Passengers stranded as low-cost airline Play goes bust. What are your rights?

Low-cost Icelandic hose Play announced its contiguous closure connected Monday.

The bearer wrote connected its website that it has “ceased operations, and each flights person been cancelled”.

Passengers person been advised to activity flights pinch replacement airlines.

Here’s what travellers request to cognize astir their authorities to refunds and compensation if a formation institution goes bankrupt.

Low-cost bearer Play goes bust

Play began operating successful 2019 and flew betwixt Keflavik International Airport - extracurricular Reykjavik - and destinations successful Europe, including London Stansted, Amsterdam, Paris CDG, Alicante and Faro.

It besides offered connections to Baltimore-Washington International successful nan US.

On Monday morning, a formation from Reykjavik to Stansted became nan airline’s last service. All consequent flights were grounded.

The illness of nan institution has near astir 400 unit members jobless and astir 18,000 passengers stranded.

My Play Airlines formation has been cancelled. What are my rider rights?

Normally, an airline must connection you replacement carrier aliases refund your fare if a formation is cancelled. However, if a institution ceases operations, it usually isn’t successful a position to support customers.

As such, it is modular manufacture believe for different airlines to connection stranded passengers ‘rescue fares’ - low-cost tickets for travellers who tin show they had a booking.

An announcement connected Play’s website reads: “We kindly counsel you to cheque flights pinch different airlines. Some carriers whitethorn connection typical 'rescue fares' considering nan circumstances.”

Travellers who person purchased a package circuit are insured done nan recreation agency pinch which they bought nan tour; passengers are advised to interaction them straight first.

I person a early booking for Play Airlines. Can I get a refund?

For early bookings, passengers should beryllium eligible for a refund. According to Play:

• If you purchased your summons pinch a costs card, interaction your paper issuer regarding a refund.
• If you booked your summons arsenic portion of a package (flight + accommodation aliases services) done a recreation agency successful nan EEA, interaction your recreation supplier for assistance.
• Some authorities whitethorn besides use nether EU Air Passenger regulations. In lawsuit of bankruptcy, claims should beryllium directed to nan appointed administrator.

The Icelandic Transport Authority has released further specifications for travellers connected their website.

Passengers who purchased tickets either pinch in installments aliases debit cards whitethorn use for a refund to their paper institution aliases bank. In immoderate cases, nan aforesaid whitethorn use to different costs methods (e.g. Netgíró).

Passengers who bought their travel from a recreation agency that sold nan airline summons arsenic portion of a package circuit (i.e. a mixed travel wherever a formation is sold together pinch accommodation aliases different work components) are entitled to repatriation connected nan ground of pan-European rules connected package tours. Passengers are advised to interaction their recreation agency.

If you paid pinch a gift certificate, slope transfer, aliases cash, you must record a declare pinch nan Play’s bankruptcy estate.

Your recreation security whitethorn besides beryllium capable to thief you out.

“Some recreation security policies see scheduled hose nonaccomplishment (SAFI), which whitethorn thief you reclaim nan costs of your flight,” explains Michelle Cooper, Director of Travel Insurance astatine Saga.

“This is sometimes described arsenic ‘flight cancellation’ aliases ‘end supplier failure,’ truthful it’s worthy checking each argumentation descriptions carefully.”

This type of screen is not needfully included successful modular policies and may

only beryllium disposable connected higher-level policies aliases arsenic an optional hold of cover, however.

I’m waiting for a formation home. Can I get reimbursed for my meals and accommodation?

Your travel insurance will apt beryllium capable to reimburse you for costs incurred while waiting for an replacement flight.

Depending connected your policy, this whitethorn include:

• Reimbursement of further accommodation aliases repast expenses if you’re stranded abroad.
• Cover for replacement carrier arrangements if your original formation is nary longer operating.
• Claiming for irrecoverable costs, specified arsenic prepaid hotels aliases excursions, if your travel tin nary longer spell ahead.

“It’s important to statement that screen is policy-dependent and usually requires you to show that you’ve attempted to retrieve costs from nan airline, your paper provider, aliases immoderate different protection schemes first,” says Cooper.

“Keep elaborate receipts and records and interaction your insurer arsenic soon arsenic imaginable to corroborate what thief is available.”