Compensation for delayed flights Discussion Area

Mark2spark

I don't know what to make of this rash of first time posters that have got success with just writing the template letter and not having to ask any questions :undecided

Tony_Grant

Hi, apologies if this is in the wrong place, I am totally blind and am struggling a bit to find my way round such a massvie site.
Anyway, just a quick highlight really and then maybe someone might point me the right way
I was stranded in Lanzarote on Christmas Eve because of the Gatwick closure. EasyJet refused to treat the flight from Lanzarote as cancelled even though the plane never even left Gatwick. So 2.5 hours after the flight departure time, they still insisted it was a delay despite the fact that it would take 4-5 hours to even get a plane to us.
We could have made alterntavie arrangements but the airport would not allow us until the flight was officially cancelled. Of course, it was finally cancelled after every other flight had left and we had no options left but to stay over Christmas.
They put us in a hotel at half board which meant I had to buy a glass of coke for my kids on Christmas Day because Easy Jet didn't see it reasonable to pay full board!
They gave me no contact details and didn't even tell me where I was going, just that I should get on a bus and return in two day for an alternative flight.
I was given no option on flights and when I prepared to return to the UK on Boxing Day, I noticed that there was no public transport. That meant I would move from being stranded in Lanzarote to being stranded in Gatwick (I live in Lincoln which is about 160m north).
I had no real alternative (being blind and alone with my two young sons, other than to take an alternative flight to East Midlands with Fly2 just in attempt to get hom. At least someone could collect me from this much nearer airport.
Eventually after getting home, I sought compensation. I didn't really need much but the alternative flights had cost me 430 Eur and I would have liked to have got this back.
To cut a long story short, Easy Jet refused to pay me this money, saying that it was my choice, they had offered me a flight and I refused it.
I explained that the flight they offered me was not suitable but they said that was withint their obligation and it was not their responsibility after they got me to Gatwick.
They siad they did not need to pay any compensation because it was bad weather that caused the canceallation.
My thinking is that the bad weather was in fact the night before. They had every opportunity to make alternative arrangements, even if that were to send us on another plane to another airport. They didn't, they just left everything to the last minute until there were no options left.
In one phone call to EasyJet, they did state they would give me the money for my flights if I submitted the tickets. I did this then they refused which I think is appalling.
In fact, when I complained, the easyJet rep stated that he could not see why I was complaing, they gave me a hotel when I was stranded whereas other people died! I couldn't believe this response and am not really sure that anyone did die as a results of this but maybe he knows best.
Anyway, rant over for now, sorry to make this so long, it is an open wound for sure.
Any thoughts, pointers, hit men, comments welcomed.
As for EasyJet, I have used them twice and both times has been an absolute disaster, will I use them again?

duchy

They put us in a hotel at half board which meant I had to buy a glass of coke for my kids on Christmas Day because Easy Jet didn't see it reasonable to pay full board!

A glass of Coke for your children on Christmas Day ? Just the one between them or one each ? Not much of a present though ....but I guess it was a WHOLE glass of Coke !

Yet............
I didn't really need much but the alternative flights had cost me 430 Eur and I would have liked to have got this back.
To cut a long story short, Easy Jet refused to pay me this money, saying that it was my choice, they had offered me a flight and I refused it.

So kids could only have one glass of Coke yet you turned down a flight home.........surely the 430 (or an awful lot less) would have paid for hotel and food (and Coke) at Gatwick until the trains started running the next morning -The weather at Gatwick on Christmas Eve was vile - high winds and flooding -nothing EJ could have done about that so offered you a reasonable alternative -which you declined. They fufilled their obligations to get you to your destination-you turned it down. You could go to court if you cannot agree what is a reasonable flight......but I wouldn't not for 430 Euros as I'd feel the risk was too high the judge would side with EJ.

Tony_Grant

Hi, the point about the Coke was not really meaning other than the fact that Easy Jet didn't see it reasonable to cover our costs during our time stranded somehwere in Lanzarote. The Trading Standards have stated that if I was previously staying there on full board, they should have met that same standard. Easy Jet stated that there was too many of us and it cost them too much so they decided to go half board. Thompson on the other hand paid full board for their passengers, as did Monarch.
I actually didn't even seek compensation for the extra costs of food and such like during that stay becuase it seemed insignificant. I just felt aggrieved that they gave me no options and did not consider my circumstances when arriving back at Gatwick.
I just can't understand why the airlines can't get together around a table and decide to work together in these situations. Plenty of other flights left Lanzarote that day and it would have been too easy to make alternative arrangements.
I saw grown men crying because they were going to miss their last christmas with their dying father, I heard parents telling their young children that Santa wouldn't get to them tonight. Of course, the human element is lost in the black and white of these sitiations. This is however an episode in my life that was extremely traumatic and one I would never wish on anyone. Not really for my outcome, but more so for those whose lives were affected far more deeply by a lack of coordinated thinking by the airlines. Not one flight left Lanzarote full so there was absolutely plenty of options open but decisions were just left until no options remained and the rest is history.
Oh, and back to the Coke, we weren't actually told at the airport or at the hotel what level of accomodation we had been given, the first time we knew was when we got the bill for the Christams lunch. Happy Christmas Easy Jet. Like the Turkey, they too can get stuffed lol.

dzug1

Tony_Grant wrote: »

I just can't understand why the airlines can't get together around a table and decide to work together in these situations. .

There are such things as anti-cartel and competition laws

duchy

OK Tony -I get why the Coke rankles

Tony_Grant

Ok, thanks everyone for the replies. I will move on and put it down to experience. I am happy to hear that there is some work on coordinated efforts too, it is great how common sense wins out in the end.

mrs2fat

regarding the London-Toronto flight TS 523 delayed 14 hours on Feb 23rd 2014 I received this response via email today(I can only assume they acquired my email from my online booking)

Dear Mrs R******

Thank you for your letter. I am sorry that you experienced a delay on your return flight and I appreciate how upsetting, frustrating and tiring this must have been for you. Please see response below from Air Transat:

The delay of flight TS523 was due to an unexpected and unforeseen failure of the landing door gear, a defect discovered at time of boarding. An immediate assessment of the problem was conducted and aircraft grounded for repairs.

All passengers were taken care of during the delay and transported safely to their chosen destination. As the flight delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances, we are unable to comply with the request for compensation as worded. However as a gesture aimed at demonstration our good faith and concern for customer satisfaction, passengers of flight TS523 were offered travel credit vouchers in the amount of $150 per person.

Should you require any further assistance please contact me and I will be happy to help.

Kind Regards

Stacey Gallagher

so what do I do now

Mark2spark

mrs2fat wrote: »

regarding the London-Toronto flight TS 523 delayed 14 hours on Feb 23rd 2014 I received this response via email today(I can only assume they acquired my email from my online booking)


so what do I do now

Have a read of the Huzar ruling:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/179933236/Jet2-appeal
...and see if you think that Air transat are trying to pull the wool over your eyes.
As this appeal will be heard in May, you might be better off waiting for that ruling before going back to them, assuming it is upheld in favour of Huzar of course.

Mark2spark

Tony_Grant wrote: »

Easy Jet stated that there was too many of us and it cost them too much so they decided to go half board.

Well that's totally illegal so if you have that in writing you have them by the short and curlies.
They are required to provide meals and refreshments in keeping with the time of delay.
So if you think that 3 meals a day is 'normal' then you can claim (as centipede has said).
But you'll need receipts as proof...