Summer travel disruption, flight cancellations and strikes were at the forefront of questions questioned by viewers during travel correspondent Simon Calder’s weekly ‘Check with Me Something’ on Friday.
The message of the day? Remain beneficial. Simon urged viewers to be optimistic when reserving and reminded them of their rights should their flights be cancelled.
Let’s dig in.
It looks easyJet are now cancelling some flights 20 days in progress. Do you have any perception into how stop of August is hunting ?
Quite a few million men and women booked on easyJet in excess of the summer time will be wishing, as I am, that the airline could finalise all its cancellations as shortly as achievable. As you know, the provider promised additional flights than it has the methods to deliver, especially to and from London Gatwick, and is now trimming the agenda by about 10 for each cent. That implies a important amount of folks booked on July and August flights have been instructed, or will shortly find out, that their unique flight is cancelled. But even if it is, those fabulous European air passengers’ rights regulations will stand you in very good stead by requiring the cancelling airline to supply an different flight on the identical working day.
I am flying to Malaga by easyJet on 2 July. How most likely is it that my flight will be cancelled if the Spanish strike goes ahead?
The flight is extremely very likely to go ahead irrespective of strike involving some easyJet staff in Spain. If it does not there will be a number of other possibilities to get you to Malaga.
Why is easyJet not clearer on providing different flights/transportation to their destination in party of cancellation? Are prospects truly having via to customer providers an now finding choice flights?
I really do not think any airline is accomplishing what it is meant to do beneath the air passenger rights procedures in phrases of rebooking people today on the apparent alternative flights. I hope I am mistaken about that. I am, of training course, maintaining records of when carriers have flatly refused to give travellers the alternate flights that are most ideal.
I am because of to at last fly to San Diego on 16 August from Manchester by way of Heathrow on BA. How pessimistic should my hopes be?
Be a lot more optimistic, individuals! Inspite of floor personnel at BA’s Heathrow hub overwhelmingly backing a walkout in their struggle to reverse shell out cuts and the prediction from their trade union that “holidaymakers confront large disruption,” as anyone keeping 4 British Airways flights to and from Heathrow in July and August I am quite confident they will consider off additional or considerably less as normal. But if I am completely wrong, then European air passengers’ rights regulations provide good client protection – in the kind of a need for the cancelling airline to deliver flights on the identical day, even if it indicates obtaining a ticket on one more provider.
I am intrigued, although, that you are flying from Manchester to Heathrow to start with to achieve San Diego fairly than connecting somewhere in North The us – these types of as New York, Atlanta or Toronto – which does not entail any doubling back again.
If a flight is cancelled extra than 14 days prior to the scheduled departure date, is the airline even now obliged to find passengers an choice flight on the scheduled day, or just offer a refund?
Yes, the only variation 14 times would make is to keep away from obtaining to spend compensation. Responsibility to obtain an choice flight stays.
Any updates on the Ryanair strike throughout a variety of European countries this weekend and the most likely impact on flights exterior of these countries eg daughter traveling back to Stansted tomorrow from Agadir?
By meticulously studying the launch that Ryanair has place out about its operations now (Friday 24 June), it is possible to establish accurately the place the issues are: Brussels (both of those the most important airport and Charleroi, acknowledged as “Brussels South”).
Fewer than 150 flights have been cancelled all advised.
Three out of five of Ryanair’s scheduled flights to/from Brussels are working commonly.
“There were no flight disruptions in Italy, Spain, Portugal, British isles, France or Eire as the broad the greater part of Ryanair crews are doing the job generally,” an airline spokesperson reported.
The provider thinks that a two-working day strike at a French Air Site visitors Command centre in Marseille will have far more effects.
There are some good deals for vacation with Inghams and TUI to the Alps in early July. While extremely tempted, I professional the carnage of Manchester airport in mid-May possibly and a two working day hold off for TUI to get us dwelling from Kefalonia at the stop. It has not inspired me to head abroad in the close to long term! But do you feeling that Manchester/Birmingham are having on prime of points? Am I becoming too pessimistic?
Certainly, I think you could be more optimistic. At occasions in Might, Manchester airport was awful in conditions of prolonged delays and overstretched floor team top to some incredibly brief observe cancellations of flights and full vacations. Birmingham airport had its times far too, but I consider they are now on a seem footing and I would e book with self-confidence.
I viewed the recording of the Decide on Committee you attended and could not believe how the easyJet and BA reps obtained away with their significantly less-than-truthful summaries of the refund expertise about the previous couple of months. With a minister denying information on reduction of EU workforce and committee membership who feel to deficiency basic comprehending of present difficulties, God help us all. Anyway, do you believe the airlines will make up their schedules for July and August or is what we have now, the very best we can be expecting?
As you point out I was warm-up act for the Business enterprise Choose Committee on 14 June, when reps of easyJet and British Airways experienced a lot to say. The BA witness claimed: “For a refund of your flight, that should be finished within 7 days. We goal to do the EU261 compensation [for delayed or cancelled flights] within just 14 days.” The easyJet witness said: “The customers acquire the email, which … says, “You are entitled to rebook your flight. Right here is a backlink to do that. You are entitled to a refund. Here are the a few clicks it normally takes to get your refund. You are entitled to a voucher if you desire. Below are your rights for additional payment.”
I am investigating that previous line and trying to find clarification on where accurately, on the cancellation e mail, it says: “Here are your legal rights for more payment.” Do allow me know if you have ever viewed an easyJet e mail saying that.
Anyway, this 7 days finished with a different slew of easyJet previous-moment cancellations on Friday night, most of them from Gatwick and mainly attributed to air-targeted visitors regulate problems. Resilience however looks a enormous issue. If something the schedules will shrink however additional to try out to prevent shorter-notice groundings – and to assure the extensive bulk of travellers get in which they require to be.
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