Airlines offer 'rescue fares' to thousands stranded by Wow Air collapse

Airlines have moved to assist up to 10,000 people stranded by the collapse of Iceland’s Wow Air, the latest in a string of European airline failures The budget airline’s website said Thursday it had ceased operations and all flights had been canceled.  Its 11 aircraft were grounded in North America and Europe. Surprised customers expressed anger at the short notice given before the closure. "I got a message saying 'flight canceled' and I'm trying to figure out what's going on,'' stranded passenger Enzo Arbcco told ABC news in the US.  "And some lady at a desk tells me how they just went  bankrupt.' "No one was there to give me advice,'' said passenger Mary Sapp.  "No, we were just left and then when once we found  they were bankrupt, are we even going to refund us?" READ: Ryanair to launch Buzz later this year. Wow advised passengers to check available flights with other airlines, noting that some may offer reduced “rescue fares” to help get stranded passengers home. Norwegian, Icelandair. easyJet and Wizz Air, British Airways, XL Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Aer Lingus were among the airlines to announce help for stranded passengers, according to the Icelandic Transport Authority. Passengers were also advised to contact credit card and travel insurance companies, while who bought their flight from a European travel agency as part of a package tour were told they would be protected by the package travel Directive. Others will have to take their chances with an administrator or liquidator. The airline has been on the endangered list for some time and talks about a potential sale have been conducted with Icelandair and Indigo Partners. Ryanair predicted earlier this year that there more airline failures in the competitive European market. The airline noted that higher oil prices and lower airfares had seen “a wave of EU airline failures” including Primera, Small Planet and Azur (Germany), Sky Works (Switzerland), Cobalt (Cyprus)  and Cello (UK). Since then, Flybmi and now Wow have also ceased operations.