EasyJet comensation - how long do I wait!

mdi18

Our return flight with Easyjet from Cyprus was delayed on 04/06/2022. We should have departed at 22:10. Once through security the screen said our new departure time was 01:15, however the flight arrived and we were waiting at the gate. No-one from Easyjet was ever seen and 2 staff from the airport seemed surprised to see everyone at the gate and informed us that we couldn't stay in the airport over night. No tannoy announcements were made and no-one was offered anything, not even a glass of water and the airport was effectively closed! Everyone started to get emails from Easyjet with a new flight time and number and we were asked to check-in again for the flight!
We were eventually informed that the flight would depart at 15:15 on 05/06/2022 and the airport staff were desperately trying to help us. At around 06:00 coaches arrived to take us to a hotel and we had to collect our baggage and go back through security. We were given a room and a chance to have a shower and freshen up. We were picked up at noon - again no-one from Easyjet had been seen.
We eventually landed in Liverpool at around 19:10 - 19 hours later than originally planned.
I completed the compensation claim form and submitted out of pocket expenses and I am still waiting for a resolution. The online claim checker says that I will have a response by 08/07/2022. I have attempted to chase it up but no luck.
What do you suggest I do now?
Thank you

JPears

If you have a contact email that works then 8 weeks on, you should send a Letter/Notice Before Action. Give them 2 weeks. This then allows you to proceed with a Small Claims Court action after 2 weeks, without giving any further notice.

SCC usually focuses the minds of the airline concerned as they have legally defined timetable tey must work towards.

Alternatively, condsider Aviation ADR, a dispute resolution service.  This can take a long time.

bagpuss25

EasyJet return flight cancelled from Kos scheduled take off 10pm. Crew advised passengers that they had already exceeded the hours that they are allowed to fly. Flight cancelled and advised that 'follow on' flight would leaving 2pm following day (same plane and crew). They would of course already have known this 5 or 6 hours earlier as the intention was that flight from Gatwick would arrive at Kos, then usual turnaround and back to Gatwick. Follow on flight next day also delayed by 4 hours.
In my mind straight forward claim for statutory compensation - even crew on return when eventually got going said passengers should claim.
Online compensation claim form completed by booker and submitted. Chased progress (although they ask you not to) and were advised claim had been rejected because of spelling mistake - said an email would be sent. One was received, but for a different passenger.
Chased again, and this time advised claim rejected because delay was because of extra-ordinary circumstances, although not advised of what these were. We would receive an email - havent received one though several weeks later.
I cant help but feel that this is 'sharp practice' at best - outright lying at worst. Are they just hoping people will give up? 

eskbanker

bagpuss25 said:

EasyJet return flight cancelled from Kos scheduled take off 10pm. Crew advised passengers that they had already exceeded the hours that they are allowed to fly. Flight cancelled and advised that 'follow on' flight would leaving 2pm following day (same plane and crew). They would of course already have known this 5 or 6 hours earlier as the intention was that flight from Gatwick would arrive at Kos, then usual turnaround and back to Gatwick. Follow on flight next day also delayed by 4 hours.

I'm not defending EasyJet here, but crew going out of hours would generally be a symptom rather than a cause, i.e. they'll have gone out of hours because of one or more delays on earlier flights, which may or may not have been the airline's fault - they should obviously explain how they're claiming it's extraordinary circumstances but in itself the fact that crew were out of hours doesn't necessarily signify a liability to pay compensation.

Having said that, there are potentially two separate claims here - one for the cancelled flight and another for the 4 hour delay to the new one, so that'll be two different scenarios where root causes need to be established....

bagand96

Recent claim with easyJet.  I heard back about compensation about 3/4 days after the easyJet Decision date displayed on their tracker.  The expenses claim took about 2 weeks longer.  Both were settled without argument and they paid within a week or so of the decision.

I didn't chase them at all, didn't see the point in further clogging up an overwhelmed customer service system.

Cressida100

We were told our flights were cancelled at 2am when the flight was due to leave at 6.30am. We luckily managed to rebook from another airport on the same day. We submitted our claim at the end of June and received £350 per passenger at the end of July. 

JPears

bagpuss25 said:

EasyJet return flight cancelled from Kos scheduled ....

.....I cant help but feel that this is 'sharp practice' at best - outright lying at worst. Are they just hoping people will give up? 

Yes. Or plain incompetence.

Take case to ADR.

bagpuss25

eskbanker said:

bagpuss25 said:

EasyJet return flight cancelled from Kos scheduled take off 10pm. Crew advised passengers that they had already exceeded the hours that they are allowed to fly. Flight cancelled and advised that 'follow on' flight would leaving 2pm following day (same plane and crew). They would of course already have known this 5 or 6 hours earlier as the intention was that flight from Gatwick would arrive at Kos, then usual turnaround and back to Gatwick. Follow on flight next day also delayed by 4 hours.

I'm not defending EasyJet here, but crew going out of hours would generally be a symptom rather than a cause, i.e. they'll have gone out of hours because of one or more delays on earlier flights, which may or may not have been the airline's fault - they should obviously explain how they're claiming it's extraordinary circumstances but in itself the fact that crew were out of hours doesn't necessarily signify a liability to pay compensation.

Having said that, there are potentially two separate claims here - one for the cancelled flight and another for the 4 hour delay to the new one, so that'll be two different scenarios where root causes need to be established....

I suspect you have got me back on an even keel. we press on and ask what the extraordinary circumstances were. I guess what is bugging me is 1. No EJ ground crew to help at Kos (they all went home) and 2. EJ would have known before the plane left Gatwick (perhaps 6/7/8 hours before scheduled Kos departure) that crew would have been out of hours. By the way, I have no real issue about the flight being cancelled (other than dissapointment) - would much rather have a fresh crew and exhausted passengers than the other way around!

bagand96

bagpuss25 said:

I suspect you have got me back on an even keel. we press on and ask what the extraordinary circumstances were. I guess what is bugging me is 1. No EJ ground crew to help at Kos (they all went home) and 2. EJ would have known before the plane left Gatwick (perhaps 6/7/8 hours before scheduled Kos departure) that crew would have been out of hours. By the way, I have no real issue about the flight being cancelled (other than dissapointment) - would much rather have a fresh crew and exhausted passengers than the other way around!

You might be surprised.  It's could be the case that when the aircraft left Gatwick for Kos the crew were running very close to their duty limits, but it was at least possible they had enough time to get to Kos and back if everything went to plan.  But throw in some ATC delays and a slow turnaround in Kos and the duty hours run out.

It''s not ideal but if that was the only crew available then the airline will at least try - it would be a last resort to have an aircraft and crew stranded in Kos for half a day plus all the expenses/compensation claims.