Right to arrange alternative transport?

karenfreeth

Vauban wrote: »

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).

I agree with what you say above - but am unclear regarding the situation because of their cop out of because of bad weather. Does anyone know a link where I can get to the actual EU regulations?

karenfreeth

richardw wrote: »

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

The problem was owing to the appalling weather in the UK and therefore not within their control. Personally, I feel that the flight should have been cancelled and not attempted such treacherous landing circumstances (it was only a short flight so it was not exactly a surprise that the extreme weather was encountered).

Vauban

karenfreeth wrote: »

I agree with what you say above - but am unclear regarding the situation because of their cop out of because of bad weather. Does anyone know a link where I can get to the actual EU regulations?

I found this thing called Google - it's brilliant. You should try it ...

I did and found this: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2004:046:0001:0007:en:PDF

You might read Article 6(1)(c)(iii) - really! - which then refers you to Article 8(1)(a). The long and short of it is that you are owed a refund, regardless of the cause of the delay ("extraordinary circumstances" applies only to the question of compensation under Article 7).

karenfreeth

Vauban wrote: »

Karen: have you read my reply?

Hi, thanks - yes I have read your reply and completely agree that morally this would be correct, but unfortunately there appear to be differences of opinion on this and I need to find the actual documents which state this in order to be able to write and make a claim from German Wings.
too many travel providers (main example South West Trains.......don't get me started on that one!) exclude non-provision of their services due to circumstances beyond their control - and the bad thing is they can get away with it! :mad:

karenfreeth

Vauban wrote: »

I found this thing called Google - it's brilliant. You should try it ...

I did and found this: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2004:046:0001:0007:en:PDF

You might read Article 6(1)(c)(iii) - really! - which then refers you to Article 8(1)(a). The long and short of it is that you are owed a refund.

thank you so much, i'll take a look

jackieblack

karenfreeth wrote: »

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.

Sorry to hear about your experience.
We (eventually) flew from Edinburgh to Stansted on Friday evening, on arriving (late) at Stansted we were delayed a further 45 minutes waiting for a stand as so many flights had been diverted into Stansted and they had nowhere to put us!

karenfreeth

So glad you eventually got home safely

Ich_2

As a friend commented after Friday, "the crosswinds were so bad I had to look sideways out of the captain's side window as that's the direction the runway was!"

Like this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfB4xyM7tMw

jackieblack

Yes, eventually. And you too.
I can quite understand your reluctance to fly again so soon. Conditions were bad enough coming into Stansted, I can't imagine how much worse they must have been at other airports where flights were cancelled.

jackieblack

Ich wrote: »

As a friend commented after Friday, "the crosswinds were so bad I had to look sideways out of the captain's side window as that's the direction the runway was!"

Like this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfB4xyM7tMw

Yes, we had a good view down the runway on our approach
The pilot did warn us the descent/approach would be bumpy, and it certainly was!
Even sitting on the tarmac, waiting for a stand it still felt like we were flying as the nose of the plane was lifting and the plane being buffetted by the gusts.