MH denies rumours of 28/5 shutdown

[JessicaTam]

I booked return J trip from NZ to UK with MH last week for the Mrs and myself last week using Points+Pay. Cheap but still many $$$$. If I get travel insurance will it cover me for lost $ if the airline goes belly up before I fly at the end of June?

Firstly, don't you mean when not if you get travel insurance?

So, when you get insurance, have a look at the policy to ensure it includes that situation. And get it sooner rather than later so that you will be covered from the time the policy is taken out. If something happens before you take out the policy you will not be covered for that something.

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

We are booked on a OWE Award fare in J to London on the 7th June, so hoping this is just a rumour and what do you if something does happen ?

 

[boomy]

I don't wish MH to go bankrupt but if they do, they brought it on themselves.
Interesting to see some who say they won't fly QF anymore (the safest airline in the world) because they cancelled MASA and lowered SC earnings but have no problem to keep flying MH even after they lost a plane, then lied, hide information and treated the families of the victims like dogs.

 

[anat0l]

I don't wish MH to go bankrupt but if they do, they brought it on themselves.

I would have thought that goes without saying for any airline, except maybe the late Laker Airlines (or whatever it was called; got crushed by a cartel), and of course there are some airlines people do wish would go bankrupt...

 

[boomy]

and of course there are some airlines people do wish would go bankrupt...

Iran air?

 

[Sprucegoose]

The market will decide the fate of MH. Don't sweat it guys!!

 

[anat0l]

The market will decide the fate of MH. Don't sweat it guys!!

The market has reacted rather rashly to rumour and perception, or even complete fibs. Maybe in this case it wasn't quite convincing or upsetting enough to actually do material damage.

 

[RailFlyer]

Firstly, don't you mean when not if you get travel insurance?

So, when you get insurance, have a look at the policy to ensure it includes that situation. And get it sooner rather than later so that you will be covered from the time the policy is taken out. If something happens before you take out the policy you will not be covered for that something.

Sorry you are absolutely right, "when" and not "if".

I have checked a few travel insurance policy statements and can't find any mention of what happens if airline goes bust (reasonably rare event I guess) but more surprisingly nothing on what happens if hotel/tour operator goes into administration (I would have thought this is a more common event). Any ideas anybody?

 

[doctau]

My next trip covered by QBE and the relevant part of my cover is "Section I, Financial Default" covering up to $10k of expenses for rearranging the trip after a list of provider types (including airlines and hotels) goes into administration.

I'm pretty sure most cover I've had in the past included similar terms. Obviously check your specific insurance, read the PDS before paying for it and so on

 

[MEL_Traveller]

My next trip covered by QBE and the relevant part of my cover is "Section I, Financial Default" covering up to $10k of expenses for rearranging the trip after a list of provider types (including airlines and hotels) goes into administration.

I'm pretty sure most cover I've had in the past included similar terms. Obviously check your specific insurance, read the PDS before paying for it and so on

It's a case of needing to check individual policies.

The ANZ platinum insurance for example seems to exclude:

'24. The financial default of any person, company or organisation involved in your travel arrangements'

and

'21. the cancellation or delay of travel arrangements due to the mechanical breakdown of transportation or failure of the carrier to operate a service' (although you would be covered for hotel and meals inthe case of clause 21.)

 

[amaroo]

Don't take out or rely on an existing TID policy...

We will not pay for any of the following

2. A loss arising from the failure of any travel agent, tour operator, accommodation provider, airline or other carrier, car rental agency or any other travel or tourism services provider to provide services or accommodation due to their insolvency or the insolvency of any person, company or organisation they deal with.

 

[equus]

Don't take out or rely on an existing TID policy...

We will not pay for any of the following

2. A loss arising from the failure of any travel agent, tour operator, accommodation provider, airline or other carrier, car rental agency or any other travel or tourism services provider to provide services or accommodation due to their insolvency or the insolvency of any person, company or organisation they deal with.

The biggest issue will be the cost of replacement (in this instance) flights. If you pay using a credit card, you will be able to get the money back via a charge back - but you are still going to have to pay for an alternative - probably at the last minute.

A lot of policies (TID being one) will only pay for alternative transportation in the case of delays and the like if you have a defined event that can't be rescheduled (such as a sporting event).

I have wondered about the benefits of finding a cheap sporting event for shortly after arrival at intended destination, and pre booking tickets - extra insurance to activate the clause.

Not an issue for next trip - it is actually for such a sporting event.

Strangely enough (as destination is CDG leaving from BNE), MH was actively considered as have used that route before, but ended up with CX - better timings, better stopover on return, better J - and now less potential doubts (was all booked last year).

 

[Major]

It's now the 29th so the "rumour" had no substance.

Hopefully we can depart CDG on Tuesday as scheduled

 

[RailFlyer]

Update. I am based in NZ and only the 5th travel insurer (AIG) I checked did not excluded financial default by tour operator/airline/hotels etc. They were $20 more expensive, but at least gives peace of mind. Hopefully I won't need to use it.

Anybody know what protection you have in NZ with credit card purchases if goods (in this case air travel) is not delivered?

 

[dajop]

Ok as an addendum to this thread I took MH last Thursday SIN-KUL-MEL, the KUL-MEL flight was rather empty in the economy cabin. In The rear half of an A330 I counted at most 40 people, but it was fuller in the front half. I had 4 seats to myself which is always nice. My fare was about $750 AUD return, but that was higher due to flights running full between SIN and KUL due to local school holidays, if it wasn't for this the fare would have been around $550 AUD. I took the day flight, the night before and after were, according to expert flyer seat maps, similarly lightly loaded and if I'd taken the 777 I would have had 5 seats to myself. This is only a snapshot but doesn't auger well. I did a little racial profiling, and a handful of Caucasians were on the flight (lower than expected), very few people who were Chinese or of Chinese ethnic origins, with most passengers being Indian or ethnic Malay. It seemed that the MH370 mystery may be really taking a commercial toll in key target markets. Will be interesting to see what the return flight is like.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I don't think it's the articles pal, perhaps its the fact you killed 300 people and can't find them. :evil:

After loosing an aircraft full of people I do not care if they survive or not. Hard yes but that comes with the territory.

Personally I would believe this is a pretty uncalled for comment

Most likely scenario is a suicidal pilot or co-pilot. One who has planned it in great detail including the disappearance. If so, this scenario could have happened to virtually any airline.

Least likely scenario IMO is that the airline killed its passengers.

As to not finding them, it is not just MH that cannot find them, but the whole world that cannot find them despite a great deal of effort. I would tend to think there is a reason for this, and I would doubt very much that that reason is MH.

MH management of the issue post disappearance has not been good, but stating that they killed their own passengers as a fact is to me unreasonable.

 

[Himeno]

Personally I would believe this is a pretty uncalled for comment

Most likely scenario is a suicidal pilot or co-pilot. One who has planned it in great detail including the disappearance. If so, this scenario could have happened to virtually any airline.

suicidal pilot is very unlikely. There are much better places a suicidal pilot could have ditched which don't involve turning around and flying 7 hours in the wrong direction.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

suicidal pilot is very unlikely. .

What are he very likely scenarios then?

And do the very likely scenarios include MH killing its own passengers? Which is the nub of my point, as it was stated this was a fact.

 

[drron]

suicidal pilot is very unlikely. There are much better places a suicidal pilot could have ditched which don't involve turning around and flying 7 hours in the wrong direction.

But there was the scenario that the Captain was anti the Malaysian government and by making a plane disappear when MH is ~ 70% government owned has turned out to be a real downer for the government.
I am not saying this is what happened but I just don't think you can say one of the pilots taking over is very unlikely.

If it does turn out to be a deliberate act the perpetrators certainly have created massive uncertainty and harmed both MH and the Malaysian government.