Wits end with WizzAir - haven't paid when they said they would & no response to emails

soneymavingnextpert

Evening money saving experts, 

I've never posted on a forum before, but I'm at a point of utter frustration with WizzAir and have no idea how to exercise my rights.

It took them 3 months and a complaint through the ADR for them to recognise that they needed to pay 960EUR compensation for a cancelled flight. This only happened after I took it to the ADR.

I was told that compensation was due, and funds had been released and would be available within 20 working days. 

It has been 30+ days and since day 21, I've send off 5 emails to every single customer relations email I could find chasing requesting payment and escalation to Chief Exec Office and I have heard NOTHING. 

As I have already been through the ADR, what are my options? I believe the only thing I can do is sue them - I don't even know how to go about doing that; are there any other ways to get this deceitful company to pay up?

Many, many thanks,
hopeful moneysaver

Locoblade

I'm in a similar position although haven't yet gone through ADR. We had a claim with them first accepted in July with a promised pay-out within 20 days which didn't happen. I chased and was told it would be processed and again 15-20 days, again nothing. I chased them a third time in late September and was again promised things would be sorted. At that point I could see in my user profile page on their website that the complaint had progressed to ""Payment in review - We're reviewing your payment to make sure everything is correct before approving it and sending your money."

This made me hopeful that something was actually happening so held off taking any further action but still no payment so I'm now preparing all the info to take it to ADR but it sounds from your experience that even that doesn't force them into action. 

soneymavingnextpert

Thanks so much for this, Locoblade, I hadn't seen that there was a claims area on the website. On mine it says 'work in progress' so clearly nothing has happened.

It's so frustrating to be spending so much time on something that by regulation they are required to do. I know there's a lot going on for the public and personal finances so it might not make a splash, but if I end up going to Moneybox or some other kind of public complaints forum I'll come back to you. Likewise, if anyone else is in a similar situation please comment. 

Thanks again

I'm in a similar position although haven't yet gone through ADR. We had a claim with them first accepted in July with a promised pay-out within 20 days which didn't happen. I chased and was told it would be processed and again 15-20 days, again nothing. I chased them a third time in late September and was again promised things would be sorted. At that point I could see in my user profile page on their website that the complaint had progressed to ""Payment in review - We're reviewing your payment to make sure everything is correct before approving it and sending your money."

This made me hopeful that something was actually happening so held off taking any further action but still no payment so I'm now preparing all the info to take it to ADR but it sounds from your experience that even that doesn't force them into action. 

luckyiki

Hello,
I am in a similar situation and was wondering if any guidance exists for the situations like this. In general most of the advise focuses on the cases when an airline rejects one's claim but I could not find anything on what to do when an airline accepts the claim but there simple is no payment (like yourselves it's Wizzair in my case). 
They accepted my claim in 4 weeks and advised that we can either get 960 Euros in Wizzair credit immediately or 800 euros on our bank account which would be paid in 14-20 working days - we opted for the latter.
On working day 21 we got an email saying that they "sent the compensation of 800 Euros" to our bank account and again that money will be at our disposal within further 14-20 working days. Even this was absurd - if they paid - it certainly doesn't take this long for money to reach our account. 
Anyway, more than 30 working days after they allegedly paid - there is no money and the claim on their web site is still "in progress". And like in your cases - there is no reply to my email requesting an update.

I wonder if the legal action is the only way forward

Locoblade

I did get a reply to a chaser email I sent in the week but it just said it was still being processed so nothing that the website didn't tell me anyway

TELLIT01

There is a piece in the Mail on Sunday about Wizzair basically ignoring court orders to pay people, so be prepared for a long and difficult process to get any money out of them.  The article has suggested that the CAA should look at banning Wizzair from the UK.  That suggests things are pretty serious.

Locoblade

Its strange as there was another thread here a week or two ago where someone claimed for a flight in mid October that was delayed and later in the thread that seemed to have been paid out within a matter of weeks. I wonder if it's the amount, in our case it's 1600Eur as a family of 4 whereas this other one was just a single person claim of about 300Eur

Locoblade

Here's the article by the way...

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/experts/article-11446965/TONY-HETHERINGTON-airline-flying-law-Wizz-Air-UK.html

luckyiki

Thank you both. although illuminating - the article doesn't give one much hope.

JPears

Have you contacted ADR about Whizz air's non compliance?

Have you contacted the CAA too? The CAA basically washed their hands of the whole 261/2004 issue by telling people to go to an ADR.

Its time CAA grew a pair and did their job.

Having read the article, it would appear that these claimants need to up their game by paying for sheriffs, rather than baliffs to go in. Sheriffs have far more enter and seize powers. Whizz air have plenty of assets in the UK - aircraft on the tarmac.

I am sure there has been a case where an aircraft was "seized" to force payment?

flea72

Same here too.  3 times they have confirmed payment will be in 14-20 days and nothing materialises.  Was thinking of going down legal route, but the DM article makes me think its not worth it