Flight price increase post holiday and car hire excess price!

jamski07

So we've just had a great holiday in Sweden and Norway, but I have a few issues to clear up and wondered if anyone could advise.


Firstly the flights.

I had an email this morning from Norwegian saying that the Norwegian Government is imposing a new retrospective tax on all flights from Norway of 80NOK per person, and as we flew after 1st June they would have to take this money! There were four of us so it's another 320NOK (£27). Not a massive amount of money but it's the principal.

Can they seriously do this after we have booked, flown out, flown back and been at home for two days??!!

Both ways the flights were delayed, going out was by nearly 8 hours, and 55 minutes coming home. Have started compensation for the flight to Norway.


Car hire

So having had a REALLY long day flying out to Norway (around 17 hours!) we finally arrive. Go to car hire (Alamo) and they tell me the excess on the car was around £1,200 and we would have to pay regardless if the accident was my fault or not. He even said a scratch on the car could mean we have to pay. But we could reduce the excess to around £150 if we paid more. Not wanting to be constantly worried on our holiday and being extremely tired with two kids in tow I paid.

Have just asked an online rep with the company we booked through, and they have said we will only pay if the accident is my fault. If this was the case I wouldn't have paid the have the excess reduced.

Do I have grounds to complain, it's just my word against the guy who was at the desk at the time!


Thanks in advance,

James.

Caz3121

It is common for car hire companies to have a large excess and try to scare you into buying insurance to offset that excess
If you left the car parked somewhere and there was damaged caused (scratch, dent) you would be liable even though not your fault so it may not be as simple as saying you would not have to pay anything unless you were at fault.
personally I buy my own excess insurance before going and decline the policies offered by the car hire companies (even though this does mean they put a hold on a credit card)

NiftyDigits

What they mean is that they would take the excess in that event, but perhaps give it back if someone else was found liable and made to pay. So you would have to ringfence that amount in any case other than paying their excess premium.
No mis-selling there. You just didn't do your research on buying standalone car hire excess insurance beforehand. So don't waste time and energy on that.
As to the tax...that isn't Norwegian's fault.
Hope that you get your compensation for the delay...which should adequately compensate you for the annoying tax.

jpsartre

jamski07 wrote: »

Can they seriously do this after we have booked, flown out, flown back and been at home for two days??!!

The money is effectively charged by the Norwegian government. I would assume they wouldn't impose the tax retroactively unless it was legal.

jamski07

NiftyDigits wrote: »

What they mean is that they would take the excess in that event, but perhaps give it back if someone else was found liable and made to pay. So you would have to ringfence that amount in any case other than paying their excess premium.
No mis-selling there. You just didn't do your research on buying standalone car hire excess insurance beforehand. So don't waste time and energy on that.
As to the tax...that isn't Norwegian's fault.
Hope that you get your compensation for the delay...which should adequately compensate you for the annoying tax.

Hummmm, to be honest I didn't even know such an insurance existed! Trust me, I researched a lot to (supposedly) get the best deal, and he was pretty blunt about the excess. I get what you and others are saying and have contacted them, we'll wait and see what they say.

As for the added tax, I still can't believe even a government can retrospectively charge you for a service you've already paid for and used! Bet this wouldn't have happened if they were part of the EU!

bagand96

As for the added tax, I still can't believe even a government can retrospectively charge you for a service you've already paid for and used! Bet this wouldn't have happened if they were part of the EU!

Some years back the UK increased Air Passenger Duty. I can't remember the exact timelines, but it was part of a budget and was effective from a set date. Trouble is, that set date wasn't too far in the future and a lot of people already had flight bookings. The UK Government stated these passengers still had to pay, so airlines went back and asked passengers for extra money. (although I'm not sure if it affected people already flown.)

In your case, Norway announced on 13th May 2016 that their tax would be in effect from 1st June 2016. So not much time for the airlines to get ahead of the game, hence why they are only now asking for it. But it's a government tax, and not really the airline's fault for its late notice introduction.

Both ways the flights were delayed, going out was by nearly 8 hours, and 55 minutes coming home. Have started compensation for the flight to Norway.

Norwegian are one of the worst for fobbing you off and just ignoring any EU261 claims. In the end I looked up the EU Small Claims process, and how I'd go about enforcing it if I did win and they still refused to pay. For me it fell in to the too difficult box and I went to a no win no fee. Bott & Co have just advised me that (after court proceedings issued) Norwegian will be paying. Whether they'd have done this if I'd gone to court myself I don't know. But good luck!

Shimrod

bagand96 wrote: »

Some years back the UK increased Air Passenger Duty. I can't remember the exact timelines, but it was part of a budget and was effective from a set date.

From the email I received at the time....

"On 7th December 2006 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that HM Revenue and Customs Treasury board will double the Air Passenger Duty (APD) tax payable by passengers departing the UK from1 February 2007. This will affect all passengers on all airlines departing the UK on or after this date regardless of when their booking was made.
....

As it is a requirement that these amounts be paid prior to departure, to flyglobespan, those passengers who have booked already, without paying the increased duty will have this amount added to their booking.
"


Cost us an extra £80!

jamski07

bagand96 wrote: »

Norwegian are one of the worst for fobbing you off and just ignoring any EU261 claims. In the end I looked up the EU Small Claims process, and how I'd go about enforcing it if I did win and they still refused to pay. For me it fell in to the too difficult box and I went to a no win no fee. Bott & Co have just advised me that (after court proceedings issued) Norwegian will be paying. Whether they'd have done this if I'd gone to court myself I don't know. But good luck!

Thanks for the info. How long did you leave it before you went to the no win no fee place, and how much did they take of your settlement, if you don't mind me asking?