TUI flight delay - Rejected Compensation

12SCooke

Hi,

Just looking for some advice on a recent rejected claim for flight delay.

We were due to fly back to Manchester Airport from Palma on Monday 24th at 22.30. We received an email Monday morning to advise that due to the power cuts on Sunday Morning in Manchester, our flight had been cancelled and a new flight was created merging two separate flights, with a new flight time being Tuesday 25th at 03.30. (I know this because it was just a standard 737 MAX, it was a 787 9 Dreamliner.)

The real kicker was that we also had to remain on our original transfer to the airport at 18.30 Monday evening.

I put a hopeful claim in but they have rejected it claiming "Extraordinary Circumstances". With our flight being 36hrs after the original power cut, and TUI choosing to cancel our flight and conveniently merging two flights, having to remain on the same transfer and staying in the airport for several hours, do I have any kind of grounds to appeal this at all, or will it just instantly be out down to "Extraordinary Circumstances"


Thanks in advance

Ayr_Rage

It can and does take days for an airline to get their aircraft and people back in the right place after such an event along with those staff having the required legal rest.

There was nothing convenient in merging flights, it was their best option to get customers home.

I concur with TUI that it was extraordinary circumstances.

bagand96

This was a mass disruption event that ruined almost an entire day's worth of flying so it was always going to have knock on effects beyond Sunday 23rd as they had to recover their schedule. And for airlines like TUI who fly primarily for package holidays, they will always reviver the schedule as they have holidaymakers to get home. Other airlines just cancel and say "the next flight we have with seats available is....."

Last Monday TUI actually chartered two freight aircraft that went island hopping around Spain/Greece delivering luggage that they couldn't take out on the Sunday (not relevant to you I know, but shows the issues they were facing)

If your snot satisfied with their response you can escalate to AviationADR or lodge a Small Claims Court case. 

la531983

Aye you are going to get nowhere with this, chalk it off as a small annoyance and move on. 

Westin

la531983 said:

Aye you are going to get nowhere with this, chalk it off as a small annoyance and move on. 

I would agree.

12SCooke

Thanks, all the comments confirm my suspicions. I thought it was a hopeful one rather than realistically being able to claim something from it!

Voyager2002

I do hope that you had a reasonable meal at the airport and maybe hired a resting space... TUI continue to be liable to pay for your "care" during the delay.