Cancelled flight as part of a package holiday

VChi

Hi. Our late night easyjet flight home from holiday in Malta was cancelled  at short notice and the next  direct flight available was 8 days later.

I have read the guidance but am still slightly unclear if my claim for expenses and compensation goes through the tour operator or  directly to  the airline. We bought flights, transfer and hotel as a package. 

I spoke to the tour operator as soon as we heard ( while awaiting airport transfer)  and they advised it was up to easyjet as we were already in resort. They did look up one alternative flight, a day later, with BA at £ 1750 each with few spaces left but advised against booking that without checking easyjet would pay.

We could not get through to easyjet  - each time call started ringing the call was ended. Other passengers and airport staff trying to help had the same.

Easyjet offered no alternative flights or  very useful advice ( beyond a refund or rebooking 8 days later). 

Staff at the airport (not easyjet staff - none there) advised us to look at sky tracker to get us home. Options were going quickly but we managed to book flights via Crete for the next day with Ryanair and easyjet to get us home. 

I submitted claims to easyjet  -they have accepted claims for a meal and taxis to and from hotel but said other receipts (some drinks and more importantly the flights) are invalid. In relation to the compensation claim they say they can't find our booking. 

I have so far not been able to contact the tour operator in the UK and would like to be clear if I need to be going through them or back to easyjet. 

Many thanks.

eskbanker

VChi said:

I have read the guidance but am still slightly unclear if my claim for expenses and compensation goes through the tour operator or  directly to  the airline. We bought flights, transfer and hotel as a package. 

I spoke to the tour operator as soon as we heard ( while awaiting airport transfer)  and they advised it was up to easyjet as we were already in resort. They did look up one alternative flight, a day later, with BA at £ 1750 each with few spaces left but advised against booking that without checking easyjet would pay.

Perhaps the reference to 'expenses and compensation' muddied the water - the package organiser is definitely responsible for getting you home (i.e. paying for flights), but the airline is responsible for expenses (reasonable food & drink, etc) and compensation (if applicable).

VChi

Thank you - I  asked the tour operator  ( On the Beach) about how we should get home and they said it wasn't up to them.  I have finally managed to find an email for them via their Facebook page so will follow up the flights with them and resubmit the compensation claim to easyjet. I wondered if they couldn't find the booking as it was booked by on the beach rather than me but maybe I entered something incorrectly. 

eskbanker

Splitting hairs perhaps but On The Beach aren't a tour operator as such, i.e. they don't operate tours in the way that, say, TUI do, but are a package organiser in the context of the Package Travel Regulations, so have responsibilities to look after customers in the event of problems before, during or after the booked trips....

Westin

It might be worth splitting your claims and resubmitting to Easyjet.  One claim for the expenses and one (if the cancellation reason was not due to extra ordinary reasons such as weather delay) for any compensation.  
https://www.easyjet.com/en/terms-and-conditions/notice-of-rights-for-flight-delays-and-cancellations

As eskbanker mentioned, had this been booked with a 'real' tour operator then they would have been responsible for getting you home.   The waters are mudded when these dynamic packagers are used.  The PTR's apply but you will likely find you are pretty much on your own to sort things out if things go wrong.

VChi

Thanks @Westin . They were submitted as 2 separate claims on 2 different online forms on the easyjet website. One form for expenses and another for compensation. Is that what you mean? 

 I'm  still unclear about On the Beach's role.

VChi

The cancellation was due to staff shortages as far as I can tell.

Westin

VChi said:

Thanks @Westin . They were submitted as 2 separate claims on 2 different online forms on the easyjet website. One form for expenses and another for compensation. Is that what you mean? 

 I'm  still unclear about On the Beach's role.

Yes, spot on with the separate claim process.

They may well reject drinks claims if - you included alcohol, if the costs were not with a receipt or in the correct currency for the claim, or if these were drinks on the return flight home.

Did you apply for and receive a refund on the original EZY return flight? Could that be why they have not accepted your claim for the flights you had to purchase.  You would not be entitled to both. Often it is best to claim for the new flights as they are normally the more expensive.

Crew shortage should mean compensation paid out under EU261/UK261 regulations.

VChi

No we didn't claim for the cancelled flight, only the replacement.  I'm not too worried about the food and drink but the flights were over 2k Euros. There wasn't anywhere on the form to explain why we had to fly via Crete ( I.e no direct flights available) if that was why it was refused.

VChi

Refusal just said " invalid receipt". I attached the invoice ( marked as paid) from the new flight booking..

Westin

The only other thing to suggest re the online claims process would be to upload and submit the new flight invoice again.  Perhaps write on, or scan an addition page, with brief explanation of the MLA/HER (FR) and HER/UK(EZY) rerouted flights.