Flight cancelled due to French strikes. Compensation?

jojo68_

I was due to fly today but yesterday received a text message saying my flights had been cancelled due to travel disruption and had been rebooked for tomorrow leaving me stranded in Paris for 12 hours. After an hour on the phone one of my flights has been changed again and now only 3 hours.
Am I entitled to claim compensation? Ive looked on Air France website but cant find a form to complete or if strikes are included.

ellenvan

Look at ADR Aviation claim site - but I don't think strikes can be claimed for compensation. You can however usually get expenses e.g. food and accom.

bagand96

I believe that if it is airline staff striking then compensation may be payable.  However if it's a third party strike such as airport staff, air traffic control etc then it would be classed as extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline's control so no compensation due.

Westin

The strikes are by air traffic control and also fuelers.  Both outside of the airlines control.

A wry smile to see that the French are striking because the Government want to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.....

TELLIT01

If you have been provided with a new flight departing 3 hours after the original, you won't be entitled to any compensation unless if arrives at its destination more than 3 hours beyond its intended arrival time.

nyck

Our Lyon EJ  flight got cancelled  ,flying (Thursday). EJ said the usual , have a refund or swap flight for free . The first available flight from Lyon wasn't until Saturday , the next best option was fly from Geneva but the website would only let me select another French Airport which was pointless due to the strike .

So I booked The Geneva flight for Thursday £280 for 2 people also with EJ .

I take it we should get that money back ?? Also can I claim any charges the Car hire may add for returning the car to Geneva instead of Lyon  Airport .

thanks    

jojo68_

TELLIT01 said:

If you have been provided with a new flight departing 3 hours after the original, you won't be entitled to any compensation unless if arrives at its destination more than 3 hours beyond its intended arrival time.

I actually arrive 18 hours late, the hour on the phone meant i reduced the 12 hours in Paris down to 3 hours.

bagand96

nyck said:

Our Lyon EJ  flight got cancelled  ,flying (Thursday). EJ said the usual , have a refund or swap flight for free . The first available flight from Lyon wasn't until Saturday , the next best option was fly from Geneva but the website would only let me select another French Airport which was pointless due to the strike .

So I booked The Geneva flight for Thursday £280 for 2 people also with EJ .

I take it we should get that money back ?? Also can I claim any charges the Car hire may add for returning the car to Geneva instead of Lyon  Airport .

thanks    

You may have been better trying to call easyJet and getting them to change your flights that way. You should be able to claim back your rerouting costs but it may be more complicated now. I'd try and get in touch with them to let them know what you've done as they may just refund your original flight. Or if they've allocated you a new Lyon flight you might get marked as no show. 

As you've rerouted yourself via Geneva I'm not sure if easyJet will be liable for transport costs from Lyon to there. Even if they were it might only be reasonable costs such as public transport, not potentially hefty car hire fees. 

nyck

bagand96 said:

nyck said:

Our Lyon EJ  flight got cancelled  ,flying (Thursday). EJ said the usual , have a refund or swap flight for free . The first available flight from Lyon wasn't until Saturday , the next best option was fly from Geneva but the website would only let me select another French Airport which was pointless due to the strike .

So I booked The Geneva flight for Thursday £280 for 2 people also with EJ .

I take it we should get that money back ?? Also can I claim any charges the Car hire may add for returning the car to Geneva instead of Lyon  Airport .

thanks    

You may have been better trying to call easyJet and getting them to change your flights that way. You should be able to claim back your rerouting costs but it may be more complicated now. I'd try and get in touch with them to let them know what you've done as they may just refund your original flight. Or if they've allocated you a new Lyon flight you might get marked as no show. 

As you've rerouted yourself via Geneva I'm not sure if easyJet will be liable for transport costs from Lyon to there. Even if they were it might only be reasonable costs such as public transport, not potentially hefty car hire fees. 

 As we were skiing all day etc we didnt see the email until late that night 9pm ( call centre shuts 10pm~) , and as we were flying the next day  We were up against it , so didnt want to wait for the morning in case the Geneva flights went as everyone else would be doing the same we were thinking . The only extra car hire fees would be droping off at geneva instead of lyon as the car already hired for that day .  Ill give them a call now and reports back  

onashoestring

You won’t get a refund plus the  new flight it’s one or the other . You ( not the airline ) get to choose which one you want . 

Recovering the cost of your new flight is an expense not compensation- use this term .
You will need to inform Easyjet straight away that you do not want a refund and you are not accepting the flight that they have offered
( otherwise you will be classed as a no show ) - Follow up with this in writing  to Easyjet asap. 

Keep all receipts for the cost of the  transport to Geneva - worth trying to claim this also as an expense- not compensation . You may need to demonstrate that this flight change was a reasonable change to get you home asap.