CTA to be reborn......Why ???

fiendishpaul


Joined: 18/05/2008
Posts: 1720

Message Posted:
09/09/2010 10:59

After the farce of CTA going to the wall owing tens of millions and the additional shennanigans of the bidding process to decide who was going to replace the airline. Why oh why, now that an 'effective' airline is in place has the 'government' allegedly decided to try and resurrect CTA. I appreciate the perceived 'kudos' of having a national airline but the government has already clearly demonstrated that they are incapable of running it even close to profitability.



I could be cynical and guess that there are a number of 'relatives' and 'friends' looking for work. "Ah, Mehmet my friend, so sorry to here that you have had to close down your illegal slaughterhouse, how does Chairman of the new CTA sound ? Do you need to know anything about the airline industry ? Of course not, this is the TRNC and you have alwayn been a great friend to the family."

But to be quite honest I haven't a clue as to why they would wish to go down this rocky road again.



Any ideas ??

clifhanger


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 128

Message Posted:
09/09/2010 11:01

misplaced sense of national pride maybe ???

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
09/09/2010 11:02

Paul I was completely baffled when I heard. Do you think by Turkish Airlines operating it brings us a step closer to becoming part of turkey x

fiendishpaul


Joined: 18/05/2008
Posts: 1720

Message Posted:
09/09/2010 11:26

Lilli



That is anyone's guess, I just hope that if Turkish Airlines get the contract, they are left to run it as a Turkish Airlines business without interference from the TRNC government.



It will also be interesting to see what happens if Atlasjet's contract is broken, will they sue for compensation ?? After all, the breaking of contracts in the TRNC is nothing new



What I am sure of is that the people of the TRNC (TC's, expats, et al) deserve an airline that they can rely on and buy tickets with the confidence that they will actually get on their flight at the designated time/date.



Small wonder that more and more are choosing to fly from the South.



Paul

Earlybird


Joined: 28/04/2009
Posts: 816

Message Posted:
09/09/2010 11:30

At least now I know why, when I went into Atlasjet to book tickets for November I was told "the timetable will be out in October"!

newscoop


Joined: 23/12/2007
Posts: 2197

Message Posted:
09/09/2010 11:58

I actually quite liked CTA, ok the staff weren't the happiest but name me a TC civil servant that is.



Yes they were a bit overstaffed, 6 or 7 planes and 750 plus employees but for the UK their network was bloody good, how many flights are there to London and Manchester now?



By contrast Anadolu jet with the same amount of planes has around 250 workers.



Turkish own Anodolu so if they came in and re-established some version of CTA do you really think they would employ 3 times the staff and appoint dentists and teachers to run the airline?





I think not!

fiendishpaul


Joined: 18/05/2008
Posts: 1720

Message Posted:
09/09/2010 12:03

Newscoop



"Yes they were a bit overstaffed, 6 or 7 planes and 750 plus employees but for the UK their network was bloody good, how many flights are there to London and Manchester now?"



Loads from Larnaca and Pahos



"Turkish own Anodolu so if they came in and re-established some version of CTA do you really think they would employ 3 times the staff and appoint dentists and teachers to run the airline?"



Only if the 'government' keep their noses out of it.



Cynical I know but I couldn't help myself



Paul

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
09/09/2010 13:48

Atlas have not been generous in their business terms* or methods to Travel Agents & Tour Operators and many agents have consequently refused to work with them.

*i.e. requiring substantial deposits in advance to allow tou to purchase flights that you might not sell.

When they were chartered to TWI in the past they seemed to be good.

After the problems with CTA which Atlas have done a lot to help with. Atlas seemed to be a little greedy with little in return for their agents.

I might be wrong about this and it might be that they are worried about a resurrected CTA coming along.

Many agents & operators like ourselves have money still in KTHY's coffers and will not look kindly at giving further deposits out when the airlines are also trying to sell directly to you sometimes at prices which are lower than they give to agents.

The above are personal thoughts only.

fiendishpaul


Joined: 18/05/2008
Posts: 1720

Message Posted:
09/09/2010 14:04

Tom



I understand your concerns, but do you not think that by trying to resurrect CTA and in turn reneging on their contract with Atlasjet, the government will only further dent any remaining confidence that customers may have in airlines serving the TRNC and potentially frighten off airlines that may wish to serve the TRNC in the future should direct flights become a reality ?



The current situation is hardly a confidence builder.



Paul

bimbo


Joined: 31/03/2007
Posts: 112

Message Posted:
09/09/2010 18:05

Booked flights for Jan to Feb 211 with cta, emailed Atlasjet, resonse was We are sorry. This date is invalid.

You can use CAT tickets until December 31,.2010. no exlainaton ?

sent email back asking why >



bimbo

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
09/09/2010 18:09

Given the poor track record... can you see anybody wanting to chance paying for tickets with this 'phoenix from the ashes' lot?



Or a credit card company wanting to do business with them for that matter....

zcacmxi


Joined: 30/11/2008
Posts: 388

Message Posted:
09/09/2010 18:29

They are probably not the first business/airline to go in to adminstration and then start up a new one... Lessons learnt and all that.



Probably a good ploy by the Turkish government to get rid of all the excess baggage that CTA had accumulated over the years, and start up fresh..

mahdel


Joined: 28/05/2009
Posts: 255

Message Posted:
09/09/2010 18:34

I was quite happy to rebook with Atlasjet for november and they were going to be happy to rebook me as well, at least until the government got all stupid. Then comes the CT government saying "ehhh, maybe we'll give it to Turkish Airlines for some reason known only to Eroglue and whoever else got the bribe." Now I either have to pay for a ticket at bayram time in November or hope the local government manages not to screw me. I'll give it till the beginning of october, then I know what i'm betting on. Maybe i'll shout about suing for a while and they'll give me a partial refund, but I highly doubt it. This is a fiasco on top of an idiocracy.

newscoop


Joined: 23/12/2007
Posts: 2197

Message Posted:
09/09/2010 19:11

fiendishpaul;



"loads from Larnaca and Pathos"



never done it, always from Ercan. (or Gecitkale)



You may have heard of them, they're the airports in the north.

fiendishpaul


Joined: 18/05/2008
Posts: 1720

Message Posted:
09/09/2010 20:29

Newscoop



Yep, I know where they are, never used them, always from Larnaca or Pafos. I like to know that I have a better than evens chance of getting away on time, if at all !!



Paul

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
09/09/2010 21:31

1 : Look at the banner below the title of this page.. and smile or laugh.



2 : Doesn't this sum up the whole sorry CTA-mess (from Cyprus Today, September 8, 2010, page 4):



"It has now emerged that



- the government had been in talks with Turkish Airlines,

- before shaking hands on a deal with Pegasos Airlines

- and then going ahead and giving the five-year task of reviving CTA to Atlasjet."



Is there another country where this could happen?!

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
09/09/2010 21:36

Msg 16 (follow-up): Not all browsers may show banners, so here's a screenshot of the banner I mentioned in my msg.

http://www.allcrusades.com/BB_pics/cta_screenshot.jpg

High Priest


Joined: 12/04/2008
Posts: 148

Message Posted:
10/09/2010 00:45

Good, maybe then I can get the £600 back that I spent with Turkish Airlines when CTA failed to provide our flights back to Manchester in June. I don't think so somehow. What about answering a few letters CTA and pay out what you owe in consequential loss.

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
10/09/2010 01:22

we all loose out , its a mess. I ONLY HOPE THERE IS ONE TO GET US OUT sorry caps locked of here xxxx

davedee



Joined: 01/12/2008
Posts: 479

Message Posted:
10/09/2010 02:50

Archie i got my money back from VISA DEBIT Nationwide how did you pay as it is not just credit cards that repay.



Dave.

High Priest


Joined: 12/04/2008
Posts: 148

Message Posted:
11/09/2010 14:43

Currently going through it with Virgin Credit card, 5 letters and 50 odd pages of evidence to them to show that they are responsible. Numerous forms to fill in etcetera. They even asked for CTA's terms and conditions of booking. Still waiting.

newscoop


Joined: 23/12/2007
Posts: 2197

Message Posted:
11/09/2010 18:19

fiendishpaul;



used CTA four/five times a year for ten years, one bad delay.



Moggie over for free.



Ability to mix and match for no charge, in one airport out another.



Not a bad record.

mikelapta



Joined: 20/11/2008
Posts: 2186

Message Posted:
11/09/2010 18:24

and after CTA,maybe ONUR...remember them?

susie123


Joined: 01/07/2010
Posts: 13

Message Posted:
13/09/2010 18:02

Hi, I got my flights (ex Manchester in July) refunded from Egg card plus interest. They haven't given me my consequential losses for booking the new flights yet and told me to ring consumer direct whose advise is to quote section 75 of consumer credit act 1974 and hopefully they will reimburse, if not get the financial ombudsman on to them. So fingers crossed !! has anybody else been successful in getting the consequential losses of the extra flight price ???

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
13/09/2010 19:45

Susan Msg 24 - I suspect you might find that consequential losses on the card companies might be harder than you think as they will assume that most will be tall stories with their clients trying to pull flankers.

kaiserphil


Joined: 14/12/2008
Posts: 1096

Message Posted:
13/09/2010 19:56

Certainly I remember Onur Air. One of the rear toilets was always out of order. I discovered eventually that it was full of the crew's contraband.

The cabin crew used the front toilet to smoke!

High Priest


Joined: 12/04/2008
Posts: 148

Message Posted:
13/09/2010 20:10

Flight holiday,



How on earth can anyone 'pull a flanker' when they ask for new ticket receipts, copies of new tickets, copies of new boarding cards and copies of bank/credit card statements to prove the purchase. They also check with the airline to see if you actually flew. This is all in addition to them checking that you couldn't fly according to the original booking and also check that the airline is bust and the flight was withdrawn.

High Priest


Joined: 12/04/2008
Posts: 148

Message Posted:
13/09/2010 20:18

I doubt I would fly CTA or Atlasjet now even if they offered us free tickets. In my opinion their attitude is so poor it makes me wonder whether this stretches as far as the condition of their planes, servicing etc.

Give me Monarch anytime and their prices are really good too. Flying to Larnaca only adds 1/2 hour on to our journey anyway.

nick1


Joined: 06/07/2010
Posts: 20

Message Posted:
13/09/2010 20:20

i took the replacement flights with atlasjet then claimed from hsbc for consequential loss having to rebook parking and for having to pay for agents fee total of £200,they agreed to pay and my cc has been refunded.

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
14/09/2010 01:17

Archie Msg 27 - You have made my point for me they are (possibly understandably) asking for excesive proof that you have good reason to claim on the flights. So for consequential loss you will understand if they are even more careful.

There are some clients who do try to "spin a yarn" and the rest of us have to go through hoops to prove we are not one of them. I have seen a number of them try to make excessive claims and I am sorry to say with me it starts to tone how I deal with other customers.

fiendishpaul


Joined: 18/05/2008
Posts: 1720

Message Posted:
14/09/2010 07:31

Newscoop



Re Msg 22



I do not deny that CTA used to provide a good service, it is a great pity that the business went 'pear shaped' over such a relatively short period of time. I have only been this side for 2 years having spent the previous 2 and a half years in the South but quickly recognised that CTA was only going to go one way. I decided to stick to what I know and trust in.



There is no reason why an airline cannot be successful in the TRNC provided 'airline' people are allowed to run it and the state with all its associated croneyism and nepotism stays out of the equation.



Just my opinion of course



Paul

susie123


Joined: 01/07/2010
Posts: 13

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 13:35

Hooray, just got my claim appeal settled from Egg card for the additional consequential losses incurred when I had to rebook my flights, thanks for all the good tips on this site

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 14:17

Susan Msg 32 - good to know. Did they make it hard for you?

susie123


Joined: 01/07/2010
Posts: 13

Message Posted:
20/10/2010 15:34

Hi Tom, re my message 24, i quoted this section of consumer act holding them jointly and severably liable and gave them 14 days to respond, I had already sent them copies of the new flight costs/booking which I put on the same card with my original claim. Glad I got reimbursed but as a financial institute I can't believe that they turned me down in the first place when they know they are liable, just hope everyone else follows it through ! I got the link of the consumer direct info on another thread on this site but can't remember which one

apc2010


Joined: 28/07/2010
Posts: 1689

Message Posted:
21/10/2010 02:44

end of the line ...........





http://www.cyprus-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=29428

susie123


Joined: 01/07/2010
Posts: 13

Message Posted:
21/10/2010 12:50

Hey apc, that's a sicko dirty joke link you posted ???!!

apc2010


Joined: 28/07/2010
Posts: 1689

Message Posted:
21/10/2010 17:22

sorry wrong copy and paste should have been ...............



http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=debt-hit-cyprus-carrier-comes-to-end-of-the-line-2010-10-20