Emirates cancelled flight - flew home 8 days later compensation

goldenretreiverlove

I travelled to Dubai back in April, our return flight was due on 17th April however, the day before our flight, Dubai experienced extreme rain fall and due to operational issues at the airport the following day, our flight (amongst many others) was cancelled. 
We were told not to travel to the airport (we couldn't anyway because of road closures/ closure of any public transport) and couldn't contact Emirates for 2 days. By the time we did get hold of them, they could only get us on a rescheduled flight 8 days later. 
We submitted a feedback claim as soon as we came home, and I've only just had a response to say they aren't giving compensation and we need to contact travel insurance. 
My travel insurance have come back to me to say I can only claim £20 per every 12 hrs delayed up to £200 - which means the most I can claim is £200 to cover 8 whole days of hotels/ essentials... 

Obviously I am out of pocket a lot more than £200 and wondered if anyone else had any luck claiming anything additional/ some advice on where to go from here. 

My insurance is with Axa by Coverwise, and the wording relating to delays states the following: 

If you have arrived at the terminal and have checked in, or attempted to check in for your prebooked

flight, sea crossing, international coach or international train journey from or to the United Kingdom,

and in addition for residents of Northern Ireland, any departure point in the Republic of Ireland, and it is:

1. Delayed for more than 12 hours beyond the intended departure time.

2. Is cancelled before or after the scheduled time of departure as a result of any of the following

events:

a. Strike or industrial action.

b. Adverse weather conditions.

c. Mechanical breakdown of or a technical fault occurring in the public transport on which you

are booked to travel.

We will pay you:

1. £20 for the first completed 12 hours delay and £20 for each full 12 hours delay after that, up to

a maximum of £200 (which is meant to help you pay for telephone calls made and meals and

refreshments purchased during the delay) provided you eventually travel.

2. Up to £2,000 for any irrecoverable unused travel and accommodation costs and other pre-paid

charges which you have paid or are contracted to pay, if:

a. After a delay of at least 12 hours.

b. Following cancellation, no suitable alternative public transport is provided within 12 hours of

the scheduled time of departure.

They have said I'm not entitled to anything other than £200 due to the fact that costs incurred were not pre-paid/ unused.

Any help/ advise appreciated. 

Grumpy_chap

goldenretreiverlove said:

I travelled to Dubai back in April, our return flight was due on 17th April however, the day before our flight, Dubai experienced extreme rain fall and due to operational issues at the airport the following day, our flight (amongst many others) was cancelled. 
We were told not to travel to the airport (we couldn't anyway because of road closures/ closure of any public transport) and couldn't contact Emirates for 2 days. By the time we did get hold of them, they could only get us on a rescheduled flight 8 days later. 
We submitted a feedback claim as soon as we came home, and I've only just had a response to say they aren't giving compensation and we need to contact travel insurance. 
My travel insurance have come back to me to say I can only claim £20 per every 12 hrs delayed up to £200 - which means the most I can claim is £200 to cover 8 whole days of hotels/ essentials... 

Obviously I am out of pocket a lot more than £200 and wondered if anyone else had any luck claiming anything additional/ some advice on where to go from here. 

My insurance is with Axa by Coverwise, and the wording relating to delays states the following: 

If you have arrived at the terminal and have checked in, or attempted to check in for your prebooked

flight, sea crossing, international coach or international train journey from or to the United Kingdom,

and in addition for residents of Northern Ireland, any departure point in the Republic of Ireland, and it is:

1. Delayed for more than 12 hours beyond the intended departure time.

2. Is cancelled before or after the scheduled time of departure as a result of any of the following

events:

a. Strike or industrial action.

b. Adverse weather conditions.

c. Mechanical breakdown of or a technical fault occurring in the public transport on which you

are booked to travel.

We will pay you:

1. £20 for the first completed 12 hours delay and £20 for each full 12 hours delay after that, up to

a maximum of £200 (which is meant to help you pay for telephone calls made and meals and

refreshments purchased during the delay) provided you eventually travel.

2. Up to £2,000 for any irrecoverable unused travel and accommodation costs and other pre-paid

charges which you have paid or are contracted to pay, if:

a. After a delay of at least 12 hours.

b. Following cancellation, no suitable alternative public transport is provided within 12 hours of

the scheduled time of departure.

They have said I'm not entitled to anything other than £200 due to the fact that costs incurred were not pre-paid/ unused.

Any help/ advise appreciated. 

I would agree with Emirates that the flood events in Dubai were exceptional and so no claim against Emirates.

The travel insurance also appears to be making payment in accordance with the cover terms.

martindow

Aren't the airline obliged to look after passengers regardless of the cause of the delay?  This seems analogous to the Icelandic volcano incident a few years ago where some airlines were complaining bitterly about hotel and food costs they had to pay for which were many times the cost of the passenger's ticket.

Alan_Bowen

EU/UK 261 obliges airlines to offer accommodation and meals during a long delay. Alas, you booked with a non-EU airline departing a non-EU airport and as a result 261 does not apply. EK are not generally known for their generosity so they are unlikely to offer to cover the cost, if you had booked with BA or any other EU airline, the situation would have been different