How Long to Wait For The CAA?

Vauban

hedgehogs wrote: »

Hi.
Got an ongoing claim with TC from a Fuerteventura flight march 2013. Its been with the CAA since June 2013 and I cannot get any info or response. Other people on the flight are having no response either. How do you contact them to find out what stage the claim is at. They do not ever seem to respond.
Any ideas please?

You can't - they say they are no answering calls from people asking for an update. Unless you are very lucky, you will wait for about a year before they write back to say they have referred your claim back to the airline - and then you will hear nothing ever again. The advice about the CAA on this forum has been consistently clear - it's worth a read.

hedgehogs_2

Thanks Vauban
I'll just let it trundle along!

Vauban

hedgehogs wrote: »

Thanks Vauban
I'll just let it trundle along!

That's fine - so long as you don't think it will trundle towards compensation!

David_e

hedgehogs wrote: »

Thanks Vauban
I'll just let it trundle along!

Why do that? You'll know from what's written on the forum that a response, when it does come, is unlikely to be of any use. If you don't fancy the DIY approach to making a claim against the airline, appoint a no win no fee lawyer.

legal_magpie

Agreed. Going to the CAA is a total waste of time. Contrary to what they would like to think, they are NOT an Ombudsman, and even if they find that the airline was at fault, the airline can ignore that view if it seems to involve an interpretation of the law or the regulations. Unless and until we have a proper Ombudsman with teeth, you will do better taking the airline to Court if you are sure of your ground.
JJ

JPears

But they are considered an NEB, whatever that's worth. They do have the power to make airlines do stuff, like suspend flights, use of aircraft, maintenance recalls etc but they have clearly decided with regard to Reg 261/2004 that they don't give a s**t and that its someone else's problem.

rjohnson86

I have also found the CAA very unhelpful with my delay compensation claim also , I contacted the small claims court yesterday and received a much faster response I would reccomend contacting them, they have small admin charge for anything done but you recieved 100% of the compensation.

Vauban

rjohnson86 wrote: »

I have also found the CAA very unhelpful with my delay compensation claim also , I contacted the small claims court yesterday and received a much faster response I would reccomend contacting them, they have small admin charge for anything done but you recieved 100% of the compensation.

Apologies rjohnson86 - I know this is the second time I have disagreed with you this morning!

I agree with you that the CAA is useless. But I wouldn't want anyone to think that taking an airline to court yourself is easy: it takes a lot of time, commitment, some talent for understanding the law and writing cogently, and a bit of money.

It is definitely not "a small admin charge". My case has cost me about £300 in court fees upfront (the initial fee of £80, an allocation fee of £40 and a hearing fee of about £160). I will get this back if/when I win my case - but it is still a significant outlay for many folk.

y-o-r-k-y

After 10 months I have finally had a decision from The CAA. Thomas Cook refused my claim for a 5hr delay so I contacted CAA 10 months ago. Had a couple of emails apologising for delay in sorting then yesterday I got an email saying 'They had instructed the airline to pay compensation' . Still got to wait for my cheque ! but a result at last.

Voyager2002

y-o-r-k-y wrote: »

After 10 months I have finally had a decision from The CAA. Thomas Cook refused my claim for a 5hr delay so I contacted CAA 10 months ago. Had a couple of emails apologising for delay in sorting then yesterday I got an email saying 'They had instructed the airline to pay compensation' . Still got to wait for my cheque ! but a result at last.

Don't count on it!

I suffered a long delay on Air France in 2010, and eventually received a letter similar to yours from the CAA I was referred to the French equivalent of the CAA who were then fairly efficient in contacting the airline. At that point Air France explained the delay (for the first time, after many vague and evasive emails) and it was indeed 'exceptional circumstances'.