Turned down for expenses on a non-refundable hotel stay after Easyjet flights cancelled

Flipjango

Easyjet cancelled both our outbound and return flights for a trip we had planned last week. We had already booked a hotel room and transfers that were pre-paid and non-refundable. I applied for compensation and expenses. Easyjet initially turned us down for compensation as they said the 'delay was less than 2 hours'. After much fighting I've got them to agree compensation for the outbound flight which comes to £880 between 4 of us, though they are still claiming the return flight was 'delayed less than 2 hours' even though it was cancelled and I have their email saying so, and they won't pay out. I will fight this.

But today they have also turned us down for the expenses claim for the lost hotel stay and the pre-paid transfers we had booked that we also couldn't cancel. This came to well over £1000 so we are out of pocket quite considerably. Their justification is that the hotel is a 'private arrangement' and the transfer is a 'pre-flight arrangement'. Can I fight this? Surely they should be liable for these lost costs? I can't find any specific guidance for this kind of expenses? Thanks

Bradden

Was it booked as a package or seperatly by yourself?

Flipjango

Everything was booked separately by ourselves so I'm aware we have no package protection. 

400ixl

If it wasn't a package then you claim from your travel insurance for the hotel and transfer costs you were unable to use due to a 3rd party failure to supply.

Voyager2002

The compensation is a fairly substantial fixed amount and is intended to cover losses such as your hotel and transfers. Once you have got compensation for the inbound flight as well you are likely to end up with most of your losses covered.

lisyloo

I don’t think they are liable for “consequential loss”.
you should have travel insurance for this.
did you?

as regards the cancelled flight, they are a nightmare to deal with.
you could send a letter before action to their address by recorded delivery.

bagand96

As the advice above.... easyjet are correct when they say they are not liable for third party arrangements. 

Compensation for cancellation is fixed at an amount set by the EU (and adopted into UK law). You are due the compensation for the return flight though if easyjet cancelled that too. 

Caz3121

Flipjango said:

Surely they should be liable for these lost costs? 

the expenses that they cover would be for example if your flight was delayed overnight and you required a hotel whilst waiting for your new flight or if you have a long delay you would claim refreshments whilst waiting.
Have you spoken to your travel insurance?

Flipjango

Thank you everyone. Easyjet are still claiming that the return flight wasn't cancelled but that it only showed as cancelled on their website and then was reinstated so they won't pay compensation. But as they were unable to provide a replacement outbound flight for us of course either way we were unable to use it. Do we have any rights to compensation as effectively this means it was cancelled for us even if the flight still operated? 

lisyloo

Sorry if I’ve missed it but what do you mean by the flight was reinstated but they weren’t able to provide a replacement outbound flight?

Do you mean they didn’t tell you it was reinstated?
Or you couldn’t take it because you weren’t at the destination?

Apologies, it’s not clear to me.

Caz3121

were both outbound and return flights on the same booking? have you received a refund for the outbound?