Canceled flights: Latam asks passengers to bear costs and sparks outrage

Passengers whose flights were canceled at Brasilia International Airport due to the cyclone that hit the state of São Paulo are concerned about the lack of information and the measures taken by airlines. This Thursday morning (11/12), long queues were still forming in the airport hall with people trying to reschedule their flights. In some cases, airlines ask passengers to cover accommodation costs for several days and request a refund.

Mechanic Igor Souza, 28, told Metropolises who was going to Maranhão for the holidays. He came from a flight from Campinas (SP), arrived in the capital at 6:30 p.m. and since then his “nightmare” began. “We have been here in this queue since 7 p.m. yesterday. Without eating, without sleeping, without any support,” he said.

He said Latam was offering an accommodation alternative in which passengers would have to cover the costs themselves until the next available flight, scheduled for Monday (15/12). “If we stay here until the 15th, they want us to go to a hotel and pay with our money, accommodation, food, everything, and then bring the bills so they can pay it back, who knows what day. If it’s a refund in that case, right? It gets complicated,” he said.

Student João Vitor, 36, also said he received an offer from Latam to go to the hotel alone, pay the fee and then request a refund. He also indicated that the company offered the possibility of rescheduling the flight on a chartered plane, but that this would also only be available on Monday (15/12).

Furthermore, the student said that the instructions given by the company, after the cancellation, were disorganized. “They told us to look for accommodation and that’s it. Then it became chaos, because there were few employees and there were more than a thousand people here,” João said.

A Latam employee who spoke to the report said there were no more hotels in Brasilia with the capacity to meet the company’s demands.

What does Latam say?

In a statement, Latam informed that passengers affected by cancellations and delays can stay online or book their hotel and transportation on their own.

If he chooses accommodation, the customer must keep his proof of payment so that the company can process the reimbursement. Just write to Latam via WhatsApp (+56 9 68250850) and there is no need to do it right away.

Still according to the company, passengers who have not had their flight canceled between December 10 and 12 also have the right to change their travel date free of charge up to 15 days later. This measure, according to Latam, will help decongest airports.

“Latam regrets the inconvenience caused by this situation totally beyond its control and reinforces its commitment to security in all its operations and decisions,” they added in a note.