easyJet compensation - tip

[eyesy]

I recently got a flight for two people on easyJet. On Saturday they cancelled my flight for "operational reasons" (I take this to mean that it was probably under-booked).

Whilst they offered me a free amendment to my flight or a full refund, I wanted something more. I checked the T&C and noticed something about the customer "may" being entitled to upto 250 Euro if: -

(a) The cancellation happens within two weeks of the flight - this was 11 days before the flight, and
(b) The only alternative flights are > 4 hours different from the original (in our case, 12 hours apart).

Phoned them up (found non-0871 number on www.saynoto0870.com - geographical number and completely skips the queue (which was already > 15 minutes at 9.05 am), after some confusion and denials they agreed I would be entitled to the compensation of 250 Euro. Then I realised that it's for two people - so I ended up with 500 Euro or £315.

This wasn't mentioned anywhere in the flight cancellation email and they never mentioned it on the phone - only when I asked them about it did they admit it, and even then they first said that I wasn't eligible for it.

Bearing in mind that the flight only cost about £125 for the pair of us, easyJet have effectively paid us almost £200 for the privilege of flying out with them. Result!

[richardw]

easyJet are cancelling flights because they do not have enough crews to operate them, nothing to do with being under booked.

Just shows that if you don't ask you don't get.

This situation is affecting many peoples' holidays, which is disappointing.

[lily the pink]

I was contemplating booking easyjet for my holiday next year - but will probably not do so due to all the cancellations. Are there any patterns to the cancellations - ie are any destinations safer from cancelation than others or is it just hit and miss?

[o_t_e]

I'm waiting to here if my Prague flight is goiing to be effected later this week - so far that route has been ok. The thing i find galling is that if you go to the website, which is supposed to be the primary source of information about easyjet, there's no mention of cancellations; the 'latest news' section reads like a Pravda piece on the successes of Stalins latest five year plan.

By the way Eysey do you have a link to that part of the terms and conditions?

[WiseInvestor]

eyesy,

Well done for pushing for your entitlement according to the EU regulations.

It might be worth apologising to all those people who'd hoped to get a cheap flight in the future, when there are no 'low cost' airlines left once the Belgians have put them all out of business.

[eyesy]

For what it's worth, £300 odd quid for a rescheduled flight is much more than I expected - not that I'm complaining of course!

It's symptomatic though of no-frills operators in most industries - 10p minute customer services, premium rate lines, long call times etc. etc. are all necessary to give costs as low as possible, especially with such rulings. I suppose at the end of the day you get what you pay for.

When I found out that the flight had been cancelled, I was pretty peeved off because the only other flight they did that day was 12 hours later at 7.30pm, effectively wasting the first day of our holiday. However, now that I've got the money (or at least will have, it apparently takes 5-10 working days to action - why so long? I don't recall being able to tell them I'd pay them in 5-10 working days after ordering online!) I'm more than satisfied with the outcome.

[o_t_e]

WiseInvester surely you'd agree that 'low cost' should not mean low standards? While I'm sure eyesy appreciates being able to get some compensation, I'm equally sure he'd prefer to be travelling on the day and time that he planned and paid for. If Easyjet can't hold onto it's staff should eyesy be expected to grimace and bare it?

[richardw]

Originally Posted by WiseInvestor

eyesy,

Well done for pushing for your entitlement according to the EU regulations.

It might be worth apologising to all those people who'd hoped to get a cheap flight in the future, when there are no 'low cost' airlines left once the Belgians have put them all out of business.

The oil price is probably more likely to do this rather than the EU.

[WiseInvestor]

o_t_e,

Don't get me wrong, I think eyesy did the right thing. I'm just not sure the EU ruling is in the consumer's best interest. Forcing a budget carrier to pay customers to fly with them is hardly a successful business model now is it? Personally I couldn't care less because I never use them, simply because they never seem to go to where I need them to. The big carriers have been paying proper compensation for years, but they're not always operating in the consumer's best interests either - but they suit me.


richardw,

I disagree. Whilst the world is indeed grappling with record oil prices, the oil companies are making $billions in profits. There is only so much pain the world economy can take before governments start getting involved. It is true that there will be casualties along the way but there are solutions available to airlines to soften the blow (eg fuel hedging). Paying a planeload of passengers £300 to change their £100 tickets is, on the other hand, unsustainable.

[alared]

What was the Easyjet number you used that skipped the queue please?

[andyinyorkshire]

You should be able to get the EasyJet number through the www.saynoto0870.com search for easyjet using the company name. Under other information click on the Forum link... http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/f...num=1104504432

[waster]

Originally Posted by WiseInvestor

.........................Paying a planeload of passengers £300 to change their £100 tickets is, on the other hand, unsustainable.

Surely the point is that they only pay the planeload of passengers should THEY be responsible for the alteration? If they do not maintain their aircraft properley, carry an adequate stock of spare parts, do not have sufficient crew, are generally incompetent, etc., then why should the planeload of passengers suffer the consequences and costs involved?

EasyJet and Ryan Air make a shed load of profit at the expense of these planeloads' of passenger's. Up until the EU ruling they rode roughshod over everyone (Ryan Air in particular) and anyone that suited THEM. They acted like bullyboys and to some extent still do due to the majority's ignorance of what they are entitled to.

All that passengers want is what they were promised and what they paid for. They want to go on holiday, to be on time for business meetings/appointments, get to weddings and funerals when they take place, etc.,. Basically nothing more or less than the advertised product.

Whilst there will be situations where the delay or cancellation is outside the control of the airline we are not surely taliking about that, are we. In that circumstance the EU compensation is not generally applicable. However, where people lose day(s) or all of their holiday, are late or have to cancel appointments and meetings due to the poor organiation and/or management of the airline then why should the customer be expected to pay for any extra costs they incur? All the compensation does is attempt to offer some comfort to these passengers. And, after all, EasyJet knew the consequences when they, presumably, took the conscious management decision not to hire sufficient crew and thereby be in a situation where invariably they would have to cancel flights. And, whatsmore, the compenstaion they will actually pay (how many will claim it? 5% or less?) is probably less than the cost of operating that flight and the additional ground staff costs and therefore will possibly actually be a way of reducing rather than increasing their costs!

We all like the option of low cost but not at low standard and p*ss taking by certain airlines.

[DeadSet]

'I recently got a flight for two people on easyJet. On Saturday they cancelled my flight for "operational reasons" (I take this to mean that it was probably under-booked).

Whilst they offered me a free amendment to my flight or a full refund, I wanted something more. I checked the T&C and noticed something about the customer "may" being entitled to upto 250 Euro if: -

(a) The cancellation happens within two weeks of the flight - this was 11 days before the flight, and
(b) The only alternative flights are > 4 hours different from the original (in our case, 12 hours apart).'

This also happened to me - the cancellation was within 2 weeks of the flight and there was no alternative until the next day. However, I can't find any reference in the T&Cs to financial compensation. Am I missing something or have easyJet got onto it and removed that part?

[richardw]

More info http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air/ru...ctsheet_en.pdf

[DeadSet]

Originally Posted by richardw

More info http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air/ru...ctsheet_en.pdf

Thanks! I think that's more in easyJet's favour than mine as it says 'at least two weeks notice' - they notified me on Saturday 22/7 that a flight on Saturday 5/8 was cancelled.

At least I'll be more informed if it ever happens again.

[richardw]

What time on Sat 22/7 did they inform you? What time is your flight on Sat 5/8? Is it 14 days or more or 13 days and some hours notice that you have been given?

[tamsin archer badger]

I used easyjet last year for my honeymoon to Spain. They lost my bag with all my nice honeymoon clothes in for three days of a 7 day holiday.They said I could spend up to £25 a day on replacements but afterwards told me the first 24hrs don't count. After numerous times of loosing my letters and receipts 3 months later I got my compensation but because they'd lost my receipts I sent a copies which were very feint and actually got £25 more out of them!

[alared]

Originally Posted by andyinyorkshire

You should be able to get the EasyJet number through the www.saynoto0870.com search for easyjet using the company name. Under other information click on the Forum link... http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/f...num=1104504432

Wouldn`t it be easier to just say the number.
I`ve already looked at that forum and there are a lot of if,buts and maybes,with various numbers halfway round europe.

The OP has used a certain number with success within the last week so maybe he would care to share it.

[golddustmedia]

Originally Posted by eyesy

even then they first said that I wasn't eligible for it.

I'm curious about when companies try to weasel out of things, so in the interests of being prepared can I ask on what grounds they said you were not eligable? (Since your description of the circumstances make it clear you are eligable).

[WiseInvestor]

Originally Posted by waster

All that passengers want is what they were promised and what they paid for. They want to go on holiday, to be on time for business meetings/appointments, get to weddings and funerals when they take place, etc.

Do you think passengers who bought tickets for 1p+Tax have paid for the product they're buying? Of course not. In order to sell at this price the airline has to pack in lots of flights at very little cost. The slightest hiccup sends the whole operation into chaos. Personally, I'd never rely on a low cost airline to get me to a business meeting/wedding/funeral simply because everything is planned on a tightrope. Going on holiday, however, is another matter entirely where a couple of hours sat in an airport lounge is no great disaster given the price I've paid for my tickets.

My point, however, is that the surge of low cost carriers is undoutebdly fantastic news for us, the consumers. It would be crying shame to lose them simply because some EU court has decreed that all passengers deserve the same service/protection/compensation, irrespective of how much they've actually paid.

Of course £300 in the pocket is a result for the OP, but the rest of us may not be so lucky in future.