MSE News: Flight delay compensation floodgates open

blindman

J_B wrote: »

Can you tell us where?

There are two threads running at the mo.

Other one

Would be nice if the MODS actually merged them :cool:

carpingchris

I had a flight 3 weeks ago to Egypt that was delayed by three and a half hours, due to a plane that had broken down in spain or on greek island. It was part of a package deal holiday with Thomas cook and the flight was by their own airline. On check in they did offer me a £5 food voucher for the delay, but what does that get you with the high airport prices? I'm not sure if I have a case or can claim, thats why I'm asking you. I do have a copy of the letter stating my delay which came with the food voucher, plus boarding pass and holiday info. I'm useless at things like this and don't normally complain about anything so i'm hoping you can help me.

randers

Sounds like I might have a problem anyway – mine was with a Wizz Air 9-hour delay and tho the flight was from to UK to Poland, it was earlier posted that Wizz Air don’t have a UK office on which to serve a notice of proceedings. All in all the value isn’t high enough for the pain taken to get it so I think I’ll keep my stress levels low and just let it pass. There are plenty of enjoyable things to do in life rather than spend energy on prosecutions for a few quid.
If the amounts are greater than mine then I disagree with the poster who says this is a bad law change. Though I agree with the view that people who’d largely forgotten their flights and didn’t even know when they were and presumably therefore see this as a way of getting some money will just cause the airlines to entrench and make it harder for valid claims going forward, there is still a good reason for the law. If someone who doesn’t like this ruling bought a product which turned out to be not as described should he have no rights to force the vendor to do something about it? Sorry if that puts the price of your flights up a couple of quid but hey-ho – there is a bigger picture than you getting a cheap weekend away. It’s called consumers knowing what they’re getting when a vendor offers something for sale and not being able to con/abuse unfortunate individuals with impunity.

charityworker_2

Hi, hoping someone could shed some light on the level of compensation I should seek... On Sep 12th 2012 my flight from LDN to MIA was delayed which meant I missed my connection from MIA to GUA. It was due to a technical fault on the rear door. Virgin gave me a hotel and meal vouchers as I had to spend the night in Miami so I could catch my flight to Guatemala the next day.

I have complained to Virgin and they have offered 4000 flying club miles- looking at their website it will be years until I can make use of these. Should I be pushing back for more compensation or is it a lost cause? I do have a return flight next May from MIA to LDN so was thinking trying to get an upgrade? Any help would be appreciated!

fifeken

charityworker wrote: »

On Sep 12th 2012 my flight from LDN to MIA was delayed . . .

Virgin don't fly to/from Lamidanda airport in Nepal.

sarooty

hi there

in january 2012 me and my husband went to spain for a holiday, on the way to spain our flight was delayed for an hour and a half, and on the way back our flight was delayed again for an hour.

i'm not sure whether we have the right to claim some compensation or not.

Our flight was with monarch airlines, and the delay was because of some fault in the engine.

ur help would be very much appreciated

thanks

hilger

I intend to pursue a claim against ThomasCook. I was delayed in Calgary for over two days due to a mechanical fault withthe plane. I haveno doubt that they will delay, claim loss of memory and bluster to theirfullest extent. I suspect that one avenue of defence they may try to seek isthat of “Extraordinary Circumstances”which as far as i can ascertain includes:-

[*]Bad weather
[*]Industrial action
[*]Political problems
[*]Security or safety issues
[*]Air traffic management decisions.

However I am struggling to find a legaldocument which describes or defines the term, “Extraordinary Circumstances” I can find plenty of press and mediadocuments but before I progress the matter via the small claims court I wouldbe obliged if someone could point me in the right direction.

richardw

hilger wrote: »

..... I am struggling to find a legaldocument which describes or defines the term, “Extraordinary Circumstances” I can find plenty of press and mediadocuments but before I progress the matter via the small claims court I wouldbe obliged if someone could point me in the right direction...

The http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32004R0261:EN:HTML says a bit on this

(14) .... extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Such circumstances may, in particular, occur in cases of political instability, meteorological conditions incompatible with the operation of the flight concerned, security risks, unexpected flight safety shortcomings and strikes that affect the operation of an operating air carrier.

(15) Extraordinary circumstances should be deemed to exist where the impact of an air traffic management decision in relation to a particular aircraft on a particular day gives rise to a long delay, an overnight delay, or the cancellation of one or more flights by that aircraft, even though all reasonable measures had been taken by the air carrier concerned to avoid the delays or cancellations.

Dopey1980

Hi guys, I see there are two threads running on this. If someone has a moment could they pop over and have a look at post 2259 on the other thread for me?

Thanks in advance.

jacksback

I was told on contacting Thomas Cook 24 hours before my flight that it would be delayed for 6 hours surely they can't then claim unforseen circumstances!! I was also told I needed to check in as if it was on time and therefore spend 8 hours in the airport!