The Drawbacks of Using NonEU/UK Airlines

Yozza

 We flew out to our family in the USA on the 10th March 2020 using our usual carrier,Singapore Air and got stuck there until the end of May. We flew there three times a year delighted with the direct flights from Manchester to Houston TX and the cost /service was excellent. However, legally they had no responsibilty to get us home and let us down badly by keeping flights back to the UK live until the last minute. Since then we have struggled to get our Natwest insurance to compensate us and have been in the hands of the Ombudsman for a year now - they continue to blame Covid for delays but we're now forgetting what we were claiming for!
        Trying to get any sense out of Natwest or the Ombudsman is a nightmare so even though we enjoyed the low cost and quality of  Singapore Air we would advise people to think carefully before using non-EU/UK operators in these very uncertain times for travelling.

mgfvvc

I'm still trying to get a refund from TAP, an EU operator. My bank took 6 months to reject a chargeback/S75 claim. It's been more than 6 months with the FOS and I can't say I'm optimistic.

Le_Kirk

Would this post be better off Consumer Rights or Insurance or Travel & Transport

Sandtree

Regulation costs money and as its a non-EU carrier and the flight originated from outside the EU then you have no protection under EU legislation (noting the flight was during the transition period) so that is one reason why they cna offer cheaper flights to start with.

They do however still have to follow their T&Cs which will cover things like flight cancellation.  Did they give you a refund for the cancelled flight?

What are you actually claiming off of your insurance for? On what grounds did the insurer decline the claim? Is it travel insurance bundled with a Premier Bank Account/similar or an independent policy bought?

The ombudsman has back log of many months even before Covid so dont expect them to work at pace.

ballyblack

you will not get much joy here either, you are on the tech board not travel!!

MSE_ForumTeam5

We've moved this to a more suitable board

Thrugelmir

Compensation for what?  If you cannot remember then no one else is going to make any sense either. 

Upsidedownandaround

EU air passenger rights apply:

• If your flight departs from the EU to a non-EU country operated by an EU or a non-EU airline 

So where did you fly your family out from?

Caz3121

Upsidedownandaround said:

EU air passenger rights apply:

• If your flight departs from the EU to a non-EU country operated by an EU or a non-EU airline 

So where did you fly your family out from?

OPs issue was the return leg so was departing from outside the EU on a non-EU airline

sheramber

Upsidedownandaround said:

EU air passenger rights apply:

• If your flight departs from the EU to a non-EU country operated by an EU or a non-EU airline 

So where did you fly your family out from?

From the forst post it would appear to be from Houston TX

Brie

Caz3121 said:

Upsidedownandaround said:

EU air passenger rights apply:

• If your flight departs from the EU to a non-EU country operated by an EU or a non-EU airline 

So where did you fly your family out from?

OPs issue was the return leg so was departing from outside the EU on a non-EU airline

Wow!  I assumed that when I took a round trip from Heathrow to Toronto Pearson that that meant the flight originated in the UK including the return leg.