Interestingly the responses of the low-cost airlines have varied. Ryanair first hardballed all customers, saying that refunds were limited to the cost of the ticket, then begrudgingly backed down , with mixed experiences on other airlines. Clearly, the law wasn’t designed for a situation such as this and urgently needs reform, perhaps with the creation of some sort of EU-managed insurance scheme, giving the passengers the option to pay in, say, £10/flight to get all the rights. This would allow for the provision of a consistent service in the event of another event such as this; airlines simply don’t employ the numbers of people required to pacify customers at such short notice.
As well, this optional insurance supplement would allow airlines to continue the low-cost tickets. Like it or loath it, low cost is here to stay, and with a scheme like this airlines could legitimately offer the lowest cost tickets in the knowledge that there would be no further liabilities. After all, if a customer opted out of the scheme, he or she would have little case for complaint. Even at a cost of £5 a sector, there would be a huge amount of cash generated for this fund.
Enough about this, which is a future issue, and onto the current issue, that is how to minimise your chances of problems at the airport. The simple answer is that in the event of another volcano, no amount of tips would help you, if the planes cannot fly, no-one is going anywhere. But, your subsequent pain depends on the precautions you have taken before hand. I’ll give you a run-down on what I’d advise:
1) Examine your route (and alternatives) beforehand: Some routes frequencies already have me thinking ‘uh-oh’. For example, a route that is served just once a week; if a flight is cancelled, in the worst case scenario, you’ll be bumped to the scheduled flight next week – and since that flight already may have a full load on board, there may be even further delays. Flights that have regular service are much better as it’s likely you’ll be able to get one at short notice if conditions do improve.
2) Examine your airport: Be aware of airports with poor connecting facilities as well; that is, where the airline doesn’t offer a good range of destinations. Let’s say you need to come back to London – Easyjet are often a better choice here as many of their routes fly to to Luton, Stansted or Gatwick allowing for maximum flexibility. It’s also wise to examine the distance from the airport to the city as well; if your airport is 100km out, then it may be likely you could be stranded at the airport as the costs of getting to and from the city are prohibitive.
3) Keep your receipts: In the event that something should occur and you are delayed, do make sure you keep your receipts for everything: food, drink, accomodation – if you have paid for it. In the event of a claim, you will need these, and expenses without receipts are useless.
4) Know your rights: There is a thread here discussing what your rights are, but don’t be surprised if staff have the same idea, or if there are even any staff. Whoever may be at the airport may simply not be authorised to make an expenditure on accomodation or bus transfer. If you are really unfortunate, whoever is there might not even speak your language.
5) Speak to others: Particularly if airport officials don’t speak your language. It is extra useful to get someone perhaps to act as translator; and it often pays to get larger groups as taking taxis and so forth becomes easier. It often is very difficult to get official updates on the situation and you’ll find the best way will be from other people who may have had other sources of information.
6) Don’t leave the airport until told otherwise: Speaks for itself really; it may be the case that any changes are not even announced on the tannoy. But it has been known that people have missed bus transfers to other airports or accomodation simply because they had sat somewhere else. Stay where most of the people are so you can see developments occuring.
7) Have an adequate supply of money: Most airports have ATMs and money changers but some do not. In this case, do have bank cards and currencies ready. There have been real horror stories of people being stranded having spent all their money and being totally dependent on the airport. You can save yourself a lot of hassle simply by having the money to purchase items, of which you should be refunded at a later date.
Be flexible: You’re likely to have a couple of options; in that you can re-route, re-schedule or refund. If you take the refund, be aware that it may be a lot more expensive to rebook at short notice, and a refund discharges any further responsibility. Re-routing may be a good option if possible. This may extend your journey considerably but if you need to get home, is a better option than nothing. Re-scheduling is also a good option; you can book your flight for another date, and leave the airport for a hotel (hopefully paid for by the airline!) but do be warned that when you do return you could face the same problems again.
9) Don’t give up: On returning, if you have paid for anything, you may have to make a claim accordingly. Do keep copies of your receipts, and if you have to send a letter, make sure it’s recorded delivery. Don’t make outlandish claims (such as staying in a plush hotel suite) as these may fall outside the scope of ‘reasonable’. You may have to push more than once for this, but eventually you should be reimbursed. As long as your flight is within the EU, eventually all airlines should settle. The reason being is that no-one wants a court case which would provide a judgement which would allow other claims to be fast-tracked. It is my opinion that the low-costs operate this way as it is far cheaper as not every one files a claim, and as ‘no-frills’ there is hardly any damage to brand expectations.
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