Liverpool to New York route became mired in controversy

Oct 19 2007 by David Higgerson, Liverpool Daily Post

LAUNCHED in a blaze of glory with John Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, Flyglobespan’s Liverpool to New York route soon became mired in controversy.

And when the final flight takes off from JLA at the end of this month, many disappointed passengers will still be fighting for compensation.

Problems with the Boeing 757 brought in for the route led to repeat-ed cancellations and delays, culm-inating in a five-day suspension of services in early July, which left hundreds stranded in New York.

Even before the five-day delay, passengers had been forced to book other flights from New York to avoid long waits to return home.

Stroke nurse Jane Guy, 38, from Great Sankey, who travelled to New York in early June, was told the return flight had been cancelled, and she wouldn’t be able to get back for two days. “I was told by ground staff work-ing for Flylobespan I should buy a ticket and they would reimburse me. When I sent them the bill, which was more than $1,000, Flyglobe-span said they’d only refund the return leg of the fare I’d paid for with them, around £140, so I’m still several hundred pounds out.”

Neil and Diane Mitchell, from Greasby, Wirral, spent $1,908 returning from New York after their flight was cancelled. They received the full cost of their Flyglobespan flights back – £630 – but remain out of pocket, even though they were assured by staff at JFK they would get all their costs back.

In a statement on Flyglobespan’s Irish website in July, chairmanTom Dalrymple said: “We are determin-ed to put recent events behind us and move forward positively. We see a great future and go forward with confidence.”