Right to arrange alternative transport?

karenfreeth

Hello, returning from Germany last Friday - flight was one of the emergencies which were unable to land at Heathrow. After two terrifying aborted landings, flight returned to Hamburg.
German Wings arranged hotel accommodation and offered a flight at 7.30am Saturday. However, after the terrifying flight experience and the weather forecast not substantially improved for the following day - I was too afraid to board a plane. Arranged train travel to return home at a personal cost of 300 euro.
Is there any right to a refund of the flight cost as the offer was refused?
Has anyone any ideas regarding any rights?

Mark2spark

I'm unaware of the 'emergency' (you use the plural?) that Heathrow had. What was this?

IMO you've chosen to decline the flight offered, therefore no refund. Irrespective of your fear of boarding, and the previous experience, sorry to say.

richardw

Do you think germanwings should've taken reasonable measures to avoid the long delay?

marleyboy

You had a right for overnight accommodation and an alternative flight. Of which was offered, turning down a flight for a train, taxi or coach would waver those rights to being a choice.

Vauban

Hold on - don't the Regulations make clear that if the delay exceeds five hours and then the passenger chooses not to travel, they're entitled to a refund - which is quite separate from the issue of compensation/extraordinary circumstances/reasonable measures?

My view is that you are entitled to a refund of the flight, but nothing further (assuming meals and accommodation were also provided).

Voyager2002

Mark2spark wrote: »

I'm unaware of the 'emergency' (you use the plural?) that Heathrow had. What was this?

Strong winds made landing impossible: the resulting chaos (and some 'planes arriving low on fuel) meant that passengers may have been at greater risk than normal. It was all on the radio this morning.

Vauban

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Strong winds made landing impossible: the resulting chaos (and some 'planes arriving low on fuel) meant that passengers may have been at greater risk than normal. It was all on the radio this morning.

Indeed, I can vouch for this personally! I arrived early Saturday morning into RAF Brize Norton on a flight from the Falklands - and it was still touch and go until the last couple of minutes about whether we would be able to land.

System

Vauban wrote: »

Indeed, I can vouch for this personally! I arrived early Saturday morning into RAF Brize Norton on a flight from the Falklands - and it was still touch and go until the last couple of minutes about whether we would be able to land.

If it was a Timmy then the pilots are used to high cross winds from landing and taking off in the Falklands.

Once saw a FIGAS plane land sideways on the runway. He wanted to put down directly on to the apron but they wouldn't let him

karenfreeth

Mark2spark wrote: »

I'm unaware of the 'emergency' (you use the plural?) that Heathrow had. What was this?

IMO you've chosen to decline the flight offered, therefore no refund. Irrespective of your fear of boarding, and the previous experience, sorry to say.

If you look at the Sunday Times online this morning you will see that jets were sending maydays over London and five aircraft were forced to declare emergencies. Unfortunately not redirected to another airport in the UK as some were - the flight were advised that they could not land at any airport in England because of the weather.

karenfreeth

Mark2spark wrote: »

I'm unaware of the 'emergency' (you use the plural?) that Heathrow had. What was this?

IMO you've chosen to decline the flight offered, therefore no refund. Irrespective of your fear of boarding, and the previous experience, sorry to say.

Unfortunately, it appears that there are too many get out clauses because of the bad weather, however I still feel that as the contract to provide homeward travel was not fulfilled there should be a refund of fare?
It was actually exceptionally bad, two attempts at landing with the aircraft veering from left to right, and then pulling up only a few feet from touching down - and continual extreme drops whilst descending. As the weather forecast was not looking any better until Sunday it was rather risky that the same scenario could be re-enacted.

Vauban

karenfreeth wrote: »

Unfortunately, it appears that there are too many get out clauses because of the bad weather, however I still feel that as the contract to provide homeward travel was not fulfilled there should be a refund of fare?
It was actually exceptionally bad, two attempts at landing with the aircraft veering from left to right, and then pulling up only a few feet from touching down - and continual extreme drops whilst descending. As the weather forecast was not looking any better until Sunday it was rather risky that the same scenario could be re-enacted.

Karen: have you read my reply?