Bad weather delayed incoming flight - Force Majeure?

tofu

Hi,

My flight (Singapore Airlines, Manchester - Munich) is being delayed by over three hours, because the plane and crew have not arrived in time, due to bad weather on a previous flight.

Given that my own flight is not affected by bad weather, is this still considered "force majeure", i.e. circumstances outside the airline's control, or will I be able to claim compensation?

Many Thanks!

tofu

Thanks for your reply.

Having not had any reaction to my enquiry for over a month (other than a receipt with a promise to deal with the matter "in due course"), I have just sent another email asking for a response.

I'll let you know how the story develops. In the meantime, I received €250 from Brussels Airlines for another flight that was cancelled (and eventually replaced by a flight the next day) last autumn - that one took over four months to settle, but patience and persistence pays.

P.S. - I have seen that there is now a separate sub-board, so this thread may be moved.

Doshwaster

tofu wrote: »

Hi,

My flight (Singapore Airlines, Manchester - Munich) is being delayed by over three hours, because the plane and crew have not arrived in time, due to bad weather on a previous flight.

Given that my own flight is not affected by bad weather, is this still considered "force majeure", i.e. circumstances outside the airline's control, or will I be able to claim compensation?

How much compensation do you think that the inconvenience of your 3 hours delay is worth? You can't really blame the airline for bad weather.

tofu

Doshwaster wrote: »

How much compensation do you think that the inconvenience of your 3 hours delay is worth?

Much more than €250. But unfortunately, €250 is all I am legally entitled to claim, so whilst I appreciate your sympathy, your question kind of misses the point.

Alan_Bowen

With respect, you knew that SQ only has one flight a day to Munich, if time was important you would have booked with an airline that has a plane overnighting in Manchester and has muliple flights a day such as Lufthansa. Since the timings of the flight into Manchester are 2 hours before departure back to Munich, I think your chances of SQ coughing up are slim, you wanted the cheapest flight with known risks and lost the gamble

Doshwaster

tofu wrote: »

Much more than €250. But unfortunately, €250 is all I am legally entitled to claim, so whilst I appreciate your sympathy, your question kind of misses the point.

So, what was it about your 3 hour delay that makes you think that you should get "much more" than €250 in compensation? I can understand £20 to spend in an airport restaurant to pass the time but I don't see why anyone should be able to claim more than their airfare for a relatively minor delay.

tofu

I did not come here to explain the consequences of my delay, whether as a passenger, I should have known that the flight I booked was on a short turnaround from Munich, nor whether it is morally just to make a claim under the compensation regulation. I would hope that the discussion returns to the original question.

But to the moral question:

The compensation regulation is partly intended as an incentive for airlines to avoid major delays. There is a direct correlation between short turnaround times and the fraction of delayed flights. It is a simple, economic calculation that the airlines have to make, based on the good statistical evidence they have. I am sure Singapore Airlines have found the best compromise on this particular route, and thereby accepted that a certain fraction of flights will be delayed. I don't blame them for that at all, but consequently, whatever my personal circumstances, I think it is only right for me to demand the compensation I am entitled to, should my flight happen to be delayed as a result.