Easyjet E261 advice please

NoodleDoodleMan

Our Easyjet flight from Schipol to Edinburgh on Monday was cancelled after we were through check in, security inspection and passport control.

Scheduled for 18:45 departure local time.

They had earlier texted me to advise of flight delay of around 45 minutes - however this changed to cancelled status on airport flight board at approximately 17:00hrs with us already in departures area airside - unaware of the unfolding no show drama.

Easyjet were completely useless with assistance thereafter, no duty manager, no help desk - only got an Easyjet guidance leaflet from a Menzies service agent who could offer no other meaningful advice.

I completed the E261 compensation claim form online and submitted it to Easyjet - with an acknowledgement of receipt.

Here's where I need advice please - I very strongly suspect they'll play Circumstances Outwith Our Control as a "get out of jail" card using Air Traffic Control restrictions (their assertion )to avoid the E261 level of compensation.

Therefore I may need to challenge the validity of that position.

Is there machinery to check official ATC records which can either confirm or refute the real circumstances ?

Hoenir

Might as well await an official explanation before chasing rabbits down holes. 

Westin

"Easyjet were completely useless with assistance thereafter, no duty manager, no help desk - only got an Easyjet guidance leaflet from a Menzies service agent who could offer no other meaningful advice."

All flight disruption, reasons for the delay, and offered alternatives are typically managed via the EasyJet App.  It's online, normally immediately available and DIY in terms of making changes or accepting alternatives.  What reason was given for the delay/cancellation on the App?  What alternative was offered on the App?

eskbanker

NoodleDoodleMan said:

Here's where I need advice please - I very strongly suspect they'll play Circumstances Outwith Our Control as a "get out of jail" card using Air Traffic Control restrictions (their assertion )to avoid the E261 level of compensation.

Therefore I may need to challenge the validity of that position.

Is there machinery to check official ATC records which can either confirm or refute the real circumstances ?

If they've already asserted ATC restrictions (verbally? in writing?) then that'll presumably be reflected in their response to your compensation claim, but to answer your question, there's no public domain data that would allow any challenge to its validity.  As covered in numerous other threads, there are plenty of ATC restrictions across Europe for a variety of reasons, so in itself it's not necessarily suspicious....

Westin

If this was EJU 7837 it was scheduled to operate on EasyJet Europe's aircraft OE-LSQ.   Seems the aircraft picked up a lengthy delay on its previous sector from Palermo.



That said. there were weather warnings for Western Europe that day and ATC flow restrictions at times. Heavy rain, cumulonimbus clouds and thunderstorms, starting early morning in western France before moving over northern France around lunchtime. Eastern France, Low Countries and Alps saw this impact later in the afternoon into the evening.  Wx/ATC warnings were in place during that day for BOD/NTE, then CDG/ORY, later in afternoon at AMS/BRU/LUX/LYS/GVA/BSL

NoodleDoodleMan

Hoenir said:

Might as well await an official explanation before chasing rabbits down holes. 

Indeed.

However, in my experience it's advantageous to have done some basic planning and preparation.

Easyjet have an unenviable reputation in this area, so some homework in advance won't go amiss IMO.

NoodleDoodleMan

Thanks for resposes - very helpful.

I'm trying to piece together the email and text traffic from Easyjet reference the app machinery.

Can't find anything other than heads up on flight delay though.

Westin - am I reading your 11:31am post correctly ?

The aircraft landed at 19:42 at Schipol on arrival from Palermo ?

That would be consistent with the delay time Easyjet advised earlier that afternoon.

Is it the weather that initiated the U27837 cancellation after it had arrived in Amsterdam ?  

Westin

NoodleDoodleMan said:

Westin - am I reading your 11:31am post correctly ?

The aircraft landed at 19:42 at Schipol on arrival from Palermo ?

That would be consistent with the delay time Easyjet advised earlier that afternoon.

Correct, certainly as far as the scheduled aircraft was concerned. Aircraft swaps are however possible.

NoodleDoodleMan said:

Is it the weather that initiated the U27837 cancellation after it had arrived in Amsterdam ?  

I can’t tell for sure as can not see a delay code. There was however weather issues and ATC flow restrictions in place at AMS as well as many routes over and around southern Europe (and south of England) so plausible. PMO has also had airfield restrictions recently. It has been very busy as Catania has had short notice closures following volcanic activity in the region.

Did the App say ATC/WX issues?

NoodleDoodleMan

Thanks, that's really very helpful.

Can't find any weather related notification on the app - I'll look again of course.

I've spent a large part of today trying to fit the jigsaw pieces together.

jimi_man

Hi

Can’t speak for EasyJet but for BA there were quite a few ‘WEAN’ cancellations that day (weather related, no compensation payable) due to ATC flow restrictions both here and in Europe. So I imagine EasyJet had similar. 

NoodleDoodleMan

jimi_man said:

Hi

Can’t speak for EasyJet but for BA there were quite a few ‘WEAN’ cancellations that day (weather related, no compensation payable) due to ATC flow restrictions both here and in Europe. So I imagine EasyJet had similar. 

Thanks.

I reckon I'll need to see if that impacted other airlines scheduled flights within that operational area to the UK - or if Easyjet are simply "at it" as an excuse.

Is there an official website where I can access these specifics so that Easyjet's assertion can be challenged if appropriate ?