Wizzair criticised by Civil Aviation Authority

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Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 20 total)

  • AMcWhirter
    Participant

    Travellers complain about Wizzair’s policy of “moving capacity around” as a former UK boss told N Ferrari LBC in 2020.

    I have lost count of the number of routes started and then cancelled in recent years.

    When Wizzair announces a new route(s) then, chances are. others are being axed.

    This airline is known for being slow in dealing with EU261 claims.

    Not before time our CAA has today said the above is “unacceptable.”


    sandiego1
    Participant

    There are more than 400 unpaid County Court judgements against Wizz registered, many outstanding for months or more. Bailiffs attend their offices and are told they have no assets. If they want to play with the big guys, they need to start behaving, meanwhile I am giving them a wide berth

    5 users thanked author for this post.

    Harbord1
    Participant

    Sounds like its time for CAA to give Wizz Air 90 days to settle all its County Court fines and all of its outstanding EU261 Claims – failure to do so will result in their UK Licence to operate being withdrawn on the basis they are unfit.

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    Nick Pike
    Participant

    I suggest a couple of the county court judgment holders present a winding up petition. That would force payment pretty quickly.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    Of course my initial tweet referred only to the UK situation..

    Wizzair operates very many flights within mainland Europe and there are constant changes owing to “moving capacity around”

    A couple of weeks ago airline analyst @SeanM1997 published a list of 21 routes (within mainland Europe) which had been removed from its booking system this winter.

    Again most of these involve EU routes where EU261 would apply.

    No news on how EU261 claims are being paid. The countries involved include Sweden, Netherlands, Poland, Italy, Austria and Germany.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    My son flew from Milan to Tel Aviv with them in the early summer. Going out no problem, but his return flight on the Tuesday was cancelled with the next flight being on Saturday.

    They said he would get EUR 400 compensation, and from that he would have to pay all his expenses. He quickly pointed out that that is incorrect and they were responsible. They then put him up in a hotel for 1 night and said he would have to claim the expenses back after that.

    They also offered him the chance to fly to Vienna with them, but he’d have to pay to get back from there. There was also an easyJet flight that had space, but they refused to put him on that at their expense.

    In the end he was actually happy to stay, as his friends family continued to host him till the Saturday.

    Oh, and he’s still waiting for the compensation, though they did just email him for his bank details.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    SimonS1
    Participant

    I filed 2 more cases yesterday with Aviation ADR after Wizz accepted responsibility for delay/cancellation compensation and simply never paid the money.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    As he booked his flight ex MXP, does anyone know if there is a claim firm as there is in the UK that handles these cases?


    SimonS1
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1327527]

    This is what they sent me with deadlock letters:

    We are sorry that our resolution was not up to your expectations, and therefore we would like to suggest contacting the following dispute resolution areas:

    1) You could file a complaint on the platform for dispute resolution in the European Commission via http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/.

    Please enter [email protected] as seller information when you would fill in the online dispute resolution platform. This email address is reserved for the sole purpose of handling complaints filed through the aforementioned dispute resolution platform, otherwise, we will not be able to provide a response.

    2) The availability of consumer protection depends on the location, so you can contact them by choosing the area that suits you, which can be found at the link http://jarasinfo.gov.hu/.

    3) You can also file a complaint with the conciliation authorities in the district chambers of commerce and industry, which can be found at http://www.bekeltetes.hu/index.php?id=testuletek.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    [quote quote=1327917]This is what they sent me with deadlock letters:[/quote]

    Many thanks SimonS1. We’ll give them till the new year then follow up on those links. Thanks again.


    SimonS1
    Participant

    By the way LP be ready for the next stage of the marathon where they turn round and say it was Wizz Air Hungary (W6), or it was Wizz Air UK (W9), or it was Wizz Air Malta (W4). In my case I had the invoices from Wizz Air Hungary so could skirt that one quite easily.


    cwoodward
    Participant

    Its always been in my view a horrible airline -very last resort for me

    Other than the fact that it is relatively safe for me it has no redeeming features other than that it is sometimes superficially cheap.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    I’m happy to report a successful close to this, and thanks Simon for your advice.
    It seems WizzAir “lost” my son’s file, hence the delay.
    Whatever, they paid the compensation a week ago, as well as refunded all his expenses for the 4 day delay.
    What is strange, is that had they put him on the easyJet flight, it would have been considerably cheaper for them than paying him for 4 days in Tel Aviv and they would have saved the € 400 EU261 compensation!

    His latest battle is now with Iberia. He left Sunday on Academic Travel to Madrid, and of 66 students they lost two cases, his and another student.
    Iberia cannot tell him where it is, or even if it’s still in Milan. I would have thought with the tagging they could always see where it is? Seems not!!
    He’ll now have to wait 21 days, and if it doesn’t turn up, then they’ll pay him € 1,600 in compensation.

    Even more annoying, is he took my favourite hardshell Samsonite, so I hope that’s not a goner!


    SimonS1
    Participant

    That’s good. Looks like Wizz and some others are still labouring with court claims and ADR.

    Surprising what happens when travellers become aware of their rights.

    https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/airlines-rack-up-millions-of-pounds-in-court-judgments-after-passenger-expenses-and-refunds-arent-paid-aFxR32o6xsVF

    1 user thanked author for this post.
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