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saver776

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bradders1983

Given the reason for it is the obvious reason, the answer will be a resounding No.

Easyjet as an example have only been cancelling flights a week or so before departure for the last two and a half months, they wouldnt have done this had EU compo been due 

Alan_Bowen

No, the EU Commission made it clear on 18th March that although airlines had to give refunds for cancelled flights, no compensation was due whilst the virus was the cause of the cancellation

[Deleted User]

Ditto - sorry to say.  You should be eligible for a refund or rebook but not any compensation.

bradders1983

If it was payable then the airlines would all be bankrupt and you wouldnt get a payout anyway.

bagand96

From the same link you posted:

Unless 'extraordinary circumstances' affected your flight, you can claim compensation

As the other posters have correctly pointed out, Covid is an extraordinary circumstance.

Life__Goes__On

bagand96 said:

As the other posters have correctly pointed out, Covid is an extraordinary circumstance.

I wonder for how long it will last being a "extraordinary circumstance",  if countries start entering the "new norm" at some point the "extraordinary circumstance" becomes an "ordinary circumstance"

bagand96

Life__Goes__On said:

bagand96 said:

As the other posters have correctly pointed out, Covid is an extraordinary circumstance.

I wonder for how long it will last being a "extraordinary circumstance",  if countries start entering the "new norm" at some point the "extraordinary circumstance" becomes an "ordinary circumstance"

I expect that will be for the EU rulemakers to decide in the first instance, and then the courts when some inevitable test cases are brought.  Since EU261 was introduced there's been a multitude of test cases, and extraordinary circumstances are indeed few and far between.  The airlines are held accountable for most situations.  I believe the courts generally judge on something along the lines of "situations that can be normally expected within the running of an airline" or similar.

Practically of course, it's the summer 2020 schedules that have been decimated.  A lot of airlines haven't got Winter 2020/21 or Summer 2021 on sale and I would expect very cautious schedules into the winter, and as things develop cancellations earlier rather than later. 

The industry is on it's knees and many EU Governments want to support their aviation industry so won't be keen on further punishing airlines with EU261.  Domestically, with Brexit, the UK may in theory be free to break away from the legislation or modify it.  And you can bet UK airlines will lobby for that, regardless of Covid.

Life__Goes__On

I agree

The EU have certainly changed the rulebook (State aid) when it suits them,  but seems  wants a guarantee  others don't do the same. I suppose Hypocrisy does come from Greek.

Thrugelmir

saver776 said:

I understand it's extraordinary circumstances, but Easyjet knew full well more than 14 days in advance of some cancellations. 

Physical contraints. We all so reliant on technology. You forget how many people are required when systems revert to manual handling. Simply not the capacity. 

bagand96

saver776 said:

I understand it's extraordinary circumstances, but Easyjet knew full well more than 14 days in advance of some cancellations. People have left hotel bookings open, been informed by Easyjet about a cancelled flight a week before their flight (when Easyjet could have said it was cancelled much earlier), and lost their free cancellation. Keeping the 14 day compensation rule would prevent this, but I suppose that's a whole different matter.

A lot of airlines are cancelling on a rolling basis to manage their workload. Also the picture changes frequently with different governments announcing different restrictions. 

Sometimes people need to take some ownership of the situation and make decisions. Nothing to stop people cancelling their hotel if they had the option. They could always have reserved a backup with 24 hour cancellation if they needed to.  If people want simplicity and full protection, they always had the option of a package holiday, if they chose to book all elements independently they don’t have that luxury.