I'm baffled...holiday cancelled

choochmunk

Hi MSE family.

I'll try and keep this brief.
I was booked through lowcost holidays for 6 nights in Fuerteventura. At 10pm the night before the flight (at 6am) I received a text from Ryanair stating the flight was cancelled (due to French air traffic controllers strike). A phone call to lowcost holidays and I was only offered a full refund, which I duly accepted. The following morning (1st day of the holiday!) I managed to book a fresh holiday from another airport for 5 nights to Tenerife. This holiday wound up costing more, not only for 1 night less but for an inferior hotel to boot.

The question is what kind of compensation can I claim? And how should I go about it.

I have read a fair bit of info' on this site, which in all honesty has left me more confused.

Hope someone can help.

Many thanks - Jay

Alan_Bowen

There is no compensation payable in a situation like this which was outside the airline's control. You could have waited for the next available flight, which admittedly might have been days away but once you accept a full refund, and have no costs in waiting for the delayed flight, that is it. the fact you paid more for an alternative holiday was, with respect, your choice, sorry

choochmunk

Hey Alan,
Really appreciate the reply.

A little more detail that I missed off in the original post. I was obviously not best pleased with my flight being cancelled, but fully support the French ATC for standing up for themselves. This was not a "wildcat" strike the airlines knew of the plans in advance (but failed to contact me to explain their may be issues with the flights that day). Also it appears that almost all other flights (carriers) operated with little problem to Spain - mainland, Balearics and Canaries. My guess and it is purely a guess is that Ryanair would not pay for extra aviation fuel to bypass French ATC, as I stated most other carriers operated as per usual.
Maybe I'm clutching at straws or hoping for too much from a budget airline, but a single text from Ryanair 9 hours before my flight and zero correspondence from Lowcost holidays is shabby to say the least. I do feel most aggrieved at this level of customer service.

Caz3121

choochmunk wrote: »

My guess and it is purely a guess is that Ryanair would not pay for extra aviation fuel to bypass French ATC, as I stated most other carriers operated as per usual..

French ATC affected more than just Ryanair. Don't forget under EU261 duty of care Ryanair would have to pay accommodation and meals for all delayed passengers until they were able to get them home...I suspect some additional fuel would have been cheaper