BMI Baby have cancelled flights

swivellingmonk

A couple of months ago, I booked 2 flights to and from Jersey (from Bournemouth) in September.

BMI Baby have sent me an e-mail today to say they have been cancelled.

They will refund my "total costs" - does anyone know whether this will include the £12 debit card fee?

If not, is there any way of getting this back please? I've already been stung for a 25Euro cancellation charge on the hire car (I haven't checked yet but would guess my annual travel insurance has an excess) and don't want to lose any more money than I have to.

I'd be very grateful for any help on this one.

amba80

Im sitting in my office with a collegue who has just had the same confirmation for a holiday in less than 4 weeks!!!!!!

Any advice would be appreciated - she has been on the phone for 20 minutes, they are offering no solutions or explanations and the refund could take 30 days so booking other flights is getting worrying!

balletshoes

bmibaby withdrew flights on saturdays to CDG after I'd booked with them - they were fine cancelling the flights when the alternatives were unsuitable for me, but they did not refund my booking fees.

RufusA

+1

When they moved the Saturday flights to Sunday, I booked with FlyBE instead (the lesser of the two evils). I'm now glad I did.

I have every hope of getting a full refund off BMIBaby, with the expectation there will be some extensive letter writing and a bit of a battle to get it back.

Sadly as they have given over 2 weeks notice it's unlikely that quoting EC 261/2004 will get you anything more than a refund.

Also my insurer were a little vague about whether they would be liable to assist in funding the additional costs as a result of the cancellation! To be fair they were somewhat swamped in Ash Cloud related phonecalls at the time.

It amazes me that flights/airlines seem to be one area where consumer law is caught dozing. Where additional hidden charges, breach of contract with no automatic right for compensation etc. seems allowable / the norm.

Rufus.

isplumm

swivellingmonk wrote: »

A couple of months ago, I booked 2 flights to and from Jersey (from Bournemouth) in September.

BMI Baby have sent me an e-mail today to say they have been cancelled.

They will refund my "total costs" - does anyone know whether this will include the £12 debit card fee?

If not, is there any way of getting this back please? I've already been stung for a 25Euro cancellation charge on the hire car (I haven't checked yet but would guess my annual travel insurance has an excess) and don't want to lose any more money than I have to.

I'd be very grateful for any help on this one.

Hi,

You could fly to Jersey from Southampton with Flybe or even get the boat from Poole with Condor.

Mark

swivellingmonk

Thanks Mark - I could fly from Southampton but I would then have to get there, so incur additional costs. The flights are also 4 times the original cost - makes a bit of a mockery of my cheap weekend!

From previous posts on here, it looks as though i'd have a big fight to get BMI Baby to provide alternative flights with another airline.

While I could get to the Poole ferryport quite easily, it then takes over 3 hours each way - yuck!! Also costs more than flying - even as a foot passenger ....

I really just want my full outlay back - including the £12 debit card booking fee!

HouseHuntr

swivellingmonk wrote: »

A couple of months ago, I booked 2 flights to and from Jersey (from Bournemouth) in September.

BMI Baby have sent me an e-mail today to say they have been cancelled.

They will refund my "total costs" - does anyone know whether this will include the £12 debit card fee?

If not, is there any way of getting this back please? I've already been stung for a 25Euro cancellation charge on the hire car (I haven't checked yet but would guess my annual travel insurance has an excess) and don't want to lose any more money than I have to.

I'd be very grateful for any help on this one.

It was widely known in the industry from day 1 that this route was totally unsubstainable with BMI baby operating it so it wasn't a matter of if it would be cancelled but when.

That aside, you will receive a refund of all costs paid to BMI, nothing more, nothing less unless you accept a BMI flight to Jersey from elsewhere. You cannot claim for any additional costs you may incur such as cancellation charges etc.

swivellingmonk

Thanks Houehuntr -

I'm not actually after any cancellation charges for the hire car back, just the £12 booking fee I paid to BMI Baby for using a debit card when booking with them. Will this be included in the "total costs"?

littlereddevil

I had flights cancelled by aegean the other week and they certainly refunded the card charge.
I don't think they are entitled to keep it as they didn't supply the goods.

swivellingmonk

I've obviously misjudged BMI Baby and expected the worst - they have refunded the total amount including the debit card fee.

I'd still rather have had the flights though!