Atunci cand iti predai la check-in geanta te astepti ca la destinatie sa ti-o recuperezi. Acest lucru nu se intampla intotdeauna pentru ca uneori bagajele se mai ratacesc si nu ajung la destinatie decat dupa cateva zile (daca au fost gasite, evident!). In cazul de fata bagajul meu nu a fost pierdut, dar nici nu a ajuns pe banda rulanta de la Otopeni. Un caz demn de dosarele (chi)X. Atentie… incepe…

Roma Fiumicino – Bucuresti Otopeni
Data: 2 ianuarie 2009
Zbor: AZ 502
Plecare/Sosire prevazuta: 21:40 / 00:55 (ora locala, a doua zi)
Plecare/Sosire real: 23.50 / 02:25
Aeronava: Airbus 321 / inregistrata: I-BIXG (botezata Piazza dei miracoli – Pisa)
Loc in avion:11A

Episodul 1: Un preludiu senzational
Ar fi trebuit sa ma intorc in tara pe 3 ianuarie. Insa o anulare a zborului meu de pe 3 ianuarie si mutarea mea intr-un avion al respectivei companii… dar pe 5 ianuarie, m-a facut sa ajung intr-un zbor Alitalia. Nimic rau pana aici pentru ca stiti ce mult imi place aceasta companie… cu toate cele prin care am trecut “impreuna”.

Episodul 2: Linistea dinaintea furtunii
Deci… iacata-ma in aeroportul Roma Fiumicino, proaspat dat jos dintr-un zbor de conexiune de la Napoli (care a ajuns “on time”). Ma indrept direct spre ecranele unde sunt afisate zborurile, si constat (fara stupoare) ca zborul meu a fost amanat cu o ora. Adica, in loc sa plece la 21.40, urma sa decoleze fara probleme la ora 22.40.

Asa ca… timp berechet (era ora 19.30) sa merg sa imi cumpar una doua reviste si sa mananc ceva. Asa ca am mers in “satelitul” terminalului C (portile C20 – C33) de unde de regula plecau zborurile spre Bucuresti (acum nu mai pleaca de aici… ci de la poarta C49, pana la care ai de mers… muuuuullllltttt) pentru ca acolo am un restaurant tip “impinge tava” favorit si exista cel mai bine aprovizionat news stand (zeci de titluri in limba engleza din mai multe domenii). Ca sa ajungi acolo urmezi sagetile care indica drumul spre C20 – C33 si apoi iei naveta SkyBridge care te duce in acest “satelit” al terminalului. De acolo te intorci tot cu naveta SkyBridge si apoi urmezi sageata “transfers”. Un dezavantaj al acestui drum este ca la intoarcerea in terminalul principal va trebuie sa treceti de un security check. Am cumparat o revista si am mancat pe cinste (cu numai 7,40 euro).

Episodul 3: Uite zboru’, nu e zboru’
Dupa ce am infulecat bucatele alese am revenit la terminal, am ars caloriile (pana la C49 e de mers cam jumatate de kilomteru, daca nu mai mult) si m-am asezat frumos pe un loc liber in fata portii de imbarcare C48 (la C49 erau ocupate sau rezervate) si m-am pus sa citesc. Trece timpul si iacata-ma la tot la poarta de imbarcare cu jumatate de ora inainte de noua ora de decolare care este tot 22.40 (anuntata de altfel in episodul trecut).

Baiatul de la poarta se imbraca si pleaca. In scurt timp apare un altul. se dezbraca, tasteaza la computer ceva… vorbeste la telefon. Pare agitat. Vine si explicatia: aeronava de la Bruxelles intarzie…. Cu aceasta aeronava trebuia sa plecam noi spre Bucuresti. A dat explicatia, s-a imbracat si a plecat. Revine, se dezbraca se agita si  in cele din urma… pe la 22.30 apare pe ecran semnul de boarding (doi omuleti electronici care se misca grabiti). Insa imbarcarea propriu-zisa a inceput abia in jurul orei 22.55.

PRECIZARE: nu s-au imbarcat mai intai familiile cu copii – desi erau vreo cinci, pasagerii de la Business Class sau membrii cluburilor de frequent flyers (Mille Miglia, Ulisse, Freccia Alata). S-a imbarcat dupa cum s-a nimerit.

In cele din urma am ajuns in fata aeronavei – cu un autobuz. Imbarcarea nu a fost tocmai rapida pentru ca toti pasagerii se imbarcau prin intrarea din fata – nu si pe la usa din spatele aeronavei. Lumea se facea comoda cu greu, bagajele mari si hainele multe. O nebunie, ce sa mai…. Asa ca se inainta anevoios. Am remarcat de asemenea ca si aeronava era o alta. Airbus-ul A320 din bilet fusese inlocuit cu un A321, mult mai mare si mai incapator. Avand locul pe randul 11, mi-am pierdut scaunul de la iesirea de siguranta. Acum aceasta se afla pe randul 10. Enervant, dar nu pot avea mereu ce-mi doresc, nu? In cele din urma decolam undeva intre 23.40 si 23.50, urmand sa zburam fara turbulente timp de o ora si 35 de minute pana la Bucuresti. In cele din urma am aterizat pe Otopeni in jurul orei 02.25. A venit autobuzul si lumea a inceput debarcarea.

Episodul 4: Nervii din creierii capului
In timp ce noi intram in autobuz am sesizat ca nu era nici o rampa pentru descarcarea bagajelor, precum nici o masinuta care sa le transporte la terminal. Avand in vedere ora tarzie, m-am gandit ca baietii de la handling se misca mai incet si nu m-am panicat.

Ajunsi la terminal – mai precis la benzile de unde iti poti ridica bagajul – un baiat de la handling ne spune (mirat si el) ca in cala avionului nu s-a gasit nici un bagaj. Nici macar unul!!! Apare un domn mic si cu burta de la securitatea aeroportului care ne spune ca trebuie sa mergem la birou (ne arata unde) sa sesizam lipsa bagajului. Toti cei peste 200 de pasageri! La 02.25. Ei bine, pana aici a fost… Romanul s-a apucat ca-si baga, ca-si scoate. Si pe mine m-au luat nervii… am cerut explicatii. Le-am intrebat pe cele doua domnisoare de la Menzies daca au sunat la Roma sa vada ce e cu bagajele sau daca l-au intrebat pe capitan de ce nu au venit bagajele si raspunsul a fost sec: nu am sunat/nu am vorbit ca oricum nu ar fi stiut sa ne spuna. Am trimis mesaj la Roma. Asa ca am sunat eu la Roma (la Alitalia Handling) unde mi s-a comunicat (de o tanti foarte indignata) ca ea are bagajele in fata. Mi s-a vorbit ca si cum eu eram vinovat ca bagajul meu este acolo.

in timp ce stateam la coada in fata biroului Menzies mi-am gasit partenere de facut misto pe Elena si Marlena care veneau de la un festival de tango. Si am facut haz de necaz pana pe la 4 dimineata cand ne-a venit randul la dat cu subsemnatul. Dupa care am luat un taxi spre casa unde am reusit sa ma culc pe la ora 5.30.

Episodul 5: In care se explica anumite chestii neintelese pana acum de catre cititor
- capitanul a stiu de la bun inceput ca bajele noastre nu sunt in cala. Dupa imbarcarea pasagerilor si a bagajelor se efectueaza un procedeu de “echilibrare” a aeronavei pentru ca aceasta sa fie in echilibru la decolare. In acelasi timp capitanul trebuie sa stie greutatea totala a aeronavei compusa din greutatea avionului, a celor de la bord si a bagajelor.
- m-a enervat cel mai tare lipsa de comunicare. si anume, ca nu au spus pasagerilor ca aeronava pleaca fara bagaje la Bucuresti.
- de ce au facut acest lucru este simplu de inteles: pentru ca s-a decis inlocuirea aeronavei initiale cu o alta in ultimul moment (cand s-a constata ca zborul de Bruxelles intarzie si mai mult) si aeronava trebuia sa decoleze cat mai repede pentru ca pierdea slotul dat de turnul de control de la Roma. Daca se pierdea acest slot…  am fi putut sta in avion pana la 5 dimineata si sa decolam dupa aceasta ora (dar probabil cu bagaje).

Episodul 6: SENZATIONAL! AU APARUT BAGAJELE!
Duminica toti pasagerii si-au recuperat bagajele ajunse cu zborul din noaptea de sambata spre duminica! Asa ca… Alitalia a reusit sa stabileasca un nou record: nu a pierdut nici un bagaj din cele aferente zborului AZ 502 Roma Fiumicino – Bucuresti Otopeni, din data de 2 ianuarie 2009. La mai mare stimata companie!

O data cu fuziunea celor doua companii, zborurile din/spre Bucuresti vor suferi modificari. Astfel, toate zborurile Roma – Bucuresti si retur, vor fi operate incepand cu data de 13 ianuarie cu aeronave Boeing 737-400 ale companiei AirOne. Personalul de bord va fi tot al acestei companii. Calatorii vor continua sa foloseasca ghiseele companiei Alitalia din aeroporturile Roma Fiumicino si Bucuresti Otopeni. Regulile pentru bilete raman neschimbate.

Aeronavele 737-400 ale Airone sunt configurate in doua clase – Business si Economy si pot transporta un maxim de 162 de pasageri.

Zborurile sunt:
AZ 494, Roma Fiumicino (FCO) 15:00 – Bucuresti Otopeni (OTP) 18:15
AZ 495, Bucuresti Otopeni (OTP) 19:05 – Roma Fiumicino (FCO) 20:25

AZ 502, Roma Fiumicino (FCO) 21:40 – Bucuresti Otopeni (OTP) 00:55 (a doua zi)
AZ 503, Bucuresti Otopeni (OTP) 06:05 – Roma Fiumicino (FCO) 07:25.

Zborurile AZ 7507 si AZ 7508 – Bucuresti – Roma – Bucuresti, vor fi operate de Tarom ca si pana acum.

Zborurile Milano – Bucuresti – Milano (AZ504 si AZ505) vor continua sa fie operate cu aeronave Alitalia. Din 14 ianuarie se schimba insa tipul de aeronava, trecanbdu-se de la vachile MD80 la mult mai noile Airbus A320.

Foto: flyairone.it

Compensation may however be refused if the technical problems stem from events which, by their nature or origin, are not inherent in the normal exercise of the activity of the air carrier and are beyond its actual control.

The Regulation on compensation and assistance to air passengers provides that, in case of cancellation of a flight, the passengers concerned have the right to compensation by the air carrier unless they are informed of the cancellation of the flight in due time. An air carrier is not however obliged to pay that compensation if it can prove that the cancellation is caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.

Mrs Wallentin-Hermann booked three seats on a flight with Alitalia from Vienna to Brindisi (Italy) via Rome for herself, her husband and her daughter. The flight was scheduled to depart from Vienna on 28 June 2005 at 6.45 a.m. and to arrive at Brindisi on the same day at 10.35 a.m. After checking in, the three passengers were informed, five minutes before the scheduled departure time, that their flight had been cancelled. They were subsequently transferred to an Austrian Airlines flight to Rome, where they arrived at 9.40 a.m., that is 20 minutes after the time of departure of their connecting flight to Brindisi, which they therefore missed. Mrs Wallentin-Hermann and her family arrived at Brindisi at 14.15 p.m.

The cancellation of the Alitalia flight from Vienna resulted from a complex engine defect in the turbine which had been discovered the day before during a check. Alitalia had been informed of the defect during the night preceding that flight. The repair of the aircraft, which necessitated the dispatch of spare parts and engineers, was completed on 8 July 2005.

Following Alitalia’s refusal to pay her compensation of EUR 250 and EUR 10 for telephone charges, Mrs Wallentin-Hermann brought legal proceedings. Alitalia having lodged an appeal against the judgment at first instance which found against it, the Commercial Court, Vienna, must now decide whether the technical problems which led to the cancellation of the flight were covered by ‘extraordinary circumstances’ which exempt from the obligation to pay compensation. The Commercial Court made a reference to the Court of Justice of the European Communities to enable it to interpret that concept.

In its judgment of today, the Court finds that in the light of the specific conditions in which carriage by air takes place and the degree of technological sophistication of aircraft, air carriers are confronted as a matter of course in the exercise of their activity with various technical problems to which the operation of those aircraft inevitably gives rise. The resolution of a technical problem caused by failure to maintain an aircraft must therefore be regarded as inherent in the normal exercise of an air carrier’s activity. Consequently, technical problems which come to light during maintenance of aircraft or on account of failure to carry out such maintenance do not constitute, in themselves, ‘extraordinary circumstances’.

However, it is not ruled out that technical problems are covered by ‘exceptional circumstances’ to the extent that they stem from events which are not inherent in the normal exercise of the activity of the air carrier concerned and are beyond its actual control. That would be the case, for example, in the situation where it was revealed by the manufacturer of the aircraft comprising the fleet of the air carrier concerned, or by a competent authority, that those aircraft, although already in service, are affected by a hidden manufacturing defect which impinges on flight safety. The same would hold for damage to aircraft caused by acts of sabotage or terrorism.

The Court states that, since not all extraordinary circumstances confer exemption, the onus is on the party seeking to rely on them to establish that, even if it had deployed all its resources in terms of staff or equipment and the financial means at its disposal, it would clearly not have been able – unless it had made intolerable sacrifices in the light of the capacities of its undertaking at the relevant time – to prevent the extraordinary circumstances with which it was confronted from leading to the cancellation of the flight. The fact that an air carrier has complied with the minimum rules on maintenance of an aircraft cannot in itself suffice to establish that that carrier has taken all reasonable measures so that it is relieved of its obligation to pay compensation.

Press release n° 100/08 (22 Dec 2008) from the European Court of Justice:
Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-549/07 (Friederike Wallentin-Hermann versus Alitalia)

Press release is here (PDF, english)

All the court case is here (french)

Alitalia’s MD’s are going to Africa
Alitalia will start selling the grounded planes, hopping to get some extra cash flow in this way. Most of the retired aircrafts are at least 25 years old. I don’t know how they managed to keep them in a good shape and flying but they managed it. I have my doubts now that those planes will be able to keep on flying, mostly because they will be sold to a leased company based in Africa. Then (after a full check-out and maintenance process) the company will lease the planes to a company called 1Time that is flying from Zanzibar to some cities in South Africa. So… I have my doubts those plane will resist a lot up there in the skies. (link)

New Alitalia is flying from January 12th. With some conditions of course…
The new Alitalia – Compagnia Aerea Italiana or Italian Air Company – will start operate from 12th of January 2009. Till then the Alitalia and AirOne existing planes will have to be re-branded and the new routes map will have to be announced. The antitrust EU Commission gave the OK to the new company but with some conditions. The most important one for passengers is that the new company will have to cut 10% (at least!) from the seat price (fare price without taxes and surcharges). This has been ruled because Italians showed concern about the thing that the new company who will have a monopole on lots of internal routes will rise the prices.

Lufthansa plays with the fire (of course, my opinion!)
After buying Brussels Airlines (ex- Sabena) and dropping the plans to get SAS (Scandinavian Airlines), Lufthansa is getting more closer with a deal of Austrian Airlines. It seems Lufthansa has a lot of money to spend in a crisis period when most of the airlines try to keep the planes flying and try not to cut jobs. Anyway… it’s a curious thing about Lufthansa plans… that will form the biggest company in the Belgium-Germany-Austria zone.

Bonus: Wizzair may open Bucharest – Napoli – Bucharest flight.

Extra-bonus: Ryanair could start operating one flight from Bucharest. Can you guess the destination?