[Anonymous]

[BusinessTraveller]

We are running a feature on air passenger rights and would be interested to hear if you have ever been successful in receiving compensation under EU law for a delayed or cancelled flight, or have applied but were unsuccessful.

All stories and questions welcome.

Many thanks

[Eastbourneguy]

About 3 years ago a flight I was waiting to board in Spain was cancelled due to technical reasons, this was obvious when the incoming flight landed and was surrounded by fire trucks!

the Iberia flight was cancelled after a further 3 hours and everyone was hotelelled.

Under EU regulations the carrier should have offered either rebooking on another carrier, or offering a refund. Non of these options was either offered, or explored by Iberia staff.

On return Iberia customer services would not offer any compensation or expalination for the non compliance with EU regulations.

I then went to a company I found on line who offered a no win no fee payment scheme, and after them taking to then EU court Iberia finally paid compensation if EUR1,900 each ( as it did involve 2 other flights on a 3 sector flight) . The company concerned took 10% of the fee as payment which all in all I think was very good.

Iberia obviously do not follow EU regulations unless pushed.

[MartynSinclair]

I got a £4.30 voucher for some food at Heathrow the other week when my Frankfurt flight was delayed – subsequently cancelled.

The ticket was bought via the LH website and quite frankly would be happy with a full refund and payment of my car parking.

So far, diddly squat.

[IanFromHKG]

I claimed for a delayed BA flight from ORD to LHR earlier this year. The reply arrived last week – a list of timings and a conclusion that as the delay was just 173 minutes, I wasn’t eligible. I suspect this was wheels-off-the-runway to touchdown, not pushback to gate arrival or even doors closed to doors open, but it is interesting that they didn’t try to challenge the principle, only the precise timing

BT – happy to send you a scan of the letter if you want it. Email me if you do.

[slotski]

Virgin Atlantic and Lufthansa gave me 10,000 and 5,000 FF miles respectively for delays of around 5 hours. United provided a £250 voucher for a 6 hour delay due to technical and bad weather.

[Globalexport]

I applied to AF about 6 weeks ago for full Eu compensation – around €600- for cancelled NCL-CDG-SIN flight at end of January due to hydraulic leak on aircraft on the first leg.I was rebooked for 24 hrs later via AMS in economy.They already compensated me for downgrade but not for the cancellation and 24 hour delay which was most inconvenient.I have written twice and received 2 standard email acknowledgements of receipt of my complaints but no official reply.I will send a 3rd and will pursue this to the end.Very disappointed as a Platinum card holder they dont just reply to my first 2 emails with a yes , no or maybe – The law is the law after all or am i missing something….

[TimFitzgeraldTC]

My Sister in law was delayed by United from Birmingham to Newark by 9 hours 3 weeks ago and has requested compensation but not heard back yet. Plane delayed due to a fuel problem so only a third of passengers left around 5 hours late, another third went to Heathrow for there late flight (which she did) and a third had to wait for the flight the following day.

[Pierre]

Hi Globalexpor,
An AF return flight to Paris from Delhi was ‘rescheduled’ 23 hours later. We got hotels and meals( at the Intercontinental Delhi).
I got a standard compensation but complained at the agency I was taking my tickets usually, and received a number of miles to compensate the trouble. It happened some 3/4 years ago, but I remember that I was satisfied with what I got.

[Globalexport]

Thanks PierreAntoine.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out.A few hours delay we can all deal with but 24 hours at the start of a 6 day trip, when one has to alter visits and meetings with customers is a different story.Legally as I understand it , I’m entitled to €600 or so.Lets see.

[capetonianm]

Yes, every time, but I am like a bulldog and I don’t give up. Also, instead of playing with the people at the bottom of the food chain, i.e. customer services, who seem to be there to frustrate one into giving up, I wait for the first ‘sorry but ……’ letter from them and then escalate it right to the top of the organisation.

It usually takes three letters to elicit, at the very least, what I am entitled to.

[canucklad]

I’m with you capetonianm……..they get one chance to respond and then it’s CEO time…..

As an add on……I take the added opportunity to invest in a recorded delivery envelope!….

although to be fair, a company really has to agitate me to get me to complain…would I seek compensation for a delay…..mmmmm, depends on how the airline manages the delay!

[Henkel.Trocken]

I find the small claims court a very effective tool for recouping money owed to me by airlines. It’s quick and effective. I write to them once giving them fourteen days to respond and then issue court papers which include my reasonable costs on top of what they owe me. So far I’ve had a 100% success rate without getting near a court room.

It’s no use playing around with customer service staff, they are trained to frustrate the process and make you give up.

[capetonianm]

Small Claims Court is only of use if your ticket was purchased in UK, or from a UK website, for a journey beginning in the UK.

Also, I get more satisfaction from fighting my own battles and winning than by going through the SCC!

[MartynSinclair]

Am I up for Euros 600 for the cancelled LHR-FRANKFURT-LHR on LH??

Will happily pay someone 20% to administer th eclaim on my behalf.

[Author]

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