Wow! WOW Air shuttered

WOW Air is no more.

The Icelandic budget airline, WOW Air announced today that they have shut down. Planes in North America and Europe were grounded where they stood and employees informed that they no longer were employed.

Those paying attention may have noticed that WOW Air social media engagement slowed considerably in March, coming to a full halt on 17 March. With their WOW Air Support Twitter account having gone silent in September 2018. The last few weeks, according to the BBC, WOW Air’s CEO, Skuli Mogensen had been in funding talks, which apparently failed.

Little solice for those stranded passengers in the US and EU who are sitting with tickets on an airline which no longer assists. Readers will recall Primera Air’s financial augering which occurred in October 2018, stranding passengers in an array of far flung locales.

What to do if you are one of those stranded passengers?-

We provide the same advice today as we did in October. Travelers who purchased trip insurance, should be contacting their provider as their trip has certainly been interrupted. For those who did not purchase trip insurance, these travelers may wish to contact their credit card company to determine if they may get the charges reversed for non-delivery of services. All others may want to pay close attention to the airline site where they promised to provide updates in the coming days. Sadly, it may be a situation of wait and see how the remaining assets of the airline are dispersed and if there are any funds left to reimburse ticket holders.

According to the Independent, the following airlines have stepped up to assist the approximate 5,000 passengers who are stranded with repatriation fares: - easyJet, Norwegian and Wizz Air are all offering discounted fares to WOW Air passengers.

WOW Air advises:

Passengers who bought their ticket from a European travel agent (within the European Economic Area) as a part of a package tour (a package which includes flights and accommodation or other services) are protected by the Package Travel Directive. Those passengers are advised to contact their travel agent to arrange an alternative flight.

~ WOW Air

Everyone else, unfortunately you are on your own, with WOW Air suggesting, disingenuously:

Passengers may also be entitled to compensation from WOW AIR, including in accordance with European regulation on Air Passenger Rights. In case of a bankruptcy, claims should be filed to the administrator / liquidator

~ WOW Air