Reund for a Trial Flight Voucher

rhapsody7

A year ago I was given a trial flight voucher as a birthday present Just to have a 45 min flight in a small 2 seater plane.

It's been cancelled about six times now over the year (not by me) due to weather and in the other cases due to a problem with the engine :shocked: and at the weekend it was due to the wing being broken!!!

When I asked for a refund so I could give my friend her money back they have said no. I'm not at all interested in flying anymore as you will quite understand I've been put off with one thing and another.

I suggested transferring the voucher to someone else and they pay me but they haven't got back to me on that one after phone calls (no one answering) and now an email which I sent this morning.

Do I have any rights?

WTFH

What company provided the voucher? What do their terms say?

As for it being cancelled, yes, weather is beyond their control.
A problem with the engine? Well, I'd prefer to find out about that on the ground, than up in the air!

rhapsody7

It's a local flying school. The voucher isn't from an experience day sight. They say they only give refunds within 28 days of purchase. I received it last Dec and my first flight was supposed to be in April as this was the closest available date they had. Obviously I didnt realise this and subsequent bookings would be cancelled.

rhapsody7

Yes I suppose it will be down to them to sort it out as I didn't buy it. I guess I just feel bad for them as I don't want to do it anymore.

ThumbRemote

Scrootum wrote: »

Any rights will be with the purchaser.

Not necessarily true. If the item is clearly a gift voucher, it's reasonable that the rights can be transferred.

ThumbRemote

rhapsody7 wrote: »

A year ago I was given a trial flight voucher as a birthday present Just to have a 45 min flight in a small 2 seater plane.

It's been cancelled about six times now over the year (not by me) due to weather and in the other cases due to a problem with the engine :shocked: and at the weekend it was due to the wing being broken!!!

When I asked for a refund so I could give my friend her money back they have said no. I'm not at all interested in flying anymore as you will quite understand I've been put off with one thing and another.

I suggested transferring the voucher to someone else and they pay me but they haven't got back to me on that one after phone calls (no one answering) and now an email which I sent this morning.

Do I have any rights?

Given that they have repeatedly cancelled, you would have a good chance of getting a refund if it came to court. It's an unbalanced and therefore unfair contract term that they can keep cancelling indefinitely, but you have no right to a refund.

If they are refusing to refund, your legal options are a letter before action and then small claims court.

Alternatively, if their terms don't say it's non-transferable, you have the legal right to pass/sell the voucher to someone else.

paddyrg

Give it a try, you may not think you want it any more because of the hassles, but 20 minutes in the sky and you might find you do actually love it!

That said, engine then wing problems whilst good reasons not to take that *specific* plane up are no reason why they couldn't use another similar one. I'd be quite firm with them that the next time the sky isn't overcast you're going up in whatever darn plane they can get to work or you're going to seek legal advice for a full refund. I'm sure that'll wake them up a little.

rhapsody7

Result! They're letting me transfer the voucher, just got to find a candidate!

paddyrg

rhapsody7 wrote: »

Result! They're letting me transfer the voucher, just got to find a candidate!

Great - where in the country? Someone here might fancy it ;-)

rhapsody7

Its in Norfolk, but I may have sold it now :-)