The Civil Aviation Authority - Why Bother?

MarkBargain

Has anyone had better luck with CAA's in other EU countries? I wrote to the one in Poland during the week and await a response.

111KAB

MarkBargain wrote: »

Has anyone had better luck with CAA's in other EU countries? I wrote to the one in Poland during the week and await a response.

Yes Spain said I was on a winner - Monarch refused to accept - went to Court and won - asked the Judge what he thought of the Spanish NEB letter > waste of time/not worth the paper it is written on/don't care what it says the Spanish NEB have no jurisdiction over what I decide ~ either way.
Waste of time writing to the CAA/any NEB IMO.

Star9272

111KAB wrote: »

Yes Spain said I was on a winner - Monarch refused to accept - went to Court and won - asked the Judge what he thought of the Spanish NEB letter > waste of time/not worth the paper it is written on/don't care what it says the Spanish NEB have no jurisdiction over what I decide ~ either way.
Waste of time writing to the CAA/any NEB IMO.

Wrote to the Greek NEB 27/8/2013, yesterday they emailed THomson

Taking into consideration EC 261/2004 Regulation and the European Court of Justice Decisions C-402/07 - C-432/07 and C-581/10 -629/10, you are kindly requested to: a) inform us the reason of the delay and b) provide us proof (technical log book) documenting extraordinary circumstances(usual technical or operational reasons are not included) or alternatively pay the relative compensation (400 euro).

It may not be worth it in court but hats off to them they are on top of things

JPears

Star9272 wrote: »

Wrote to the Greek NEB 27/8/2013, yesterday they emailed THomson

Taking into consideration EC 261/2004 Regulation and the European Court of Justice Decisions C-402/07 - C-432/07 and C-581/10 -629/10, you are kindly requested to: a) inform us the reason of the delay and b) provide us proof (technical log book) documenting extraordinary circumstances(usual technical or operational reasons are not included) or alternatively pay the relative compensation (400 euro).

It may not be worth it in court but hats off to them they are on top of things

I didn't even hear back from the French NEB (no surprise there...getting any jobsworthy or bureaucrat to anything is a nightmare)

Star9272

JPears wrote: »

I didn't even hear back from the French NEB (no surprise there...getting any jobsworthy or bureaucrat to anything is a nightmare)

Haven't heard from NEB in Portugal for another delayed flight for extraordinary circumstances though.

razorsedge

Vauban wrote: »

So today I received the same unsigned and impersonal email from the CAA that many others have already received. This informs me that following the publication of new guidelines on what constitute extraordinary circumstances (guidelines which, in my view, clearly contradict European law) they have referred my case back to the airline. No further correspondence will be entered into, etc.

I rang the CAA last week to ask for an update (not easy to do, as they're not picking up the phones for ongoing cases any more). They confirmed that Monarch have never responded to their requests for information. But astonishingly they didn't seem too concerned. What kind of regulator is persistently ignored by one of the companies they are meant to hold to account?

So after waiting for over 8 months, that's what I get. Way to go, CAA! Fortunately I never had faith that the CAA could be relied upon to protect my rights and interests and so started legal action against Monarch some time ago. If I hadn't I would have been no further forward.

If anyone is thinking that involving the CAA in their own case would be a positive move I urge you to manage your expectations!

Apologies to everybody for bumping this thread back up.

I received the same email as Vauban from the CAA in late Spetember. I emailed back immediately complaining about their response and asking a few pertinent questions. Anyhow, after a follow up reminder a month later I have finally received a reply to my email which includes the following text:

"Due to the volume of claims that the airline has received, we have not received a response in respect of your claim. However, this is a position we do not find acceptable and our Chief Executive has therefore written to (airline name omitted to protect the guilty) in strong terms last week to ensure their engagement in our complaints handling process."

So to answer the question posed by the title of this thread "The CAA - Why bother?" I think the answer is so that we can get them to wag their finger at the airlines whilst tutting!!

111KAB

My MEP has just sent this email ....

I have written to the CAA highlighting your concerns and asking the CAA to outline how the organisation is working to assist passengers who are claiming for compensation from airlines following delays during travel. I have also asked the CAA to provide information on how the CAA is enforcing the consumer protection rules around issues like cancelled flights.
I will forward you any response as soon as I receive it.
Yours sincerely,
Phil Bennion MEP
Office of Phillip Bennion MEP
6b Bolebridge Street
Tamworth
Staffordshire
B79 7PA

JPears

111KAB wrote: »

My MEP has just sent this email ....

I have written to the CAA highlighting your concerns and asking the CAA to outline how the organisation is working to assist passengers who are claiming for compensation from airlines following delays during travel. I have also asked the CAA to provide information on how the CAA is enforcing the consumer protection rules around issues like cancelled flights.
I will forward you any response as soon as I receive it.
Yours sincerely,
Phil Bennion MEP
Office of Phillip Bennion MEP
6b Bolebridge Street
Tamworth
Staffordshire
B79 7PA

I don't think their will a collective "holding of breath" for the response

OldManAhoy

I've got on to my MEP (&MP) about the CAA particularly the way they throw around the EU Extraordinary Circumstance guidelines. They aren't EU they are NEB guidelines and they don't follow Wallentin. Its the equivalent of the police deciding the motorway speed limit is 50 and start enforcing that. Not there job. Government sets the rules, they enforce. Cheesed off case delayed from August was due to call on 3rd Dec but had to go to court on the 22nd Nov to oppose a motion to postpone based on the Huzar case and lost. Case postponed. I'm in Scotland English Court of Appeal decision isn't even binding. Is it time we focus on forcing our MP's/ MEP to do something about the CAA? After all if they did their job we wouldn't have to go to court every 5 minutes.

OldManAhoy

Mark2spark wrote: »

I'm not sure how the freedom of information act works, but i was thinking that asking the CAA how many airlines they've taken to court for non compliance would be interesting.
Especially as on Watchdog the spokesman stated that Thomsons 2 yr claim was bogus, and that the CAA interpreted it as 6 years.

I have done. They have enforcement powers which I think someone else has mentioned but under the UK Civil Aviation Denied Boarding, Compensation & Assistance Regulations they can also prosecute airlines for breaching EC261/2004. Regs came into force April 2005 and guess how many carriers they have prosecuted? A clue, its a round number, yep zero.:mad: