Daughter's Easyjet Flight Cancelled Night Before Scheduled Flight - Is She Due Compensation?

MJaye

My daughter's flight to Paris was cancelled due to Fire and Rescue strike action at Charles De Gaulle airport. Easyjet only notified her of the cancellation the night before her flight at around 9pm on the Friday and she was due to take off at 7:55am on the Saturday morning.

There were no other flights available from Easyjet as a replacement flight and she subsequently had to get the ferry from Dover to Calais and then a train to Paris. She eventually arrived at her hotel at gone 7pm on the Saturday after getting up at 4am to travel to Dover, losing most of the first day of a 3 night stay in Paris. If the flight had gone ahead she would have arrived at the hotel at 12pm. She therefore lost around 7hrs in Paris as well as the inconvenience of having to get different forms of transport (ferry, shuttle buses, trains etc.) 

She has claimed the refund for the cancelled flight, but could she be due compensation for such a late cancellation? If so, would this be claimed through Easyjet or her travel insurance? 

Westin

A strike by CDG airports fire & rescue service sounds like an 'extra-ordinary' event outside of the airlines control.  I don't believe EU261/UK261 compensation would be applicable. Your daughter could certainly attempt and submit a claim - but it could get refused.

lisyloo

Not from easyjet if it's not their fault (and if it's a strike it's out of their control).

She should look at her travel insurance to see what she's covered for.
We can't say as it will depend on her policy.

MJaye

Westin said:

A strike by CDG airports fire & rescue service sounds like an 'extra-ordinary' event outside of the airlines control.  I don't believe EU261/UK261 compensation would be applicable. Your daughter could certainly attempt and submit a claim - but it could get refused.

It was all a bit crazy. Got a late email to say Fire and Rescue at CDG were going on strike and that only one runway was available therefore airlines had been told to reduce flights by 15%. She had just gone to bed thinking she was getting up early to travel to Gatwick, but luckily she saw it otherwise she could have got to LGW to find there was no flight. Doesn't sound like there's much chance of getting anything. Such short notice of a strike but I guess that's the way they do it in France. Over here you seem to get a few days notice and everyone knows what's happening. Thanks for your response though.