Compensation for delayed flights Discussion Area

Voyager2002

dzug1 wrote: »

Most insurance policies pay a fixed sum - so much per 12 or 24 hours. I would think that all they want you to do is calculate the length of delay from scheduled departure time to actual departure time and put down the appropriate sum. The amount will be in your policy.

If you have a non-standard policy you'll need to read it carefully as to what you can claim.

Don't you mean, length of delay from scheduled ARRIVAL time to actual arrival time at the airport where you were scheduled to arrive (i.e. including the extra time because of the bus transfer).

dzug1

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Don't you mean, length of delay from scheduled ARRIVAL time to actual arrival time at the airport where you were scheduled to arrive (i.e. including the extra time because of the bus transfer).

mmm yes I think

Voyager2002

jg_brady wrote: »

We recently returned from Gran Canaria after spending 24 hours in the airport.

There was an Iberian baggage handlers strike - but Thomson's made passengers for 3 delayed flights queue for 7 hours to check in for a flight they must have known would never fly. One was definitely not going to leave as the incoming flight got diverted to Tenerife. THey callously checked in disabled and handicapped people first.

They spun us lie after lie.

After a 2 hour delay I asked if they were going to offer drinks as people were visibly dropping in the heat of the airport.

They told us that the delay wasn't their fault and that they weren't obligated to give us anything.

After 6 hours someone filled a jug of water in the toilets and offered people drinks in plastic cups.

We travelled with 3 pensioners and 2 of which had been poorly. When we got to the check-in desk we asked if there was a cabin crew with enough air time left to get us home that night.

We were told that the flight had a departure slot and it would be going that night... which is true. It did leave - empty.

At about 3 in the morning - flight now 7 hrs late, we were told that the cabin crew were out of hours and that the flight was cancelled. They then offered us food vouchers.

We were told that if we could find accomodation that they would pay for it!!! Other airlines cancelled their flights hours earlier. Hundreds of people were put in hotels. How were we going to have a chance of getting accom for 2 adults and 3 pensioners ... 2 of which were poorly.

THere was no communication - we were told that they would send a rescue flight later that morning, they were to merge the passenger lists for the Manchester and East Midlands flight and that we'd be flown to Birmingham and then coached to Manchester. Indeed, they sold tickets for a flight to Birmingham.

Only then to advise us as we queued up to board that the flight would be going to the East Midlands... people wanting to go to Birmingham or Manchester were coached to their final destination.

We should have got back into Manchester Midnight on Saturday - we arrived there at 1 o'clock Monday morning. We got a letter basically telling us that we couldn't claim against them that it wasn't their fault, but to make a claim to our travel insurers.

The return flight - that was put on the board to fly at 2 in the afternoon - we didn't take off until after 5. Can I claim agains the Thomsons for that?

I have claim documents from our insurers and they're asking us how much we want to claim. How much can we claim for a delay of 23 hours?
25 if you count the 2 hours we queued?
26 if you take into account the transfer from the East Midlands airport to Manchester?

Can we claim for the cancelled flight and the delayed second flight separately?

It was so heartbreaking to see our old folks, who had been so ill on holiday, having to sleep on hard benches. To see disabled kids in wheelchairs so callously shepherded through departures.

Someone in Thomsons should get locked up for endangering peoples health and wellbeing. How much has this cost saving exercise they've done going to cost them? Everyone should know how this huge airline let down so many of their passengers.

Any advice would be grateful.

James

Please contact the AUC and let them know about this experience. The AUC are likely to take about two months to reply, but they do respond intelligently and are gatekeepers for bodies like the CAA, who really do have teeth.

Thomsons were legally obliged to care for their customers during the delay, and clearly failed to do so. Had you spent money on food, drink, telephone calls and hotels while waiting you would be able to claim the money back from them, but you are now faced with the problem of putting a cash value on the damage you suffered as a result of the airline's failure to provide care. I don't know how this can be done, but the AUC should be able to advise, and certainly are in a position to explain to the airline that breaking the law is not a good idea.

HXDave

some insurance companies will pay on delayed DEPARTURE (ie, the time you should have taken off to the time that you actually took off), whilst others will pay for delayed ARRIVAL. you need to check your policy.

many years ago, whilst travelling back from Mombassa we landed at Crete for a scheduled refuelling stop. After bursting 2 tyres we had a 27 hour delay before we finally landed back into Manchester. Sent insurance claim off, and was refused any payment as there was no delay in departure of the aircraft, as stipulated in the policy.

So check to see if it is departure or arrival it covers.

MrsHirst

My husband and I went on our honeymoon on Sunday 17th January from Heathrow to Mauritius on Air Seychelles.

When the aircraft made it's scheduled stop in Frankfurt, it was discovered that there was a fault on the plane and we could not carry on, therefore we spent a night in Frankfurt.

The next day, a representative from Air Seychelles came to advise all passengers to Mauritius that they would be transferred directly to the island on another airline (either Condor or Air Mauritius), rather than take the still delayed Air Seychelles flight via the Seychelles.

My husband and I went on the Condor flight and were assured our luggage would be on the flight. Once we arrived in Mauritius, we found out it wasn't on the plane with us.

We had to wait for 2 full days before our luggage was forwarded on to us.

We completed an EU form and sent it to Air Seychelles to claim some compensation, and also the Air Transport Users Council but we have not heard back from either of them.

If anyone could offer some advice we would be very grateful.

Many thanks,

Mrs Hirst

x__Indigo_x

hi i think i found the answer in martins article. basically if its weather no compo?

facts: due to depart the isle of man yesterday at 5pm . isle of man woke up to about 5 inches of snow however easy jet wesbite insisted the flight would depart on time. As i made my way to the check in desk at the airport ( veryyy icey and dangerous drive ) i recieved a text ( 10 mins before check in closed) so say the flight was cancelled due to snow.

all flights to and from the island were cancelled for the rest of the day. ( also no flights went today untill late afternoon - no easyjet)

due to work committments i HAD to get back last night . I took it into my own hands and booked a boat ticket to heysham which didnt dock untill 11.30pm last night (cost of £35) and arranged a taxi (shared with other passengers) to liverpool from heysham for £16.therefore i didnt get home till half one in the morning.

in short i wont be entitled to any compensation will i ?
(issue i forgot about) i have got annual travel insurance and intend to peruse the documents however im guessing the excess will be very close to the compensation amount....and there is probably a weather glitch


thanks for ANY help xx

dzug1

x__Indigo_x wrote: »

hi i think i found the answer in martins article. basically if its weather no compo?

facts: due to depart the isle of man yesterday at 5pm . isle of man woke up to about 5 inches of snow however easy jet wesbite insisted the flight would depart on time. As i made my way to the check in desk at the airport ( veryyy icey and dangerous drive ) i recieved a text ( 10 mins before check in closed) so say the flight was cancelled due to snow.

all flights to and from the island were cancelled for the rest of the day. ( also no flights went today untill late afternoon - no easyjet)

due to work committments i HAD to get back last night . I took it into my own hands and booked a boat ticket to heysham which didnt dock untill 11.30pm last night (cost of £35) and arranged a taxi (shared with other passengers) to liverpool from heysham for £16.therefore i didnt get home till half one in the morning.

in short i wont be entitled to any compensation will i ?
(issue i forgot about) i have got annual travel insurance and intend to peruse the documents however im guessing the excess will be very close to the compensation amount....and there is probably a weather glitch


thanks for ANY help xx

Travel insurance tends to be a flat rate per 12 hours of delay,with no excess.
But look at the T&C of yours carefully to be sure.

x__Indigo_x

dzug1 wrote: »

Travel insurance tends to be a flat rate per 12 hours of delay,with no excess.

but how would this fair with me just booking my own alternative transport .... erm what im trying to say is the delay would have been over 20 hours had i have waited but i just went ahead and bought boat tickes .....will this go against me. sorry if i am asking a stupid question x

N9eav

I had posted a few weeks ago about a flight cancellation as the the plane broke down. Here is the airline response.


According to our records, flight KL612 from Chicago to Amsterdam Schipol on October 30th was cancelled for technical reasons, namely a fault that caused the aircraft to become unserviceable and was removed from our operations. You were therefore given assistance with an overnight accommodation and in order to reach your final destination as quickly as possible you were rebooked on different Delta flights to Bristol on the following day.

We truly regret to learn that your journey on our airline was disrupted the way you described. We fully sympathise with your dissatisfaction and wish to apologise on behalf of Delta Air Lines.

The image of an airline is largely determined by its punctuality, and minimising every delay is one of our major concerns. However, despite the fact that Delta adheres to very strict regulations with regards to the regular maintenance of its aircrafts, from time to time unexpected last-minute technical failures can occur. Under these circumstances, Delta does its utmost to take you to your destination as quickly as possible, but your safety remains our absolute priority.

We understand you are seeking compensation as there is a certain European legislation - namely European Regulation CE261/2004 - which establishes legal compensation amounts due in the event of flight cancellation; Please note that according to the Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Article 5.3, because the cancellation of flight KL612 was beyond our control, we are unable, under these circumstances, to offer compensation to our passengers.
Am I being fobbed off? Surely any issue could be deemed beyond their control

dzug1

x__Indigo_x wrote: »

but how would this fair with me just booking my own alternative transport .... erm what im trying to say is the delay would have been over 20 hours had i have waited but i just went ahead and bought boat tickes .....will this go against me. sorry if i am asking a stupid question x

Depends on your policy - you might have to ask the issuer. Some are expressed as delays to departure, others to delays unqualified.

In a similar situation I was paid for a 24 hour delay (to a ferry) but the ferry company booked me onto a different route and I actually arrived at my destination earlier than if the original ferry had been on time - albeit at the cost of a long drive. I just produced the letter from the ferry company advising a 24 hour delay and the insurance paid up without question. I felt they didn't need to know about the alternative arrangements and the payment covered the extra petrol