Delayed flight TOM7337

vibealite

Hi

Looking for some

Advice please. On 26th October we arrived at Tenerife airport for our flight home to Birmingham. We got into the terminal and the flight was due at 18.40 and it stated it was delayed to 19.47. Checked again around 30 mins later and it had moved to 21.20 so myself partner and daughter went off to get some food. After eating we were having a walk around the terminal and checked the boards again to see the flight had been cancelled. Did not know what to do no one from tui to be found. Sent a message on the app and was told to go and speak to a rep outside the terminal at departures. Walked back down to security was sent back by the security guard through some side exit of the airport told to collect our cases. No one at the luggage area to ask so ended up leaving the terminal to ask the reps outside who said it’s nothing to do with them they’re arrivals walk down to departures. Went there no one was there either went back to arrivals told to go back in and wait for luggage and someone would come. Waited hours no sign of luggage or anyone from tui. Eventually a tui rep turned up who was fairly rude and unhelpful. Offered no food or water wouldn’t tell us where we were going just kept saying it wasn’t tuis fault. Cases came at about 9pm. Utter chaos went out to the try and find the reps. They said they were trying to sort hotels and buses no idea of timescale still no offer of food or water. We said we had family staying in Los cristianos asked if we got a taxi would they reimburse us was told no by one rep my partner asked another and they said yes. 10pm and told we were being sent to a hotel in the north of Tenerife buses would be here within an hour and the hotel an hour drive. At this point we decided to get a taxi to Los cristianos to our family. Asked about the flight the next day told we would get a message with details but likely about lunchtime. Reps just kept saying not tuis fault. Next day I contacted tui on messenger was told flight at 2.15pm then had an email saying 3.15pm so I called them and they confirmed was 3.15pm so we got a taxi back to the airport for the flight. Was then given vouchers of £8 each for food. Eventually arrived back at Birmingham 21 hours and 12 mins late. I incurred extra charges on my car parking. Am I entitled to reimbursement of the charges and taxi fares? Also my partner lost a days wages he’s self employed and was due in work yesterday. I had to take a days annual leave. 

Have had an email stating that delay was due to operational disruption in the tui fleet. Flight was delayed and operated at the earliest opportunity the following day. Staff told us it was due to plane being diverted due to disruptive passenger on outbound flight. Which caused them to run out of hours to staff the return flight. 

The Email states in case you are covered by travel insurance and require confirmation. We do have travel insurance excess is £100

Could anyone advise what our rights are to compensation is it tui is it travel insurance or do we have to just suffer the costs? 

TIA

Michelle  

eskbanker

You're not due compensation if the cancellation was due to exceptional circumstances beyond the airline's control, and if it was due to a disruptive passenger necessitating a diversion then that would probably count.

You should be able to claim the Tenerife taxi fares from TUI but they're not responsible for additional UK car parking charges or loss of earnings, etc, so those would be a matter for your travel insurance.

bagand96

The outbound flight TOM7336 from Birmingham to Tenerife left BHX about half hour late and did divert into Porto, Portugal. It was on the ground over 4 hours before flying OPO-TFS landing in Tenerife around midnight. So it seems TUI's version of events stacks up and its entirely plausible the crew would have been out of hours.

I'm not sure if this would be due compensation or not as it may be deemed to be extraordinary circumstances if caused by a disruptive passenger.

You are entitled to care during your delay though. So the taxi costs between the airport and Los Cristianos and back and any food/drink you purchased. You'll need receipts to claim these back and claim from TUI.

You may be covered by travel insurance for delays that's separate from any claim with TUI.