Where do i stand ?

DjTaz

Hi Guys,

Im not sure if this is the correct forum for this so feel free to move it if im incorrect.

I have a question about where i stand on a situation.

I was on holidays recently in lanzarote and my AerLingus flight was due to leave on Sunday at 7.25 so i was in the airport at 5 , through customs and waiting for the plane, it was marked as delayed. around 10.20 they announced it had been cancelled due to high winds (though other airlines were landing and taking off) and we were all asked to collect our bags and go to a bus and put up in a hotel.
We were given breakfast and lunch and brought to the airport again the next day at 2 (i was supposed to be working on this monday) we waited until 11 that day to be told it was again cancelled this time due to bad weather (again other flights landed and took off).
Finally on the Tuesday at around 4 we managed to get a flight that took all 3 cancelled aer lingus flights back to dublin in one go.

What im wondering is, where do i stand on this as i heard someone mention there was a new law about delayed flights. I wouldnt have minded a days delay , but being in the airport the second day for almost the full day with no information at all being provided really annoyed me and put me in a very awkward position so im wondering what , if anything , can be done.

I booked the flight on the aer lingus site , i didnt get travel insurance if that matters.

Thanks in advance for any input.

mikedragon32

It's been covered before here, a search of the forum would pull up relevant previous threads, but this is the most useful link: http://www.consumerconnect.ie/eng/Hot_Topics/Guides-to-Consumer-Law/Travel/air-travel/delayed-and-cancelled-flights.html

However, the most relevant bit for you is quoted here:

National Consumer Agency wrote:

The regulations also provide for the payment of financial compensation to passengers, in addition to reimbursements and re-routing. However, you are not entitled to compensation if:

The airline can prove that the flight cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances which couldn't have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken -the EU regulations give examples such as political instability, bad weather, security risks, unexpected flight safety shortcomings and strikes

From your account above, the airline has fulfilled its obligations to its passengers by accommodating you and giving you meals.

It's been said here many times before and it'll be said many times after this, Travel Insurance is NOT an option, you absolutely need it. Most packages would have covered you for this.

My only advice would be to see about the claims of bad weather, particularly as other planes were passing through. Perhaps the bad weather was at your destination (Dublin?)? It may be worthwhile finding out if there were significant delays to flights in and out of Dublin that day caused by weather.

I suffered delays leaving Fuerteventura last year and when we checked in we were initially told it was due to bad weather. As it transpired there was a mechanical failure with the aircraft prior to departing for Fuerteventura and when it did eventually arrive, the flight crew were out of hours. So you may have been just given incorrect info.

DjTaz

Thanks for the reply mike. I appreciate it.

My circumstances are unusual as i have family living there and as such just needed the flight and not a package holiday like most others.
I stayed with family and as such the flight to me is almost like a bus journey which is why i tend not to take out travel insurance.
I have clothes,food, housing and transport over there always so in theory i dont need to bring anything with me or back with me.

The only issue i really have is being stuck in the airport for 2 and a 1/2 days without being updated about what was going on.
Initially we got a text to say flight was cancelled and to talk to ground crew for an explanation.
The ground crew there knew very little and were not able to provide us with a lot of answers at all.
I got to a stage where i lost the main group of people and had to ask 6 or 7 different people in order to find out where to go or what to do next as no one there seemed to know anything even at the main desk - i was told to 'look at the departures board' when i asked where i needed to go.

The 2 flights due to land in lanzarote landed in Fuerteventura and the people from those flights were ferried to lanzarote and the planes flew back empty.

There were a lot of delays in the airport i have to say due i expect to snow and bad conditions around the world, but the excuse they gave about high winds was a lie (we got it in a text and in writing) as other planes landed and took off again - a thompson travel flight landed and flew to dublin.

The only flights cancelled were 3 Aer Lingus flights - 2 to Dublin and one to Cork - but all other airlines came in and out of the airport and left to those destinations.

I wasnt informed that i was entitled to a phonecall either, though i did have my mobile, but the battery died and i was unable to charge it at the time, so it would have been handy to ring work and explain what was going on.

The lack of information was the worst part of the whole thing and everyone i spoke to agreed on this. I personally wasnt too upset about being stuck there as i have family i could go to if required , but it was not knowing what was going on was the frustrating part of it all.

If we were given the incorrect information in a text and in writing with an aer lingus header, is it not their duty to correct this information for us in writing again ? I havent heard anything from anyone about it since we landed so i presume they are hoping its forgotten about, but i think there are too many unhappy people for this to go away.
Im curious as to why travel insurance is absolutely needed as well ??

BuffyBot

My only advice would be to see about the claims of bad weather, particularly as other planes were passing through. Perhaps the bad weather was at your destination (Dublin?)? It may be worthwhile finding out if there were significant delays to flights in and out of Dublin that day caused by weather.

Not only Dublin, but all over Europe. The aircraft that were due to operate your route could easily have been delayed/stranded elsewhere on the Aer Lingus network - every delay has a knock on effect on other flights. Crews go out of hours/out of position.

The airline then has to prioritise what routes get flown and when. Someone will always end up losing out in these cases.

It sounds like they did they best they could given the circumstances. The ground handlers can only give you the information they've been given - and with the weather situation the information that was given one hour could be out of date by the next. Lack of constantly updated information isn't reason enough alone for compensation.

DjTaz

BuffyBot wrote: »

Lack of constantly updated information isn't reason enough alone for compensation.

Being in the same airport 3 days in a row while other flights to the same desitnation with other operators came in and left is a good reason though.
Both ryanair and thompson travel both had flights land and take off without issues - only Aer Lingus had the problems.

dearg lady

OP you seem remarkably calm about the whole thing, if I was in your shoes I'd be absolutely fuming!! I never get insurance for any trips within europe cos I see no reason to.
What happened to you is disgraceful imo, if other flights were in and out then it can't have been a bad weather issue. First port of call probably to get on to Aer Lingus customer service, better yet, put it all in writing, and request a reply in writing(they should do this anyway) and see what comes of that.

DjTaz

Well as i said , i have family there so it didnt bother me too much really and i generally have a calm outlook on life with things i have no control over.

Im a little annoyed at putting the lads in work out as they got short notice and a few were booked for holidays when i was supposed to be back.

I know a lot of others missed things like weddings and honeymoons over it.