Easyjet "cancelled flight"

arsenalboy

We were booked on 0835 flight from Luton to Pisa on 23rd October. We were called to gate with plane sitting waiting for us, there was then confusion amongst staff until they told us Easyjet were cancelling the flight due to "strike action" at Pisa airport.
We were given a fact sheet outlining our rights under EU 261/2004 for cancelled flights. This states that "if easyjet can prove cancellation is due to extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken" they are not liable for compensation. It goes on to state that strike action is one of those circumstances. We have since received a refund of the air fare but the compensation is a set amount per person of 250 euros which they say they are not liable for.
The first thing I did after leaving Luton airport was to ring our hotel in Florence to cancel. The hotel receptionist was surprised and was able to tell me that the strike did not affect Pisa airport. Later that evening I went onto the Pisa airport website and checked the arrivals for the day. It showed that out of 40 flights, 37 had landed and 3 were cancelled. The cancelled flights were our flight and 2 ryanair flights. Incidentally, Easyjet had 5 other flights which landed at Pisa that day from other UK airports.
It would appear that Italy had random public sector strikes that day.

I intend fighting Easyjet all the way to small claims court etc.

I would like peoples views as to whether they should pay compensation.
They obviously cancelled in good faith but got it horribly wrong. Are they covered by having taken "all reasonable measures".

Thanks in advance for peoples thoughts.

OlliesDad

I absolutely think that Easyjet should compensate you for the losses that you incurred.

I would write to them detailing what you have written above, and then include any receipts/statements highlighting what you have lost, but i wouldn't get greedy by quoting "loss of enjoyment" etc as this will be laughed at.

Out of interest, what losses did you incur?

dmg24

Have you asked Pisa Airport, or the relevant air authority, why the flight was cancelled? If the Italian air authorities agree that the cancellation was due to strike action, you may well hit a brick wall.

arsenalboy

The losses I incurred were prebooked hotel in Florence which was non refundable as I got special rate. The compensation is a set rate of 250 euros per person. This is laid down by the EU directive and is enforcable if the airline is at fault. It is payable in full or not at all, no middle ground.

DMG24, as regards your comment I do agree. From the research I have done it appears there have been over 400 public sector stikes called in Italy this year with the majority called off at the last moment. It appears the idea is to call maximum confusion and disruption without actually losing pay!!
However, the fact remains that all but 3 flights landed with no more than a 20 min gap at anytime. I am trying to put myself in the position of county court judge in whether Easyjet were reasonable in cancelling. I am trying to see both sides of the argument, hence the reason for posting.

dmg24

It is irrelevant whether other flights landed, you need the information regarding your flight from the relevant authority.

It is possible that it was not Easyjet that chose to cancel the flight, ATC may have refused them clearance. You need to find this out.

Building up a picture of surrounding circumstances may help you to put events into perspective, but you need more definitive information. Based on the information given here, a DJ would not entertain your claim.

arsenalboy

Thanks for your comment DMG and I do entirely accept what you are saying although doubt whether I will get any sense out of the Pisa authorities. If the tactic is to call strikes and abandon them they are hardly likely to give me a true line.
What I cannot get away from is the fact that 37 flights out of 40 landed. There were no gaps in time sense on arrivals throughout the day. The 2 ryanair flights that were cancelled, it would appear that ryanair cancelled all its flights to Italy very early that morning in anticipation of the strike which did happen at other airports apparently. So if you exclude ryanairs pre emptive stance, that would mean that ATC at Pisa had only targetted strike action on 1 flight out of 40? That would seem very unlucky if it where true!

Hintza

Could it be that your flight was relatively early in leaving, before they had a clear indication that the strike was cancelled?

Tricky one.

arsenalboy

therefore if easyjet was the only airline to get it wrong had they taken "all reasonable steps" before cancelling? That is the acid test under the EU regulation.
Our flight was due to arrive at lunchtime local time. When our flight was cancelled, flights had been landing all morning, 13 in total at that stage. Quite a lot for Pisa!!
Thanks for all these replies, it helps with my thought process.

RobertoMoir

The cancelled flights were our flight and 2 ryanair flights.

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arsenalboy wrote: »

therefore if easyjet was the only airline to get it wrong had they taken "all reasonable steps" before cancelling? That is the acid test under the EU regulation.

Unless the two companies merged when no-one was looking, you've said yourself that Easyjet were not the only airline to "get it wrong". And I suspect the fact that ryanair cancelled too suggests that both were advised to do so by the airport.

Frank_Rizzo

I was supposed to be on an Easyjet flight that very same day from Luton to Glasgow which was cancelled. We were told that this was due to staff shortages. I wrote a letter to them claiming EU compensation and they have now agreed to pay this. I suggest you go ahead and apply for it. You've got nothing to lose.

pinkshoes

Frank, I'm amazed you got a sensible response from Easyjet, as their customer services is one of the worst I have ever come across, and I had to give up after numerous letters and emails!!