FLIGHT DISRUPTIONS: Volcano ash from Iceland hits UK flight plans

AngelBadger

My Dad went to the airport and it seems that ryanair are claiming no responsibility. Big sign up saying flights cancelled, ryanair take no responsibility for the cancellation. No staff there to even speak to.

Can't get through to anyone at customer services with who they booked the package with, so now onto the lovely 10p per minute ryanair customer services (7min wait to be expected). Website says they have no flights back available until next Friday hahaha.

totalzoomer

FH_Brit wrote: »

TOTALZOOMER - No - Credit card coverage as you put it, insures or guarntees you against fraud and not getting service or product you paid for. As the airlines, they are within the law by offering refund or re-booking they are not defrauding you and therefore the CC company will not refund you.

You can "go about it" by calling your credit card customer service number (on your card or statement) but I think you will fiond out they won't.

THANKS!

i am able sort my flight refund out ok but i booked a match break with thomas cook sport, including football match ticket and accomodation only-if i am unable to attend this due the flight chaos, do i then have a leg to stand on with the credit card company as i have been advised i dont have mch of a chance with TC!

Pelican_eats_pigeon

AngelBadger wrote: »

My Dad went to the airport and it seems that ryanair are claiming no responsibility. Big sign up saying flights cancelled, ryanair take no responsibility for the cancellation. No staff there to even speak to.

Can't get through to anyone at customer services with who they booked the package with, so now onto the lovely 10p per minute ryanair customer services (7min wait to be expected). Website says they have no flights back available until next Friday hahaha.

Well, in that case they have no option other than to take care of your family's meals/accommodation till next Friday! Would be worth taking pictures of the sign as evidence in case your family has to take action to reclaim the money!

Col9

AngelBadger wrote: »

Can't get through to anyone at customer services with who they booked the package with, so now onto the lovely 10p per minute ryanair customer services (7min wait to be expected). Website says they have no flights back available until next Friday hahaha.

Sadly it seems you get what you pay for when it comes to Ryanair.

I was due to fly out at 6:30pm this evening to Milan to start a new job in Lake Como on Monday. Thankfully the owner of the Villa has been 100% understanding irrespective that a lot of things need to be sorted out with a Head of State staying there in the next few weeks!

As for Ryanair, I think they just want to bury their heads in the sand since I dont think its possible for any company to be so useless.

This morning it would just give the usual 2-3mins of automated crap @ 10p per min before automatically disconnecting. Nice...
This afternoon I actually got passed this point and was put on hold for 7 of their Irish mins (aka 15 UK mins) before being automatically disconnected.

A bit unfair since a lot of people are stuck, if Ryanair doesnt have a desk open at some airports I really do feel for those people trying to get home because they certainly arent going to be able to get a hold of them by phone!

Pelican_eats_pigeon

hieveryone wrote: »

Can I clarify some details with the more knowledgeable people here?

I'm currently stuck in New York - I flew with Continental from Glasgow to Newark and was due to return on Wednesday.

Continental have offered us nothing at all - no meal vouchers, no accommodation, and I have spent 2 nights so far in a hotel costing >$100.

I am provisionally booked on a flight leaving on Tues (:o!!!), arriving in LONDON on Wednesday, and will need to make my own way back from London.

Any ideas what my rights are?

Thanks

It's worth asking Continental but as they are not an EC carrier and they are starting a flight from outside the EC, you aren't covered by the EC regulation.

Continental's own Ts & Cs disclaim responsibility for reasons of weather and for acts of god so if you can get anything out of them it will be purely discretionary. Never does harm to ask though!

scottiepaul

Yeah continential won't do anything. My mum is in Newark and is in transit back to Edinburgh (started in San Diego), was put onto the Frankfurt flight tonight which has been cancelled, and then was told next flight was direct to Edinburgh on Friday.

She is having to pay for an extra 9 days of accomodation in New York and not getting a penny.


As its a return Continental are offering a crap refund but gonna try and book something else and get her to take that money back.

FH_Brit

Cityboy wrote: »

FH Brit

Sorry to have to contradict you but your VA contact is sadly mistaken. Airlines are liable for the 'right to care' under article 9 of EC 261/2004 no matter what the circumstances, as well as the passengers' choice of a refund or re-route.

Full regulation here: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32004R0261:EN:HTML.

Airlines are only absolved from paying the entitlement to compensation under articles 5 & 7 due to the current 'extraordinary circumstances'.

in that link -
"(16) In cases where a package tour is cancelled for reasons other than the flight being cancelled, this Regulation should not apply."

So if you booked with Virgin Holidays a Flight/villa/hotel package then it is exempt from that rule that you linked to.

"(17) Passengers whose flights are delayed for a specified time should be adequately cared for and should be able to cancel their flights with reimbursement of their tickets or to continue them under satisfactory conditions."

And the BIG question is what is "Adequate"? A blanket & Bread and Cheese is adequate but most people want the Ritz and Caviar.

AngelBadger

Cityboy wrote: »

Sorry to hear your Dad went to the airport and had a wasted journey. Make sure they get hotel/meal receipts as well as airport transfer receipts when they do finally travel home.

Apparently he tried to get in touch with Ryanair before going but no joy, at least he didn't drag along my Mum and the boys. I've told my Mum to make sure she gets reciepts for everything. They've just booked into their hotel again for tonight and extended the car hire. Apparently my brothers friend has an apartment in the area so he's looking into that, which if there are problems with getting money back for accom later will make life easier/ cheaper.

Personally I can't stand Ryanair and would be begrudged to use them, especially as I don't think they work out cheaper in the end for the majority.

I need to stop stressing now. I've just spoken to my Mum and Dad and they're fine, totally relaxed, it's me that's having panics about it all lol. They've decided now to just leave things until flights start going again, then they'll try again to get things sorted.

Pelican_eats_pigeon

FH_Brit wrote: »

in that link -
"(16) In cases where a package tour is cancelled for reasons other than the flight being cancelled, this Regulation should not apply."

So if you booked with Virgin Holidays a Flight/villa/hotel package then it is exempt from that rule that you linked to.

"(17) Passengers whose flights are delayed for a specified time should be adequately cared for and should be able to cancel their flights with reimbursement of their tickets or to continue them under satisfactory conditions."

And the BIG question is what is "Adequate"? A blanket & Bread and Cheese is adequate but most people want the Ritz and Caviar.

These paragraphs you are quoting are not actually part of the Regulation but just form the preamble giving the reasons for its existence. Scroll down to Articles 5 and 9 for the relevant legislation.

scottiepaul

booked my mum onto an aer lingus flight via dublin on monday night.

they will keep hold of the continental flight just now incase its not cleared on Monday and aer lingus is cancelled and can't get them back earlier than friday.

Means that if Aer Lingus cancel they will at least get accomodation, and if it goes they can get a "refund" (I think its only travel vouchers) from Continental when they get back by cancelling prior to scheduled departure.