Flight Compensation

[malagabob]

I have put in a claim for expenses after a Easyjet flight was cancelled. The claim was for the cost of alternative flights, also with Easyjet. The original flight was cancelled whilst we were waiting to be called to the boarding gate at 19:00. The flight was due to leave at 19:40. We along with others were told to collect our luggage and go to Easyjet’s ticket desk to arrange overnight stays transfer ect. By the time I got to the desk there were many annoyed passengers in front of me.Many arguing with the staff. It occurred to me if I wanted to salvage some of the holiday I’d have to go online and book the next available flight which was 2 days later, which Idid,rather than wait till I could be seen at the desk. The time of booking must have been 20:00 at least. I’ve received a reply off Easyjet in response to the cost of the claim. Their reply is, and I quote. (The claim you made for Alternate Transport is a private arrangement which was booked before the flight disruption took place. Though we understand that you have incurred expenses, however under the guidelines of EC261/2004, we do not cover any pre and post flight arrangements.)
My argument is the flight was cancelled at 19:00. I booked replacement flights at 20:00 or later .How can they say I booked alternative flights before the disruption took place. Any views on this TIA.

[Rockrose]

If you made private arrangements instead of going through them I’m not sure you can claim compensation. Although I wait to be corrected by the legal professionals

[IJKLM]

You. can claim statutory compensation. Depending on the distance of the flight, it migt be €250 or €500.

Oddly, I am in the same position. My flight back from Dresden on Thursday was cancelled a couple of hours before departure. There were no re-bokable flights until Monday on Eurowings, so I re-booked on another carrier, without communicating with EuroWings.

It was important for me to be back the same day, so I paid through the nose for a flight. Total cost was around €400 including a few other incidentals.

I'm using the Resolver service, suported by Money Saving Expert
https://www.resolver.co.uk/

I've used them before and it's really quick and easy to make the complaint. Last time, the carrier took a while to get my money back, but eventually they paid up.

This time around, I expect only €250 statutory compensation. I might claim the rest on insurance. But I have submitted receipts and so on to the carrier who cancelled the flight (EuroWings).

I expect a decent outcome. The worst case is that I have to stand €150, it's not such a big deal.

[KARL]

My understanding is that, when a flight is cancelled, the airline is duty bound to make alternative arrangements to get you to your destination plus any incidental accommodation and meals, all at the airline's cost. As an alternative you can demand a refund and make your own decisions/arrangements - taking this option releases the airline from any obligation other than the refund payment.

My feeling is that by making alternative arrangements yourself (the airline was given no say in these) you basically defaulted to the second option and I would expect the airline to refund you the original ticket cost and end it there.

Incidentally, all of the above is based on my understanding of the EU law on Passenger Rights. What happens on Brexit will be up to the UK government - maybe the present law will become permanent "independent" UK law, maybe not.

[KARL]

Ah, I forgot the compensation part - I have never been entirely sure of how that actually works. I once in the first year or two of the law was denied boarding (computer says no on connection at Schipol) and ended up with a delay of several hours on a long haul flight and attempted a claim but got no help because the Dutch and UK institutions had different approaches pointing to each other and it all sort of fizzled out although I believed I should have got compensation. My understanding is that the "system" now works reasonably well and that the airlines have accepted the law. Previously the airlines (notably Ryanair) refused to go along with it and in my case I felt the Dutch were perhaps protecting KLM by dragging their feet and eventually stating "too late".