To think we should get refunded?

[MotherOfDragons90]

Hi all, just wondering if anyone has been in this position and can help.

DH and I supposed to fly out on holiday tonight with EasyJet and after showing as delayed for a few hours the flight got cancelled

We were told to go down to the EasyJet desk to rebook along with the hundred odd other passengers which we did. I had a quick check to see if there were still flights for tomorrow which there was, 2. However it became obvious we were quite far back in the queue and it wasn’t moving much. I checked the app again and only one flight available tomorrow now so I just booked us on that there and then.

My logic was that they would have rebooked us on one anyway and refunded the original flight so I was just making sure we could get out at the earliest opportunity but DH said I should have waited until we got to the desk and gone through the proper process. The new flight was 3 times the cost of the original so we will be out of pocket if we just get a refund for the original one.

AIBU I’m thinking they have to compensate us the cost of this new flight even though it’s a new booking? I really hope I’m right but there isn’t much clear info online

Very unlikely they will refund your new flights if cancellation was due to weather conditions. Good luck op but can’t see you getting anything back other than cost of original flight.

@Aberforthsgoat no not yet it is later today! I didn’t read the T&Cs unfortunately as was in such a blind panic to secure seats. Silly me

@Passthebubbly it wasn’t to do with the weather it was an issue with crew

If your flight is cancelled or delayed by a certain number of hours then providing that it is not due to “extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline’s control” then you are entitled to a set amount of compensation under EU law. I only discovered this after we were in this situation and happened to read a newspaper article about it at a later date. I don’t know how much you paid for the new flights so obviously don’t know whether compensation will cover this. The airlines can also be quite “creative” about why the flight has been cancelled so you may have to be persistent. I think they have proper forms for this now, it was years ago when it happened to us so I sent in a letter (and it took some detective work just to find out where to send the letter) quoting the relevant EU law.

Because you have made a new booking rather than wait to be reallocated, I don’t think they’re obliged to refund you the costs of the new flights, only the compensation amount (but you may be lucky with Customer Service, who knows?).

Google the Civil Aviation Authority website (caa.com) as it tells you exactly what to do and what you are entitled to, as frankly there’s a lot of nonsense being posted on here.

Just read your update. I would have thought an issue with crew is definitely their responsibility.

It’s probably worth making a big fuss online to try and get the new flight refunded - if you’re enough of a pest they might agree.

FWIW I think you did the right thing even if it does cost you - at least this way you know you’ve got a flight and your holiday isn’t in jeopardy any more, so it has to be worth it!

Your travel insurance also usually includes a set amount for delayed or cancelled departure, so that might make up some of the shortfall as well.

Interested to know what they say. There will sometimes be another plane rescheduled to cover your cancelled flight. Even though the app showed only one left for today that wouldn't have been yet updated. Should've stayed in the queue as some of those that did will likely already be on their holidays now!

I’d try and get my money back but if I couldn’t I’d just have to put it out of my mind by thinking that it was a price worth paying to actually have my holiday.

What costs would you incur if you hadn’t got seats on that flight for today?

With a hundred people ahead of you chance are it would have been full if you hadn’t done what you did, then what?

OP, I would have done exactly the same thing as you in this scenario. There is no way I would have 'rolled the dice' on standing in the queue and not getting the flights I wanted. I don't think it's the equivalent of queue jumping either BUT it was like paying for the 'premium' option (like paying for EasyJet speedy boarding to get on the plane first!!) and on that basis I don't think you have an automatic entitlement to the cost of the more expensive flights.

As others have said, you will get your original flight refunded, plus your EU compensation. I would also definitely make a big fuss - write a letter of complaint, social media etc. to try and get back the cost of my more expensive flight (particularly given the announcement), threaten to escalate to the CAA etc in the hope that they will back down (assuming they do refuse to give you the refund on the more expensive flight) because I do think at the very least it's arguable. But I think you'll have to prepare yourself for a battle you might not win.

Ohh that changes things, fingers crossed for you

I don't think you'll be entitled to a refund for the new flight and tbh I don't think you should be. You paid a premium to ensure a seat on a flight today.

Is it premium to book a replacement flight for one they cancelled? I’m not trying to get an upgrade or anything for free just like for like

I don’t agree it’s a premium as such but it is the price for getting a seat on the next plane.

Assuming there were more passengers than available seats.

You'll be entitled to a refund of the original flight cost; plus a set amount of compensation - the amount depends on the distance you were flying and the length of the delay, but it sounds like you've looked into that and you'll get 250 euros each.

You aren't entitled to a refund of your new flight costs, because you didn't use the proper process to change your seat, you just bought new seats. The value of those seats was higher, because of all of the people from your flight who needed to fly, and there was likely more demand than seats. That means they offered them for 3x the cost, and you accepted. Allowing the airline to sort out your tickets would have allowed them to mitigate costs, which you didn't, as you didn't want to risk not flying out today.

You can push for a goodwill gesture, but they don't have to refund you. Also, before you call, look into whether they'd have to find you alternate transport if you cancel the new tickets - I think that because you've purchased your own travel, their responsibility to get you there has been discharged, so you could very well end up without a flight at all. And the standard conditions for refund would apply to your new tickets, so you'd potentially lose a percentage of that money anyway.

It might be a good idea to frame it as someone said above, that it was the added cost of ensuring you flew today and didn't have to wait until tomorrow, and then if they offer anything else, it's a bonus.

Probably best to just deal with customer services now as listening to lots of differing advice on here will just panic you more x

There's a specific way on the app/website to rebook you don't just book a new flight. If you'd followed the process it would have given you the new flight without any payment.

MotherOfDragons90 Yes. You would have been put on another flight at no additional cost. You paid a premium to make sure you got on the plane of your choosing. IMO it's a premium worth paying but I don't think it should be refunded.

Let us know what they say. I probably would have at the very least, if I booked replacement tickets on the app I would have still stood in the queue and spoken to someone about the situation. I think booking and leaving may change how they handle it.

We didn't claim compensation, we only claimed for out of pocket expenses and they did refund us every penny.

Thanks all for the advice.

I phoned and explained the situation and they were brilliant. They have refunded the cost of the new flights and said we are eligible to claim compensation for yesterday’s flight and any expenses in addition to this so it looks like we won’t be out of pocket at all. Other than for a days holiday.

I wasn’t expecting it to be so easy but I’m very pleased.

I do feel a bit bad given that our flight today became unavailable on the app before we even left the airport so there’s no way all the people in that queue would have got on it but I suppose it is every man for himself. Fingers crossed they managed to sort alternative arrangements out for everybody.

I can’t see that you will be refunded. They will obviously refund you the cost of the cancelled flight but you chose to book the new expensive flight so they won’t refund that.

I don’t know how it works with easyJet but I’ve had a few cancelled flights with Ryanair and you get an immediate email when a flight is cancelled. The email has a link included to swap your flight to the next available one at no extra cost and you can do that there and then in the airport without having to queue.

You will be due a refund, and possibly compensation, and that depends on the reason for the delay and cancellation if it was due to thr airline ie faulty plane, then you get it, if it Was out with the airlines control, you do not, ie weather related.

You are likely not due the new flight also, as by rebooking you've already taken the option away from them to rebook you or refund. They now need to refund. As you've already done the rebook.

I have done the same as you, but it depends what's more important to you, the money or thr holiday. If you'd waited you'd not have been going tomorrow. This way you go. But you will get your initial ticket price back and possibly comp, but be out of pocket thr new ticket costs.

Cross posted, brilliant result. I usually use Ryanair as they are the only airline that flies to somewhere I go regularly so obviously have a more distrusting view of airline customer service!

Fantastic news

@MotherOfDragons90 and that's why you take action! Enjoy your holiday!