Is the airline scamming me?

plurasaurus

I was supposed to be flying out to Turkey tonight. Due to Icelandic volcanic activity I am now sitting in my living room watching the greatest pop hits of the noughtys on MTV safe in the knowledge that I shall be flying out again in a couple of weeks instead. Thomas Cook canceled the flight and informed me that they would send me out on another flight. If the new flight cost less than the original I will get the difference refunded. If the new flights are more then I will need to pay the difference. All this is fair enough. However in a cunning ploy to make more money from me, the airline have hiked their prices up £50! should I have to pay the price of the new flight at the new higher rate or at the rate that the new flights were at when the old flights were canceled?

Pelican_eats_pigeon

Rubbish! They have to rebook you for free!

duchy

You pay based on the prevailing rate on the day you book the new flights (and the above poster is incorrect)

ERICS_MUM

Pelican_eats_pigeon wrote: »

Rubbish! They have to rebook you for free!

Why ? It's not their fault, they have lost /will lose a lot of money themselves from this volcano malarkey. It might be worth the OP checking TC's booking terms and conditions to see just what they agree to do in such circumstances. The OP's travel insurance might cover any additional costs, but £50 would likely be swallowed up by the excess element.

It's not always possible to safeguard yourself 100% against anything in life and I think this is one such occasion.

Linda

photome

I am inclined to go along with Pelicans advice, search his/her threads for links to EC regulations

nico26

duchy wrote: »

You pay based on the prevailing rate on the day you book the new flights (and the above poster is incorrect)

So that means my sons boss who is stuck abroad is expected to pay the £1000 which the seat is being advertised at on the airlines website. The return flight was only £90 I dont think so.

reformedEffortMaker_2

they have to rebook for free!....ignore any comments that say otherwise. I'm in greece now, trying to get on a new flight, and will not be charged, and that's with easyjet!!...if easyjet arent charging, then i doubt anyone else can

plurasaurus

Thanks for that.Cityboy Relevant articles are reproduced here for anyone else in the same situation:

32004R0261

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights, and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 295/91 (Text with EEA relevance) - Commission Statement
Article 5
Cancellation
1. In case of cancellation of a flight, the passengers concerned shall:
(a) be offered assistance by the operating air carrier in accordance with Article 8;




Article 8
Right to reimbursement or re-routing
1. Where reference is made to this Article, passengers shall be offered the choice between:
C) re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to their final destination at a later date at the passenger's convenience, subject to availability of seats.


Article 10
Upgrading and downgrading
1. If an operating air carrier places a passenger in a class higher than that for which the ticket was purchased, it may not request any supplementary payment.
If an operating air carrier places a passenger in a class lower than that for which the ticket was purchased, it shall within seven days, by the means provided for in Article 7(3), reimburse


Article 7


3. The compensation referred to in paragraph 1 shall be paid in cash, by electronic bank transfer, bank orders or bank cheques or, with the signed agreement of the passenger, in travel vouchers and/or other services.