KRALENDIJK - Patricia Weijtmans Lenoir and her family had been looking forward to a relaxing vacation in May on Curaçao, but what began as a promising trip ended in frustration and inconvenience due to cancellations and communication issues with JetAir. Last week, the airline filed for bankruptcy, seemingly nullifying Weijtmans Lenoir’s pending damage claim.
"We traveled to Curaçao in May," Weijtmans Lenoir begins her story. "Our outbound journey went smoothly. JetAir had a beautiful plane. The flight to Curaçao was fine. Nothing to complain about there. The problems started on our return trip. A day before our flight, we learned that it had been canceled."
That’s when the first issues arose. "We were supposed to fly back on Tuesday evening, but on Sunday morning, a plane got stranded due to an engine problem," she continues. "After numerous attempts to contact the company, I finally heard on Monday evening that our flight from Curaçao back to Bonaire was canceled."
Then began the long journey to find a solution. "We had to search for another flight. We did this by calling and emailing them. JetAir offered us a solution to fly back on Tuesday morning. This wasn't possible. I had business appointments that day that I couldn't reschedule," says Weijtmans Lenoir. "Ultimately, the first available flight was only on Thursday."
JetAir kept stringing travelers along
Although a replacement flight was eventually arranged, challenges continued when filing a claim for the additional costs incurred. "Initially, it seemed that the extra costs of about 450 dollars would be reimbursed," she says. "But soon I realized that the company was stringing us along. They kept asking for original receipts instead of bank statements. Later, when we did provide original receipts, the company became unreachable."
Now that the airline has filed for bankruptcy, the claims of those affected appear to be in vain. "I don't really know what steps I can take now. I simply don't have the time to start a lawsuit."