Airline steps in to rescue stranded Sterling passengers
[October 29th 2008]
Following the collapse of Sterling Airlines, low cost airline easyJet has announced a special rescue fee of £35 for flights home.
easyJet operates three of the routes that were also flown by Sterling – from London, Berlin and Milan to Copenhagen. It says that any Sterling passenger stranded abroad will be able to fly home during the next seven days (until 23.59 on Wednesday November 5th) for £35. This includes all taxes and charges and one checked in bag up to 20kg. The offer does not apply to passengers covered by any airline insurance scheme.
Sterling Airlines is filing for bankruptcy today after becoming another victim of the airline industry crisis and global economic crisis. The Scandinavian airline, through its parent company Northern Travel Holdings, was owned by Icelandic investment company Fons Eignarhaldsfelag. Iceland has been in turmoil after the meltdown of its banking system earlier this month.
Sterling operated flights from Gatwick to Copenhagen and the Norwegian towns of Billund and Aalborg, and from Edinburgh and East Midlands airports to Copenhagen. In a statement on the airline’s website it says passengers who purchased their tickets via the website will not be refunded and they will have to book return flights with another airline.
Passengers who booked through a travel agent or tour operator are being advised to contact them. If they are ATOL bonded then passengers should receive a refund and arrangements should be made for repatriation flights. Anyone who has paid by credit card is advised to contact their credit card company. Purchases of more than £100 are normally protected.
Sterling said it ended 2007 with an operational profit for the first time in many years, but has been hit this year by decreasing demand from passengers and rising fuel prices. A restructuring plan started this summer leading to a reduction in the airline’s fleet and manpower and the axing of loss-making flights.
“Negotiations have been conducted with several potential investors, but it was impossible to make ends meet. The inevitable result is that Sterling Airlines A/S has no option but to file for bankruptcy,” the airline says in a statement on its website.
Written by: Nick Purdom
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