V Bird's bankruptcy

taste · Post by **taste** » 10 Oct 2004, 15:07

Many of you talk about the company V Bird and its employees but what about its costumers???

I am one of them who stood in an airport and received the message that V Bird went bankrupt. It is terrible! I had booked a retur ticket two weeks in advance from the 8 Oct. to Manchester. I have paid 180 Euro and I have got nothing for my money!!!
Does somebody know how I can get my money back or at least who I can contact to have a chance of getting them back?

I wish nobody to be the same situation as I were in.

liebensd · Post by **liebensd** » 10 Oct 2004, 15:17

Welcome to Luchtzak Taste,

You can find the awnser over here: https://www.aviation24.be/posts6584-0.html

Greetz,

Dave

beaucaire · Post by **beaucaire** » 10 Oct 2004, 16:06

Taste- if you understand german a lot info about customers who got nailed by V Bird is under the Niederrhein forum -link below :
http://www.nrn-forum.net/viewtopic.php?t=1308

LX-LGX · Post by **LX-LGX** » 10 Oct 2004, 16:36

Sorry Taste, but there's no way to get a refund from V-Bird, and there won't be anything left for the last category of debtors: the passengers. You can ask for idemnity: www.kvk.nl will probably tell you how. But once again: it will cost you time and a stamp, and you will even not be refunded for that 50 eurocents.

However: many other carriers nowadays do feel sorry for you, and they offer you special rates if you show your V-Bird class reservation. So just contact their reservations, tell them you're one the V-Bird victims, and ask them at what rate they can help you. The code they will then use in their computer is "Compassion Fare".

B744skipper · Post by **B744skipper** » 10 Oct 2004, 18:07

I also had already booked a flight with V-Bird to Munich in December.

@LX-LGX, what do you mean by "other carriers that feel sorry for you"?
I have heard about Virgin Express offering special fares for V-Bird passengers, but for how long does such an offer stand, not necesseraly for Virgin Express?
And which other airlines are helping out? Does this mean they fly from NRN to another destination for the V-Bird pax? Or can they come to the airports served by "helping out" carrier for flying to the destination?

I'm a bit confused now, and just looking for possibilities that my Munich trip doesn't need to be cancelled.

Sabena_690 · Post by **Sabena_690** » 10 Oct 2004, 18:24

I once heard that, if you have booked your trip with a credit card, that you can contact your credit card company, and they will (if you are lucky) pay you back.

Anybody who knows whether this is true or not?

Frederic

LX-LGX · Post by **LX-LGX** » 10 Oct 2004, 20:21

To stop or oppose ("betwisten") credit card payments: very good idea, although I'm afraid it will be too late. Depends which payment system V-Bird has with the credit card, and because of their financial problems, it could well be D+3. They then receive payments trough credit cards on their bank account 3 days after your payment. Companies without cash problems usually accept D+15. D+3 means: 4 days after your payment went through the machine, the money is already gone... Off the record and between us: I guess they're at 1,25% commission for D+3 and 1% for a D+15.

In Belgium, Visa and Mastercard/Eurocard are issued by Bank Card Company = www.bcc.be

"Compassion Fare": although airlines don't like it that you've prefered V-Bird above them, they hope that you become a client with them in the future. If they would charge you another 185 euro for flights that you've bought from V-Bird at 185 euro, there is no goodwill in it for them. So they will offer you a reduced rate, hoping you will be greatful for that offer next time you need a flight.

There are no strict rules for a Compassion Fare, so just ask it!

2F4U · Post by **2F4U** » 11 Oct 2004, 02:17

Nice site you have here.
Anyway, let's get to the point. Few years ago when Sabena went to bankcrupty I had 4 return tickets BRU-MCO in my hands. I was contacted by Sabena, just few days before they collapsed, to come over to apt desk to have tickets rewrited to AA. Unfortunately, I did not pay much attention for the rewriting process and Sabena agent just printed new flight details to old Sabena tickets. I went to AA immediately to check if they could confirm the flights and indeed they did. But closer to dep date I just called AA to double check and they told that my tickets are not valid anymore but I should contact Swissair instead. Called Swissair where they told that my tickets are worth nothing. Finally, after calling half a world around, I went to to see AA with my tickets and after investigating I was told the same as Swissair told me before. Fortunately, the AA agent was very helpful and she advised to check with credit card company if they can refund my tickets. Immediately after this I called Diners Club and they asked me to send a formal letter in, detached with the tickets, asking refund. After sending the letter to Diners I did not hear anything from them until 6 months after when I got my cc statement where they had refunded every single cent to say, no commission was deducted but I received full refund.

Post by **sn26567** » 11 Oct 2004, 11:19

Welcome to Luchtzak, 2F4U.

Your story had a happy end, but very often it does not happen like this, unfortunately.

henkjan99 · Post by **henkjan99** » 11 Oct 2004, 12:39

VBIRD is still NOT bankrupt!!!

See for more information the "Vbird stops operation"-post!

LX-LGX · Post by **LX-LGX** » 11 Oct 2004, 13:55

Henkjan, that's correct: V-Bird isn't bankrupt (yet). But with a total debt of some 10 to 15 mio euro's (source: De Telegraaf), it is very unlikeky that the company will be taken over before bankruptcy.

I know somebody who's working there, and he's still waiting for his salary of September. Trust that's the case for most of the staff.

MKAirlines · Post by **MKAirlines** » 11 Oct 2004, 17:11

You Never Know maybe they will go bankrupt en the name etc. will be bought ! and a new airline can go in to the sky just look at Pan Am 8)

henkjan99 · Post by **henkjan99** » 11 Oct 2004, 19:51

VBird will be up and running again soon, that's what the newspaper De Gelderlander has written... See http://hanky.web-log.nl and/or http://www.sgniederrhein.net

So, read (for the Dutch speakers) it and comment please!

taste · Post by **taste** » 12 Oct 2004, 00:39

Thanks for replying on my questions!

Honestly, I only have a bit of optimism that I at least can get some of my money back, because it sound pretty hard to get booked and cancelled flights refunded.

I have spoken with my bank NORDEA in Denmark and they said that it is not possible to cancel the money transaction.

And it is even not possible to read about V Bird's customer rules on their internet page due to investor negotiations and more...

I have read that the final outcome of these negotiations will be announced on Wednesday. Do you think the company will refund already booked ticket if it will run again???

B744skipper · Post by **B744skipper** » 12 Oct 2004, 11:27

I totaly agree with one of the spokesman: "It will be though".
But "Die hoffnung stirbt zuletzt", so I will be hoping that they will make it.
When they will make it, I wonder which aircraft they will use since ILFC has the aircraft back in Canada.

A318 · Post by **A318** » 12 Oct 2004, 22:04

henkjan99 wrote:VBird will be up and running again soon, that's what the newspaper De Gelderlander has written... See http://hanky.web-log.nl and/or http://www.sgniederrhein.net

So, read (for the Dutch speakers) it and comment please!

Don't think so since their Airbusses are already in Canada if that last info is correct.
On the other hand the company V-Bird can be saved but then their are still no planes.
The counting on the site are the days left for people with V-Bird tickets they can buy the special discounted Virgin tickets, 13 days to go for them otherwise they loose all.

Greetz,

Erwin

Buzz · Post by **Buzz** » 13 Oct 2004, 00:19

Who would want to restart a LCC (or any airline) with:
-a lot of debt
-the fuelprices still going up
-the hard winter months still to come (see MOL prediction)
-to much carriers allready

I feel really sorry for al the employees, but I don't see VBird going anywere anymore...

Post by **luchtzak** » 13 Oct 2004, 00:21

Member V-Bird has made a special V-bird gallery, you can watch those images here:

http://coppermine.luchtzak.be/thumbnails.php?album=209

Jumbolino · Post by **Jumbolino** » 13 Oct 2004, 08:41

As I read today (on airliners.de on their LCC Forum is a huge V Bird thread) also easyJet (from DTM) and germanwings offer a discount (flat price) tkt for "stranded" V-Bird PAX.

vbirdweblog · Post by **vbirdweblog** » 13 Oct 2004, 17:45

Still 24 hours to go for V-bird.. They first said that the result would be published at 18:00 uur, but now they say it will take another 24 hours..