EES and Missed Flights

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81964735#Comment_81964735

Although OP seeks to link the package provider and the airline where they happen to be subsidiaries of the same group, the legal responsibilities are quite distinct.

It's unclear to me if any of the reported issues can be pinned on transfers not arriving until too late, but there'd be little appetite for dropping passengers at airports hours before checkin/bag drop opens.

I can certainly see the argument that such times should be extended, but assume that it wouldn't be as simple as it might sound conceptually, given the number of parties involved, and the airlines would presumably resist on the basis that delays aren't actually their fault when they're caused by other parties.

Not saying that the status quo is sustainable though, and, as an industry, warning signs at this stage of the season really ought to be heeded…

la531983

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81964735#Comment_81964735

The Milan example had absolutely nothing to do with check-in only opening 2 hours early.

Going off the extensive reports they were only letting people through to that particular area of the departure lounge once the gate had been called (one hour before), the authorities chose to prioritise other flights, there were only 2 staff members on, and they decided for some reason to do more checks on each person than were actually required.

Easyjet could have open check in 10 hours before, it wouldnt have stopped the Milan example from happening.

Doshwaster

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81964462#Comment_81964462

Perfectly possible to travel indefinitely with just hand luggage especially to a hot country. All you need is 3-4 days of clothes and a washing machine or laundry service.

user1977

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81965069#Comment_81965069

Or access to clothes shops!

silvercar

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81965069#Comment_81965069

That is irrelevant, the airline allows you to book luggage. If they don’t open the check in or bag drop in sufficient time to allow you to check in luggage and get to the gate, they bear some of the responsibility.

In practical terms, having checked in luggage may be a safer option. Without it, it is easy to offload someone who hasn’t made it through passport control and presented at the gate. With checked luggage, the airline is going to have to open the hold search for a luggage tag and off load the luggage. Doable if there is one person, if there are 30 people who are delayed, it becomes a nightmare situation and easier to delay the flight, try and escort the passengers through queues and onboard them quickly.

martindow

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81964207#Comment_81964207

With a package, provided the passenger has not done something stupid like hanging around in duty-free wouldn't the operator still be on the hook for getting the passenger home? It's not the operator's or the passenger's fault, but can they just abandon someone who finds themself in the middle of a queue as their plane flies off?

unforeseen

"That is irrelevant, the airline allows you to book luggage. If they don’t open the check in or bag drop in sufficient time to allow you to check in luggage and get to the gate, they bear some of the responsibility."

Not always the airline's decision. Seville baggage check in for all flights is 2 hours before ETD regardless of airline.

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81965293#Comment_81965293

But if, for example, the passenger asserted that they couldn't have made the flight but the package provider points out that many others did, then what? As mentioned above, the test in the regulations is 'lack of conformity' of the package, and effectively the burden of proof rests with the passenger to demonstrate that the package provider's scope wasn't delivered, so it would be necessary to construct a case in the context of defined provider liabilities under the PTRs.

Pollycat

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81964362#Comment_81964362

And on top of that, there are a lot of package holidays where full coaches turn up at the same time so there can be long queues just to drop your checked in bags, cutting into the 2 hour check in slot.

And some tour operators combine check in with flights going to different airports around the same time.

So your MAN flight may be at 12 midday but you are behind passengers for the 12:30 BHX flight because your transer bus was late picking you up.

As for packing light, I don't take excess clothing - I'll be under 17.5kg for a 4 week Far East holiday - but I wouldn't want to do it. Ditto from my 2 Greece holidays.

And why should people have to do that when hold luggage is included in the ticket price? - which the OP's is also likely to be.

strawb_shortcake

Easyjet are telling customers to be at the airport 3 hours before their flight back to the UK.

I flew into Amsterdam this week, the EES system was pretty good for us, though anyone directed to route 2 which looked like manual the queue was far worse.

We were less than 30 minutes to register and get through to the baggage hall. A little more nervous about flying home now.