Am I entitled to compensation on my delayed flight?
I have just arrived home after travelling with easyjet
Our flight was delayed by a grand total of 6hrs and 32mins and we were told that, in spite of the delays, we were still expected to be at the airport for the original boarding time.
Initially, we received a notification that the delay was due to a 'technical fault' with the plane (the latest pilot informed us that the staff and passengers could smell smoke coming from the cockpit)
Then, we were assigned a second plane, which was unable to land at another airport and eventually depart to us due to hurricane Ophelia
After a further 1hr 30mins of attempting to land in the strong winds at home, a third plane was sent to us from Amsterdam. The plane reported the same issue with regards to smelling smoke in the plane and returned back to the airport
A fourth plane was scheduled to collect us, travelling from Barcelona, but the pilot refused to make the journey and so another pilot was brought in as an emergency contingency…
This pilot finally managed to fly us home
However, he explained to us that the airline, after 4 planes reported the same technical fault of 'smoke in the cockpit' made the connection between the incoming hurricane Ophelia and the sudden appearance of matching technical issues
Apparently, the hurricane had drudged up sand and dust particles from the Sahara desert and, once coming into contact with the plane engines, caused a smoke-like smell to emit into the cockpit
Am I still entitled to compensation?
Added (1). I'm aware that they could use the 'exceptional circumstances' card but it just seems beyond unreasonable.
They altered the expected flight time approximately 5 times, forced us to arrive and wait for 7hrs in spite of the known delays and although they could argue that this was entirely a result of hurricaine ophelia, surely they are at fault for not only misdiagnosing a supposed 'technical fault' 4 TIMES, but further for insisting that the passengers linger at the airport for 7hrs
Wah wah wah wah.
No, that's totally up to them
After a further 1hr 30mins of attempting to land in the strong winds
Weather can be a B I T H. TOO BAD for you plane could not land. Related winds near hurricanes can do that.
it just seems beyond unreasonable. YES it is beyond unreasonable to expect anyone to predict exactly what the wind might be at the end of a runway on a storm hundreds of miles wide.
Apparently, the hurricane had drudged up sand and dust particles from the Sahara desert and, once coming into contact with the plane engines, caused a smoke-like smell to emit into the cockpit
YES POSSIBLE next time ask the pilot to open the door and you can clean out the engine while in flight of course the cause might be something else next time.
Am I still entitled to compensation?
You can ask for it.
DO NOT expect to get much if any.
They altered the expected flight time approximately 5 times
TOO BAD FOR YOU.
Having you remain at the Airport you might get something. As the nearby roads were probably full of others seeking shelter where did you expect to go?
You wouldn't be entitled to compensation even if weather weren't a factor. I was once delayed longer than that just because the flight crews had been working too long, and they needed to fly new ones in. But whenever weather is involved, the airline does not bear any responsibility for reimbursing passengers. Weather can't be controlled by the airlines.
No. That's why you should have purchased travel insurance. Weather related delays do not fall under passenger compensation rules.
No. The delays were outside the control of the airline.
* … The hurricane had DREDGED up sand…
No, you're not entitled to any compensation as the delays were caused by the weather, and airlines can't control that! The airline was doing the right thing for your safety regarding the smell of smoke in the planes. This occurred on many flights and only later was it ascertained that the smell was caused by smoke from the Iberian forest fires being blown over Europe by the storm. It was NOT Saharan sand.
The smoke smell was from the wildfires in Portugal brought in by Ophilia.
This may or may not get them out of paying compensation as it was an exceptional circumstance beyond their control. They acted to keep passengers safe
- Flight status from Paris to Benin (country in Africa)? When I tried to see the flight status Live in route on Air France, all it states is? "Flight position Not available at this time". What are the reasons that could be? When I have tried to see the flight status for other flights, I have no problem seeing the Live Flight status, so why am I having difficulty for this flight. I even contacted the airline and they don't know either. So any information on this would be helpful and interesting.
- I have printed out the boarding passes for my flight to Alicante.how do I get the return flight boarding passes, With Ryanair? I have printed out the boarding passes for my flight to Alicante. How do I get the return flight boarding passes, With Ryanair?
- How do I see which seat I was assigned on an Alaska Airlines flight if I booked my flight through Skyscanner? I can't find how to do it- I have done it online before, but maybe I can't find it because I got it through a discount site?
- Am I entitled to a refund for a medical emergency? I purchased tickets from Condor airlines (via CheapOair) last spring for a trip to Italy. The day before our departure date, I was taken to the emergency room with a bleeding ulcer (a condition I had never experienced before). While I was in intensive care unit, my wife called Condor to cancel our plane reservations for the next day. Condor then charged us a $400 cancellation fee. When a refund never arrived, I contacted them and I was told we would receive no refund.