Insel flight from Charlotte to Curacao on Wed cancelled

[DazedAndConfuzed]

Will be stuck in middle of nowhere hotel near Charlotte airport until Sat...Had to change the booking with The Plaza in Bonaire from Wed-Wed to Sat-Sat. I had to buy a new ticket from Charlotte to NY on Sat since cannot book trip from NYC to Bonaire that includes Insel Air. Hopefully they will reimburse that, along with the meals.

Looks like I will be missing coral spawing, which was the main reason I picked this date.

 

[bkyaffe]

Interesting... They're still selling Weds flights on their site. ie... 10/5 - 10/19 is still available at $140 OW. Which date did they bail on you for?

-Ben

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

They bailed for this last wed's flight 9/14. Lots of people caught USAir's thur flight to Aruba while we left the airport for some local excusion (we were told plane hasn't left curaco yet so we had at least 5 hrs before departure) and some on Fri's USAir to Aruba. But since their computer was down, aruba to bonaire flight cannot be guranteed at that time, and they won't honor a return flight on friday from aruba on USAir.

 

[bkyaffe]

Oh. The cancelled a flight. I took your note to mean that they weren't flying the route on weds anymore. Do you know why they had to cancel?

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

sorry if i wasn't clear.

I guess it was mechanical problem and they couldn't fix it, thus after delay of around 3hrs, they cancelled it. The people on that flight from curacao are stuck there too. I rather be stuck in Curacao than Charlotte, at least even if it was in a hotel provided by the airline, I can take my gear and do some shore dives.

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

sorry if i wasn't clear.

I guess it was mechanical problem and they couldn't fix it, thus after delay of around 3hrs, they cancelled it. The people on that flight from curacao are stuck there too. I rather be stuck in Curacao than Charlotte, at least even if it was in a hotel provided by the airline, I can take my gear and do some shore dives.

 

[mbchiro]

they cancelled my flight on 8/27 out of CLT due to Irene and d/n sched it to Wed the following week. I had a week booked in Bonaire. I had to buy another ticket to fly Delta out of CAE Columbia, SC. I contacted Insel Air's Counter and they were a bunch of rude characters. I emailed customer service after I got back and I heard from them last week. I sent them my flight info. Its been one week and still no satisfaction. I hope to use the flight since I paid for it. I will give them a few more days and if no contact I guess I will file a claim with my trip insurance. WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE OF ANY AIRLINE I HAVE FLOWN ON!!!! when you call the 1800 number it switches you to Curacoa. I have had them pick up and hang up on me. I could hear them talking in the background. Rude Dutch bstds!

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

hbchiro, that doesn't give me much hope. Although there was this couple from Curacao that said they were friends of the owner of Insel and they should take care of things. They were even stapling food bills to their hotel voucher, saying they are sure it will be reimbursed. Maybe the owners are putting out the big fires and these are ignored by cust service, hoping it will go away.

The Insel people did say they had flights out of Miami the next day, but didn't say anything about the tickets to Miami, and a next day flight to Miami was horrendously expensive. With no guarantee that I will be reimbursed, I wasn't sure I was going to take that chance. Some guy who had to be in Curacao the next day did buy that ticket.

 

[morecowbells]

Do you know if trip insurance would cover the cost of scheduling the flight on another airline? Sorry for your predicament. If I were in your shoes I would be seriously p!ssed!

 

[lsorenson]

I would be going off the edge if they did not do everything possible including finding me a seat on another airlines...! This why I am extremely cautious of flying with Insel Air... Charlotte airport is an hour away and I would love to be able to use this airlines due to the cost and convenience but will not until I see they have their act together...

I hope for the best but just in case... we do have a lovely quarry here in the Charlotte area but sorry, no spawning corals yet... (sarcasm definitely intended...!)