airline will go back to the government and how will they inject money in to get it running again?

To be honest the as Budapest is so near to Vienna people will drive there or get flights to Vienna to fly on to other places or fly to London to go else where what happens alot before this event but was Malev & BA whee the biggest at the airport flying the bigger planes compared with the others. So the winners will be LH and BA, easyjet etc

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Valid points RichH1. It appears at times Merkozy have one rule for themselves whilst the national identities of the smaller EU partners are eroded and eventually subsumed.
A C11 provision as you suggest, would indeed have provided breathing space, though would slow the EU integration agenda which will result in member states being unviable outside it.

It is a big pity Chris for everyone involved in Bud.

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