Flights: help required on how to claim

user00003333

I had an unfortunate situation with an airline for which I think they should compensate me but I'm not sure how I should do it.  We called the airline to change the return date of the flights. We couldn't get the payment link to work, so the agent on the phone asked for the credit card details so that they could process the payment, which we did and agent processed the payment. Our booking was updated with the new return dates. When we tried to check in the night before departure we couldn't. We called the airline, they said we hadn't paid for the flight change and 'the system' had reverted the departures back to the original dates. They asked for proof of payment, which I sent to them. They said the wrong amount had be paid.  We explained that the agent had processed the payment not us, therefore we hadn't done anything wrong. They refused to reinstate the departure dates and told us the only option was to buy new return flights, which we did. At no point did the airline inform us that they had changed back the return dates.  It was a very stressful time for us and we think we are due compensation.  If anyone can help with advice on the best way we should claim, then I'd really appreciate it, thanks.  The airline is an EU airline, the return flight was from an EU airport, not UK.

eskbanker

If you have an audit trail of your booking being updated but weren't allowed to check in with that previously-confirmed booking then I'd argue that not only are you entitled to a refund of the extra payment made for the flights you ended up taking, but you should also be able to make a 'denied boarding' compensation claim under article 4 of the EC261/2004 regulations.

There's no need to be coy about which airline it is, but claim procedures should be documented on their website.

user00003333

Thanks very much. The airline is Air France. As regards an audit trail, we received what looks like a system generated email which details the flight date changes, it contains the text "RESERVATION CONFIRMEE" below the updated flight date and also a reference to the electronic ticket number.  I understand that to be confirmation of the updated reservation.  Also, the agent who processed the change sent an email entitled 'E Ticket Confirmation' and attached a pdf with the updated flights, it also includes the ticket numbers. 

user00003333

Thank you eskbanker. Can you (or anyone else) help me with one thing that I'm still not 100% clear on?  Regarding the refund for the extra flights I paid, what should I be claiming that under? Is it part of the EC261/2004 regulations or something else? Apologies if this is a silly question (but as they changed my booking I'm not sure if that is equivalent to a flight cancellation or something else). 

eskbanker

I think I'd be inclined to start with a claim under the article 4 denial of boarding provisions, which oblige them both to pay compensation (article 7) and also to reroute or refund you under article 8.  The best way to play it might depend on the values involved, i.e. were the tickets you actually flew on cheaper or more expensive than the original ones plus the change fees?

user00003333

Thanks again eskbanker!  Yes, the tickets we flew on were more expensive, so I think it will be worthwhile trying to claim on both the compensation and refund.