[AlanE10]

Good morning

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of claiming compensation from Ethiopian? I have just experienced a long delay flying MXP-CPT and under EU regulations we should be entitled. However knowing this airline (I’m gold FF) and just how poor their customer service can be, I am wondering if it is worthwhile letting one of the online claiming companies give it a go, even for the fee they charge if they win.

Thanks

[capetonianm]

Before you consider this, a couple of questions.
Was your arrival into CPT >4 hours?
Were you on a through ticket MXP-ADD-CPT?
What was the reason for the delay?

[AlanE10]

Thanks for the reply.

It was the return leg of a CPT-MXP-CPT routing and due to depart at 2300, connecting in ADD and arriving in CPT at 1345 the following day. The MXP-ADD went technical and around 2am they announced the flight would board at 0800. We eventually departed around 1000 so of course the CPT flight had long since departed. We then spent the night in ADD and left the next day. So yes, the delay was 24hrs.

Worth mentioning is the fact that there was no offer of accommodation or expenses in Milan, just a comment of there being ‘no rooms available’. The flow of information was virtually non-existent and general handling of the situation was shambolic. Not even an apology from the crew when we finally did board.

I have emailed the CPT office first thing this morning but yet to receive a reply.

[Otte]

I flew ET many times,in Business and Economy.Seldom did I encounter a problem,but when I did,and tried to contact their customer service,they were totally useless .
Cheers.

[capetonianm]

It sounds to me as if they have failed in their duty of care to you during the delay and transit but that is no great surprise.

You appear to be eligible for €600 compensation under EU261, although they will put up a fight.

Air passenger rights
EU air passenger rights apply:
If your flight departs from the EU to a non-EU country operated by an EU or a non-EU airline

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/passenger-rights/air/index_en.htm

I would suggest you write them a formal letter claiming this and either post it or deliver it in person to their office in Strand Street (near corner with Long Street) if convenient. Last time I went into the office the two girls there were very charming and helpful but did not appear to be very well informed or trained. I suppose they have a sales manager whom you could speak to.

I have helped people with two similar claims (i.e. return leg to ZA on an outbound ticket purchased in ZA) one with Egyptair and one with Namibair. Both were successful after protracted correspondence.

Good luck.

[openfly]

EU compensation is only paid by airlines registered in the U.K. A non- U.K. airline operating out of the EU is not required or obliged to pay EU261 compensation. So, the moral of the story….only fly an EU carrier!

[AlanE10]

Thanks for the replies.

Having read the EU regulations they affect any airline that flies from the EU, so my understanding is that they are fully responsible for compensation for a flight that originated in Europe.

I’ve used the Strand St office and agree they we’re very helpful and efficient when I had to change one of the tickets on this trip. However I have still to receive a reply now that there is a customer service issue. I have only had minor delays before but even then the communication from ET ground staff is non-existent. Especially in Addis, where I often wonder if they even know the plane is late. Agree Otte, ET acceptable when they work but hopeless when they don’t.

[capetonianm]

Sorry openfly but unless you can convince me otherwise, that is incorrect. Please see my quote above from the EU’s own website. I know of cases where EU261 compensation has been paid by, as I mentioned, Egyptair, Air Namibia (whom I incorrectly referred to above as Namibair), SAA, even Emirates, and Turkish.

I only fly with EU or Swiss carriers, for several reasons, but yours is not one of them.

[Swissdiver]

EU261 does apply! EUR 600 is the compensation to receive.

Details are there: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/passenger-rights/air/index_en.htm

In a nutshell, any commercial flight leaving the EU is covered by EU261. And over 3’500km, it is EUR 600.

Now the challenge is indeed to receive it.

[SimonS1]

openfly wrote:

EU compensation is only paid by airlines registered in the U.K. A non- U.K. airline operating out of the EU is not required or obliged to pay EU261 compensation. So, the moral of the story….only fly an EU carrier!

Sorry but this is complete nonsense in several ways. Honestly, it would be best for you to have a look at the regulations before trying to advise other people.

As stated in Article 3, EC261 applies to
1. All carriers/flights departing from an EU airport
2. Any flights arriving at an EU airport that are operated by a EU airline.

Secondly there is no reference in the regulations to anything being “registered in the UK”.

So an ET flight departing MXP and flying to ADD is most definitely covered.

This has all been proved in court where airlines like Emirates have lost at every stage up to appeal. Not only are non EU carriers included, but any delay is calculated on arrival at final destination point. So if a 2 hour delay in Milan results in a missed connection and 6 hour late arrival in Cape Town then it is the 6 hours that counts and €600 pp will apply.

If ET don’t pay up then the best bet is to pass this to one of the claims companies like Bott & Co. If necessary they will appoint bailiffs to enforce the judgement. These cases feature quite regularly on TV, in a recent case the bailiffs turned up at Jet 2 (I believe) and threatened to disconnect/remove all their IT equipment. Needless to say payment was forthcoming in a matter of minutes. The moral is not to give up, airlines of course hope people will not follow through and that means they don’t have to pay out.

[MartynSinclair]

Thanks for tempting me to Google about this Simon..

SimonS1 wrote:

the bailiffs turned up at Jet 2 (I believe)

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-43585393

[SimonS1]

Watch as they enforce a writ against Pakistan International (which Openfly would tell you isn’t possible….).

[MartynSinclair]

Whilst i know what happens if an individual gets a CCJ, but what are the effects of a CCJ on a company (more specifically and airline)? Surely it must have an effect on the granting of licenses as it questions the financial integrity of the business?

[AlanE10]

Thanks all.

Knowing the customer service of ET I honestly think one of the claiming companies is the way to go, even for the fee charged. I managed to find the CPT Area Manager’s email and no response there yet either and I can guarantee there will be precious little if this has to go to Addis HQ. I’m not sure I have the fortitude to handle their attitude but will wait a few days for a response.

My role dictates I have to travel around Africa predominantly so there isn’t the option of a first world airline in most cases. An SAA & ET combo covers most places and both are of course Star members. However I move to Holland later this year and as a example of the opposite, on a recent flight from AMS I was informed the day before there would be probably no IFE (so had time to buy a book) and then received a 100 euro voucher for the inconvenience!

[SimonS1]

AlanE10 wrote:

My role dictates I have to travel around Africa predominantly so there isn’t the option of a first world airline in most cases. An SAA & ET combo covers most places and both are of course Star members. However I move to Holland later this year and as a example of the opposite, on a recent flight from AMS I was informed the day before there would be probably no IFE (so had time to buy a book) and then received a 100 euro voucher for the inconvenience!

Interesting. I do likewise for a couple of weeks a month.

I have never used ET though. Almost always SAA, Comair and KQ for regional flights and EK for long hauls in and out. No perfect solutions there, but the airport situation in Addis always put me off and then when the new one opened the 737 MAX issue happened.

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