Easyjet compensation problems: Flight cancelled due to weather, caused 2-3 day delay

tegmim

We went to Berlin with EasyJet on a package with accommodation, retuning to Manchester airport on 5th Jan with a 9.50pm flight. The flight was cancelled at about 6pm due to the weather. Easyjet offered flights to Edinburgh on evening of 7th Jan, with an overnight coach/taxi that would have brought us home on 8th Jan. We declined and bought British Airways return flights on 6th Jan. They hadn't given us transport or a hotel by 10.30pm so I booked the Premier Inn and a taxi. I let them know we didn't need their hotel, flight or taxi, and they said they'd reimburse our costs.

We got home some time after 1.30am on 7th Jan (over 24 hours late). Their plan would have got us home at 8am on 8th Jan (55 hours late, give or take any delays from the weather driving from Edinburgh to Manchester), with no sleep so we'd have missed an extra day of work/school, and probably lost another.

So what do I claim from EasyJet? I'm assuming that the flight costs, plus hotel, plus taxi fares from and to the airport are a given, along with the meals during the delay (a midnight supper at the hotel, then breakfast, and a meal at wagamamas in Heathrow before our connection to Manchester). We just ate some fruit for lunch, and I don't think we were charged extra for our parking.

But can we claim compensation for the delay from either EasyJet or our travel insurance? I know the weather means they don't automatically pay the fixed amounts for the cancelled flight, but presumably that can't give them as long as they want to get us home. The weather only closed the airport from 6am to 9.30am, so it was definitely open at the time our flight was due to land, and the weather didn't stop them putting on a replacement flight a few hours later, or the following morning to get us home.

eskbanker

EasyJet aren't liable to pay any delay compensation (you didn't return with them anyway), just reimbursement of the out of pocket expenses, but if your travel insurance policy includes coverage of such delays on the inbound journey then you could claim on that.

bagand96

tegmim said:

But can we claim compensation for the delay from either EasyJet or our travel insurance? I know the weather means they don't automatically pay the fixed amounts for the cancelled flight, but presumably that can't give them as long as they want to get us home. The weather only closed the airport from 6am to 9.30am, so it was definitely open at the time our flight was due to land, and the weather didn't stop them putting on a replacement flight a few hours later, or the following morning to get us home.

3.5 hours airport closure causes massive disruption to airline schedules.  That's no arrivals or departures for 3.5 hours and results in aircraft and crews out of position, potentially diverted to other airports etc.  If they'd chosen to operate a replacement later in the day, where would that aircraft and crew come from?  They'd have to cancel other flights timetabled flights to release the aircraft, and those passengers would then want compensating etc.  It's not just one flight, it's the entire days schedule out of the window.

Most airlines will offer the next available seat on their own flight.  But if this isn't suitable they should in theory offer other airline's flights, however in practice that usually means passengers arranging this themselves - as you did.  You can claim your replacement flight costs as well as accommodation and reasonable receipted expenses.  No further fixed compensation is due.

Travel insurance is a separate matter and may offer some very limited compensation depending on your policy.

tegmim

Thanks.

Yeah, I know closing an airport causes massive disruption and there aren't a fleet of planes sat around in case of emergencies. But I also think closing an airport for 3 hours didn't have to cause a 55 hour delay in their ability to transport us, which was why I asked.

Westin

tegmim said:

Thanks.

Yeah, I know closing an airport causes massive disruption and there aren't a fleet of planes sat around in case of emergencies. But I also think closing an airport for 3 hours didn't have to cause a 55 hour delay in their ability to transport us, which was why I asked.

When these issues occur, airports and ATC coverage, is often restricted or slowed for some time after.  

It seems this was the case at Berlin. https://www.yahoo.com/news/berlin-airport-halves-arrivals-winter-180222601.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACh5sfXV7A9_xVM_pA1EBp9Jk6XgL5Bn5ZybQOg-KQDdJFxhVU7N6W6xLYJ6zBYIsFAR51n_2_uSI2OBxgVUHm9C8WbcIsHx_ClcwgM1vp6KODdFtOzzv8p6EHB1kIUV8tyn5S1A-4koyzj42d6iO0Y6RrvG0q_BDl7dowOxSewa