Flight delay compensation, all other EU airlines

Caz3121

pdoherty78 wrote: »

They got back to me a few weeks ago to say that they have checked and found that Vueling do not owe compensation as the flight was merely delayed by 2 hours 41 minutes.

According to EUClaim
"Your flight had an arrival delay of less than three hours. To be entitled to compensation under EC Regulation 261/2004 you arrival delay must be three hours or more."
no compensation due

belfastgirl23

I was due to fly from Belfast City Airport to London Heathrow this morning with Aer Lingus. The flight was cancelled about 40 mins before take off due to 'technical reasons'. I missed the initial announcement so by the time I got to the desk there was a lengthy queue. After I queued for about 40 minutes, Aer Lingus stated that they had no seats on later flights and they would refund the flight cost. I had no time to argue as I had to be in London. I ended up having to reroute myself through Belfast International (2xbus costs plus new flight with EasyJet, luckily not too expensive, also Gatwick express because of course I was late and there's no tube from Gatwick). I also missed out on meeting someone as well.


Most of the information available assumes a delay whilst the airline re-routes you but in this case no rerouting was offered. Does anyone have any suggestion what I should do? I'm still kind of shocked that an airline can just abandon their passengers. Many thanks in advance.

Justice13075

Download and read Vaubans Guide all explained in there. As long as the cancellation was not due to an extrodinary circumstance and 99.9% are not you will be due 250 euro compensation.

JPears

And a refund of the unused ticket. As they made no offer to reroute you, you should also seek damages for the additional costs incurred in taxis and flights.

belfastgirl23

HI both and thanks so much for your advice. I've had a look at the guide and I just admitted to myself that I'm not going to have time to do this. You suggest putting it in the hands of a reputable 'no win no fee' firm. Do you have a recommendation? I've been surfing around the site trying to find one, sorry if I missed something obvious!


Also for info Jpears, the link to the FAQ and guide in your signature doesn't work - it's fine, I was able to google but just letting you know.

Justice13075

I personally used Bott & Co

Voyager2002

JPears wrote: »

And a refund of the unused ticket. As they made no offer to reroute you, you should also seek damages for the additional costs incurred in taxis and flights.

No, they offered a refund. They were still obliged to get the OP to his destination and should have arranged his flight to Gatwick for him; he can now claim the total cost of that journey.

belfastgirl23

I should say that I got a letter in the post offering a refund either as vouchers or 'if I prefer' to my card. I was not impressed!


Thanks for the recommendation Justice13075!

JPears

Belfastgirl, there is no link in my sig.
The admins of this site do not allow useful links in sigs anymore. Dumb if you ask me.
It is bold and underlined as a dig to newbies who (like yourslef) start a new personal thread without reading the FAQ and/or putting on the relevant airline thread.

cathd6

Hello, I'd be really grateful for some advice on a delayed flight that resulted in me arriving in Tokyo 19hrs late due to missed connections. The cause of the initial (almost 4 hr) delay was initially rain, but a further delay was caused by the airline giving incorrect information to passengers and not boarding them in time causing it to miss its new departure slot. They also made no attempt to book me onto a suitable alternative connecting flight - although the original flight was delayed by 4 hrs, I would have arrived in Tokyo only 2 hours late had they booked me onto the 20.45, which I could have easily caught in Frankfurt.


So my initial schedule was 13.30-16.05 4th May Birmingham-Frankfurt NH5868, operated by Lufthansa

Connecting flight 18.05 4th May -12.15 5th May Frankfurt-Tokyo HanedaNH5854, same

I was due to meet my friend in Frankfurt and take this flight to Tokyo together.

A number of flights (not all - most intercontinental flights were departing fine, so it was not the rain that was the problem but the knock-on problems caused by scheduling) in and out of Frankfurt were delayed early in the day due to heavy rain. We were initially given a 1 hr delay on arrival at the gate, which increased as time went on.

The latest departure time we were given out of Birmingham was 17.04, and passengers were asked to return to the gate in time for that. I remained at the gate. As it happened we were given an earlier slot and asked to board at 15.45. However as the passengers had previously been given a later time they had already dispersed, and the crew did not manage to round them upo in time to meet the slot. This was explained in detail by the pilot during the hour that we were sitting on the plane waiting for the next available slot, so they have admitted this. We took off at 17.05 and arrived in Frankfurt at around 19.45.

In the meantime, I had told everyone possible what my situation was and had been given assurances that Lufthansa staff would be getting everyone onto suitable connections. On the plane I was told personally that we would be met at the other end, and that all passengers with connections would be automatically booked onto connecting flights. My friend had also made enquiries at Frankfurt and had been told that I was booked onto the 20.45, and only had to print out a boarding card from a lufthansa desk or at the gate on arrival. There were also general announcements to this effect on board.

However, as we landed there was an announcement to say that they had not received any further infornmation about connecting flights. Nor were any Lufthansa staff waiting to meet us. I was still confident that I could make the 20.45, especially as my friend had been told I was booked on it, but most service desks were closed and by the time I made my way to the gate and found the only open service desk it was almost 20.15.

At the service desk I was told there was no record of my booking on the 20.45, and as it was an ANA code-share there was not enough time for them to make the booking now. I would have to stay in Frankfurt and fly the following day at 11.20.

I arrived in Tokyo just after 7am the day after next, 6th May, 19 hours late.

As you can see this seems to be pretty complicated. Yes, the airline could argue that the entire delay was caused by rain (although flights were only selectively affected), but it seems pretty clear that the bulk of my delay and the missed start of my holiday was due entirely to their incompetence and poor communications.

Do you think I should follow the standard route myself, or is this one for legal advice? Are the no-win no-fee agencies any good or avoid like the plague?

It's been a horrific experience - not only did we miss the first part of a trip of a lifetime which had been planned over months and was a birthday celebration, VERY unlikely to happen again, but my poor friend, who does not speak any Japanese, was stuck in Tokyo on her own on her first visit, and had to navigate to the Airbnb for which I had all the instructions! I also had all the currency... it was gutting, and I'm riled enough to be pretty tenacious with this.

Very much appreciate your suggestions. I'll keep in touch with how I get on.

Catherine