Gulf Air flight delay

eggwoman

I had a flight from Goa - Manchester with a stopover at Bahrain. This whole route was with Gulf Air. My flight from Bahrain - Manchester was delayed by 10hours. I reached out to Gulf Air directly for compensation and they have responded with a final response of denying paying me compensation. Unfortunately the CAA wont deal with my complaint due to the flight departing from Bahrain. I know my final step is a small claims court application. Has anybody got advice on what my next step could be, or is it court? 

Ayr_Rage

Are you planning on taking Gulf Air to court in Bahrain or the UK?

Woodstok2000

You're not due any compensation officially. For EU rules to apply, It has to either be a flight from a Uk/EU airport, or a flight with a UK/EU airline. Bahrain is outside the EU/UK, and Gulf Air are not an EU/UK airline so the compensation rules don't apply. They may have their own rules in Bahrain, or at Gulf Air, but if both they and the CAA have declined your claim I think you're at the end of the road.

Caz3121

Under which regulations are you claiming compensation? 
Gulf Air website has Passenger Rights section and only mentions EU261 which would not apply here
"The Regulation shall apply for passengers boarding a flight in an EU Member State or from a third country taking a flight with an EU airline to an EU country"
I would assume if there were regulations for Bahrain it would be covered on that page so you may have no rights to any compensation
Have you checked if your travel insurance offers anything for delays of that length?...often travel insurance claims only kick in after 12 hours and can be a token amount like £20 for each 12 hour delay.

worn_out

just had the same..

Flight from manchester now leaving 6 hours later so I miss my connection in Bahrain to Goa.

Gulf Air get me to Goa 24 hours after original booking.

19 hour overnight in Bahrain, hotel/meals provided..but NO compensation..in fact they simply do not respond to my several requests via their web portal…simply will not answer but my travel agent said they had refused to pay compensation.

The booking for the whole flight, and return, was via Gulf Air. I still think EU261 applies but what do I do if they just ignore me…?

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81856646#Comment_81856646

It's the UK version of the regulations that applies, rather than the EU ones, but eligibility for compensation will be dependent on the reason for the delay, do you know what that was?

worn_out

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81856675#Comment_81856675

they didn't say..but gave me 11 days advance notice so obviously not an unforeseen circumstance.. Yes UK261 but gulf air do not mention that on their website..even though it does apply to them

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81856903#Comment_81856903

I hadn't picked up on the fact that your situation isn't the same as OP's - yours is advance notification of a schedule change, rather than a delay during operation, so isn't covered by the flight delay/cancellation regulations, unless your booked flight has been cancelled and you've been rebooked onto another?

worn_out

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81856923#Comment_81856923

thinks it's covered under 'schedule changes'…but is still covered by UK261 if it fits the criteria, which it does..I don't actually know if the original flight was cancelled, rescheduled or overbooked tbh, but it makes no difference..it's a 24 hour delay which was not an unforeseen circumstance..

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81856981#Comment_81856981

My understanding was that it does make a difference, in that, assuming no extraordinary circumstances, a flight being cancelled (or delayed significantly on the day) does trigger compensation, but a schedule change doesn't, but when notified within 14 days of departure that distinction might no longer apply.

The regulations as written don't encompass schedule changes but there have been many legal cases offering binding interpretations since their enactment - I just had a look for legal precedent on the subject but couldn't find any, are you relying on a specific case?

worn_out

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81857039#Comment_81857039

That's why they ask you about the 14 days I guess..Certainly Gulf Airs' T&Cs clearly state delays are covered by EU261 (and thus UK261). haven't decided what action yet really, hadn't realised Gulf Air would just ignore me..there's no email address or any link on their portal..see how I go when I get back, I might have chilled by then…