Help Me Out On This One

[Bananaman]

Dutch airline KLM holds out on ash cloud compensation

 

Hundreds of British families are still waiting for compensation from Dutch airline KLM for delays caused by the volcanic ash cloud earlier this year.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-10972969

 

Why are the Airlines held responsible for what is obviously an act of nature and also it really was the Aviation Authority's decision to stop flying, not the airlines?

 

I wasn't affected at all and I do not work for an airline but why is it the Airlines get dicked?

 

I'm at a loss on this?

 

Charter boats and take a fortnight to get back to Harwich?

 

Gahh! I hate this blame culture.

 

Saying that Perseids has been a right let down this year. Who's fault is that and can I sue?

[Tempus Fugit]

the joys of the EU

[pongo]

I hate this blame culture.

 

It's not though. It's contractual. The regulation existed ahead of the tickets being issued. So it would be for the airlines and their insurers to have decided costs and set ticket prices.

 

Granted the consumer legislation maybe needs to be amended moving forward. Perhaps there should be a check box system allowing airlines to issue tickets at a cheaper price for less liability.

 

It was the national aviation authorities and not the EU who closed the airspace.

[GD4ELI]

Granted the consumer legislation maybe needs to be amended moving forward. Perhaps there should be a check box system allowing airlines to issue tickets at a cheaper price for less liability.

 

Having been caught up in this with Flybe & Swiss in May I'm glad the EU legislation exists, without it we would have far less protection.

 

In my case both Flyb (via the airports girls) and Swiss rebooked my flights with no hassle at all.

[manshimajin]

In my case both Flyb (via the airports girls) and Swiss rebooked my flights with no hassle at all.

But did they provide you with free overnight accommodation and meals whilst you were unable to travel?

 

I think all airlines were more than happy to rebook flights (even Ryanair). I seem to recall however that some such as Ryanair, and evidently KLM, found the additional EU requirements to provide accommodation and meals free of charge to be burdensome in the case where the delay was not caused by their own service failures.

[GD4ELI]

In my case both Flyb (via the airports girls) and Swiss rebooked my flights with no hassle at all.

But did they provide you with free overnight accommodation and meals whilst you were unable to travel?

 

I think all airlines were more than happy to rebook flights (even Ryanair). I seem to recall however that some such as Ryanair, and evidently KLM, found the additional EU requirements to provide accommodation and meals free of charge to be burdensome in the case where the delay was not caused by their own service failures.

 

As I was travelling from the Island back to Switzerland I didn't need accomodation or meals as I stay at my mother's house. This was offered by Swiss though, a very fine company.

[manshimajin]

In my case both Flyb (via the airports girls) and Swiss rebooked my flights with no hassle at all.

But did they provide you with free overnight accommodation and meals whilst you were unable to travel?

 

I think all airlines were more than happy to rebook flights (even Ryanair). I seem to recall however that some such as Ryanair, and evidently KLM, found the additional EU requirements to provide accommodation and meals free of charge to be burdensome in the case where the delay was not caused by their own service failures.

 

As I was travelling from the Island back to Switzerland I didn't need accomodation or meals as I stay at my mother's house. This was offered by Swiss though, a very fine company.

Were they the airline that took over from Swissair when the latter went bankrupt? I have heard good reports about them.

 

I think the issue was not airlines re-issuing tickets though. That wasn't a problem. All of them did that willingly - in fact I heard quite a few people praising Ryanair's handling of the reticketing.

 

Some airlines also paid accommodation and meals and some tried to avoid doing this as they felt it was excessive for an 'act of God' situation. Certainly the airlines seem to be the only transport system that is required by the EU to do this. Probably why KLM are in trouble now.

 

At the time there was talk from the bureaucrats in the EU that they needed to review the rule - but I haven't heard of anything happening. IMO it is unreasonable to expect airlines to pay for accommodation and meals when a volcano in Iceland erupts and the authorities ban flying.

[ballaughbiker]

It is completely unreasonable to make an airline pay out for cancellations beyond their control. Any insurance they may have had to cover cancellations had will almost certainly have 'act of god' exclusions anyway. This law was originally brought in to stop operators cancelling flights at the last minute for little reason (read not full enough to make a profit) but I think it now needs fine tuning to cover airspace closure by government agencies.