Hi sending this message from benidorm at the moment. We were suppose to fly out at 12.25, from Leeds bradford on the 20th august. On checking in was told we would be flying from manchester and a coach would be arriving in an hour to take us there. We arrived at manchester and was told we would be flying at 15.00, we finally boarded at 18.45, (Suppose to have been flying with astreaus, but ended going with air scandinavia- ), anyway we started to take off, but plane could not get enough speed up to take off, so it screeched to a halt (Absolutely terrifying), we then had to get off again, while they sorted the problem out. We were given meal tickets of a fiver each to get some food. Cut a long story short, we got bk on again, had to wait about another hour while they unloaded 8 passengers suitcases (They refused to get back on). we eventually take off, get to alicante, and wait another hour for suitcases to eventually start coming around, by time we got to hotel, it was 4 in morning (Should have got there at 4 in afternoon). We missed our evening meal, didn't get up till ten in the morning, so missed our breakfast. wouldn't have been so bad if we were going for 2 weeks, but we are only there for a week. Hope this makes sense, but I have my son chirping on at me in background to hurry up. Home on sat, so will catch up then. All the best . BBB.

This ıs all very helpful but İ have been overbooked from Turkey to Gatwıck. Was meant to go home early tomoro-Sat, but now its Monday 5.00pm. Who or how can İ get compensation. The flıght was wıth Monarch now Pegasus.

Hi folks, very interested in this thread having got back early hours of Sunday morning after a week's hol in Paphos with massive delays both ends, 4.5 hours going out and 8.5 hours coming back - Cyprus Airways being the culprits. My understanding of the latest EU regs is that as the delay - albeit some pasengers, including my daughter, saw the LED display actually showing 'cancelled' - are that we should have been offered a refund of the ticket price as well as the flight home. Opinions would be appreciated. The regs can be found here - EU Regs

My detailed report below -

On Sat Oct 8th I set off with my daughter and my 6mth old grandaughter for a week in Paphos from Manchester. We got to check-in at around 12.30 for 15.45 flight, about 9th in the queue. The check-in people eventually got to their desks, then promptly sat with arms folded chatting for about 20 mins. Finally, a CA rep arrived to tell us there was a delay on the flight, but as they did not know how long, they were awaiting further info before opening the desks, so that they could tell us the exact situation when we checked in.

Desks opened approx 1.30, to tell us that there was a 3 hour delay on the flight and vouchers given for £7.00 each (not the baby!) for a meal. Great, a delay - just what we needed with a 6mth old! However, we stoically waded through the afternoon and into the evening, this after particularly choosing CA for the good flight times with the baby!! Finally boarded around 6.30 - 7.00 p.m.After the usual half hour delay checking numbers, fuels, manifests etc, pilot came on to give some details about the skies over Europe being busy, culminating in yet another hour sitting on a very hot plane with a restless 6mth old! However, eventually took off around 8.30 p.m, a mere 4.75 hours late. We arrived at our apartment at 4.00 a.m. Cy time!!!!

We had a prettygood weeks hol, arriving at Paphos airport at 9.15 a.m. the following Saturday for the 11.45 a.m. flight to Manchester, from Larnaca. Again, about 9th/10th in queue. We had only been there about 15 minutes when a CA rep arrived to tel us 'some very bad news about the flight'. It was 'delayed' until 18.45 p.m.(although several travellers,including my daughter did see the LCD display showing 'Cancelled') would be going from Larnaca and that we would have to wait until check-in close time when all passengers would presumably be there, at which point we would be bussed to Larnaca. Great joy! I expressed my concern re feed for the baby - although she also has solids, she still has several bottles of formula, and I knew the extra we had brought would barely last the extended journey. Little help from the Paphos CA staff, they did not have 'those facilities'. One lady did check the VIP lounge as they sometimes have it there, but to no avail. She assured me the staff at Larnaca would help. Buses duly arrived just before 11.00 a.m., were delayed departing by two forward-thinking couples who were registering their complaint with CA staff at Paphos, as armed with new EU regs, they knew they would be entitled to compensation. By the time we got to Larnaca, the whole bus knew the ins & outs of claiming the compen!! The rest of us knew we needed to register the complaint with the Larnaca CA staff for proof of the delay. We all duly checked in, to be told that they thought the departure time would be 18.45, but gave us vouchers for a 'meal'. We all then trooped to the CA 'Customer Services' desk - some misnomer this!! to register our complaints, little joy, other than to be told that as they did not know the precise time of the delay, they could give us no official confirmation, but we would receive a letter at the boarding gate.

The greatest customer relations attitude I have ever seen (NOT!!!)was that displayed by ****, the Customer Services Supervisor, when I asked about provision for the baby, given the 'loose' departure time, I was still concerned that we would not have enough feeds for her. The attitude of Ms *** was something to behold!! CA did not provide this 'service'she said. When I told her it was not a 'service' I was asking for, but merely provision for the baby as well as the adults in the party, given that I had paid £30 for her, even with no seat, she asked me what I expected them to do. I said, 'whatever it takes to make the formula milk available for her, given that this - so far - 7 hour delay was entirely the fault of Cyprus Airways. 'Oh no, we do not provide that, it is your fault, you should know with travel today that delays are possible, you must provide this'. I then repeated that we had in fact prepared extra feeds, but regardless of the situation and whose fault it was, we now had a 6 mth old baby who quite possibly, due purely and simply to the problems Cyprus Airways had now created, would possibly not have sufficient food to last the journey, even though we had packed extra, just in case (albeit not expecting the 8/9 hour delay which eventually transpired!!) Her answer was to shrug her shoulders and say 'no, no, no, we do not provide this service it is your fault' and flatly refused to do anything to help, nor to put me in touch with anyone who could. Admittedly, had we been thinking on our feet at that point instead of panicking, we could then have got a taxi into Larnaca and presumably found somewhere where we could have got some additional formula, even though it would not have been the SMA she was used to. However, we unfortunately were in 'panic mode' and so did not do this and instead went through passport control.

There we went to have our magnificent repas, no monetary value, simply a 'meal' - a salad or something from the 'steam' counter (not both, heaven forbid!) and a drink. My daughter made the mistake of choosing a bottle of still orange, only to be sent back to get something from the drink dispenser, commercial bottles of drinks not permitted!!!! This was in stark contrast to the facilities at Manchester the week before where we had simply been given vouchers for £7.00, no restrictions, and indeed, found it difficult to actually spend that amount, having chosen substantial meals and bottled/canned drinks!

Having spent a magnificent 6/7 mosquito-ridden hours at Larnaca airport, the flight revised to 19.25, we eventually boarded. The flight staff I have to say were consideration itself, but after having been sitting on the plane for about 30 minutes, the pilot came on to tell us that as 2 passengers had failed to board, they would now have to try to locate them, and if not, remove their luggage. I have never seen such blue air on a plane before!!

We eventually took off around 20.30. the problem having been apparently an 'administration error', the couple concerned having actually flown to Paris in the morning!!! Finally arrived home at 1.15 a.m. for myself and 2.00 a.m for my daughter and the baby, the formula bottles just managing to last supplemented by more jars of food than she had ever had before! Her equilibrium remained very very good most of the time I have to say, apart from going up and coming down when it was a trifle difficult to get her to drink to alleviate pressure!

Some questions for the gurus out there -

1) Based on the published EU regs, displayed in both Paphos & Larnaca airports - we would seem to have a claim for a refund as the delay was over 5 hours. However, someone in the party suggested that after 8 hours, it is simply an insurance claim. Does anyone have concrete knowledge on this please?

2) Were any members on that flight - CY506 from Larnaca via Paphos, to Manchester 15 Oct, 11.45 a.m. Paphos, 10.35 a.m. Larnaca?

3) One person on the flight (Larnaca) said his daughter, who is a rep there, told him in advance that this delay would happen as it is apparently happening all the time with CA. Again - does anyone have any concrete knowledge of this?

4) Anyone have a contact name at CA for a complaint other than simply Customer Services?

Thanks for taking the time to read this, any help or info would be appreciated. Along with the rest of the flight, I am determined to do whatever I can to ensure CA pays for this. This is not the first mammoth delay I have had with CA, I will now never ever fly with them again, The premium I paid over other airlines was a waste of money - I did not get the convenient daytime flights I required for travelling with a young baby.

Regards
Jacs

*edit member of staff name removed - Glynis*

Update -

have today received a response from *** ,Press & Public Affairs Department, Cyprus Airways.

Amazingly, this is exactly 28 days from my communication with Cyprus Airways!!!!! Unfortunately, I had received no response prior to this to indicate an acknowledgement of my complaint!

He is simply requesting my full address so that he can send 'the letter' to me!

I am not holding my breath!!

Jacs

*edit personal name removed for their privacy -Glynis*

Dear Holiday Truths

I was scheduled to fly out in late June 2005 to Kingston, Jamaica and was delayed from 4.25pm to 1.15am. My scheduled seats and the whole plane was given to the passengers of the cancelled flight the day before, due to technical problems. We where given a later flight ( the fixed 'technical problem' plane to return to Kingston later at 6.30pm). We only discovered this at the boarding gates. We boarded then was told of air-conditioning problems then no fuel on the plane. We got out then re-board later. During all this I recorded a diary of events.

To make matters worst the onwards journey from Montego bay to Kingston was cancelled/delay at 4.30am (jamaican time) on arrival until 11am. I discovered that this was already know by the staff on the plane.

I put together an Investigation Report during the flight includes staff, pilots and steward names along with mobile phone pictures. I sent a copy to Air Jamaica expecting them to apologise and give a party of four some form of compensation. There response was to sent a typical airline letter of their obligations and responsibility only. The letter address me and my mum. This show that they do not care.

I have written to Air Jamaica 10 more times. Once I mention the Montreal Convention and that it applies to any non- EU airline travelling from a EU Airport they replied 'We do not have anything further to say on this matter'

Next I sent a letter highlighting the terms & conditions including limit liability Montreal Convention under EU Regulations 889/2002 on the passenger/ticket against their terms & condition on their website (no mention of Montreal but only Warsaw Convention) - airjamaica.com. No reply

Last week I have used your letters to officially apply for Compensation under the Montreal Convention and EU Directive 261/2004. No reply. If I do not get a reply by 25th November 2005 I will take them to court for Compensation.

I will also applying for Compensation under the Unfair Contract Terms and Regulations Act, Consumer Credit Card Act 1974, Misrepresentation Act 1967 and Sales of Goods Act 1979 which includes Air Jamaica, Dial-a-flight and Nationwide Credit Card.

Regards

MM

Hi Michael, welcome to HT.

Have you tried speaking to Ros Fernihough, Travel Law Solicitor on 01922
621114. She is obviously experienced in dealing with complaints of this nature, and may be able to offer you some advice.

Kath HT Admin

We were delayed for 51 hours and 15 minutes in the Maldives on our return flight on 6th April with First Choice Airways (we booked with Hayes & Jarvis). We had to spend 5 hours sat on the plane on the tarmac in the midday sun with no aircon. That night some of us had to sleep on a boat as the hotels were fully booked. We were not informed of our right to a free telephone call and had to pay for our water that evening. The next day we were taken back to the airport where we spent most of the day before being taken to another hotel.

When we arrived back at Gatwick we were given £100 holiday vouchers as a goodwill gesture. (that does not even cover our loss of wages)

We have written to First Choice asking for compensation, for loss of wages, stress etc, but so far all we have had back are negative replys. We said we were not informed of our rights, they said we didnt ask. Some people, however, did ask if they could fly back with another airline and were still not informed of their rights.

Anyone got any ideas? Do you think it would be worth taking legal advise as a group. We should have got back to our house on the Monday night and didnt get back until Thursday morning!

They didn't tell the implications of accepting the travel vouchers either. There may be nothing you can do now as you accepted vouchers but I would check with Ros Fernihough on 01922 621114 as she is a travel law solicitor and will be able to give you free advice on this matter.

I haven't accepted the travel vouchers. They gave us a letter at the airport and the vouchers were sent to our local First Choice shop for me to collect. I have been in to the shop and told them that I want compensation. Other people had the vouchers sent to their home. Some have returned them. Others have written to FCA and said they would only be accepting them as an inital token and in no way consider this amount to be compensation.

Will give Ros Fernihough a ring. Thanlks

Ok I'm really new to this and I'm not sure where to start. We were delayed on a My Travel flight back from Goa on 9th April for 6 hours, we were advised the day before and made our own arrangements to travel to the airport the following day. When we questioned the rep about our problems regarding both of us now missing a days work she said we would be compensated for this, now I was pretty sure this wouldnt happen but who are we to argue ???!!! When I asked for written confirmation she told us this would be sent to us (still waiting !) To be honest we werent unduly worried at the 6 hours extra in Goa however on our return to Gatwick we hit a rather large problem, no public transport back to Essex. We were told on the plane that a MyTravel representative would be waiting at customs to advise us of travel arrangements for everyone but they were (surprise surprise) not there. We then had to pay £28.00 to get from Gatwick to London Victoria and then (at that time of night) £15 in a taxi to Liverpool Street. Liverpool Street was locked and by this time it was raining quite heavily (bit better than the snow we encountered when we first landed mind you!) and we had to wait in a cafe over the road until the first available train at 6am. We then had an hours train ride home followed by a £5.00 taxi fare from the station to our home. We both missed a days work because we didnt arrive home until 7.15am (I start at 7.30 and my boyfriend leaves for work at 6am) Our travel insurance doesnt cover us and when I called MyTravel I was informed it is not their policy to compensate for under 12 hours.
So, what do I do now ??

Do I complain to My Travel and list my grievances as above ? When do I mention that I know the details of this mail

Tashalee,
I'm not certain you have any claim against My Travel - sorry to say. I do sympathise with you that you were put to some expense and inconvenience as a result of their delayed departure but the delay was not massive - although the consequences were.

I'm suprised the rep. confirmed you would be compensated for your day's lost work - I doubt they would have any need to so compensate you. Being cynical, I bet the rep. was simply fobbing you off for an easy life - it happens often.

Your request for written confirmation of this offer of compensation was a wise move - but her insistance that you would receive such on your return was worthless. You never would receive any such offer.

The offer of a rep. awaiting you all at customs was again, probably a softener to avoid hassle whilst in flight.

The moment you landed at Gatwick, My Travel's responsibility ended. They met their part of the bargain by returning you to the stated return airport (I'm assuming you were scheduled to return to Gatwick and not, say Stansted or Luton).

You are responsible for your journey to your home and, presumably, expected to have to travel by train to Victoria from Gatwick and then by public transport to Liverpool Street Station. The kiler of course was the closure of L'pool St. Stn as it was very late at night. Unfortunately, that's not something you can claim against My Travel.

I think you have to let this one go.

Sorry for probably telling you what you didn't want to know - and of course this is only my opinion and I am not a legal or travel expert. Have a word with your/or a travel agent just to check.

Mike

cheers that is as I thought however if we had arrived back at Gatwick on time we had people organised to pick us up. Maybe next we will make provision for a delay. However I was questioning it because of the article at the beginning of this post that listed possible compensation at that starts at 1 hour.

Just to let you know that Hayes & Jarvis are still refusing to pay compensation for our flight delay of 51 hours 15 minutes with First Choice airlines that was due to depart the Maldives on 6th March.

This is despite the fact that they were in breach of EU regualtion 261/2004 as we were not provided with water on the first night of our delay.

We would expect some form of compensation for the massive delay including loss of wages etc and the fact that we were lied to on the second day and told that the plane had been fixed and were taken back to the airport to spend another day inside the terminal building! Had we been left to spend day two at the hotel on the beach things would not be so bad, even if they had to transfer us to another hotel that evening.

We will not let this lie. I have received my third letter from H & J who are now advising me to involve a third party (which I was already in the process of doing). There are many passengers on that flight who are now all taking legal action and looking for an agreeable settlement.

I will let you know the outcome.

Michelle Phil,
did you ring Ros Fenihough back in April ?

If so, what advice did she offer ?

Mike

Yes I did phone and very promptly received a form to fill in for futher advice. However, a large group of us that had been on the plane were sticking together and the person leading the group found a solicitor who we are now all using jointly. I would certainly have used Ros if I was claiming indepenantly.

Hi. I'm writing this on behalf of my son in the hope that someone can advise me. This is the story.

He was due to fly from Cardiff to Corfu at 11pm on Monday evening. It was a 7 night package deal with first choice. Checked in and went to departures as normal. just before 11pm (take off time) they were informed there was a technical problem with the aircraft and they wouldn't now be flying until 7.35 am the following morning. To be fair they were put up in nearby accomodation for the night and were all brought back to departures at 6.am ready for the 7.35 take off. Around 7.15, they were informed the new slot was now 8a.m. This came and went and were told at 8.30 that they would be boarding shortly. They eventualy boarded at 10am and took off at 10.40am (11 hours 45 mins late). They were quick to ensure take off before the 12 hour delay mark as this is when compensation would have kicked in.

Am I right in thinking that they aren't entitled to any compensation although they'd paid for and expected 7 noghts in resort accomodation, whilst they will only actually get 6 nights. Surely they should be refunded the 1 nights acommodation at the very least.
I'd be grateful for your comments and any help you can give. Thanks

I've just ben reading all these pages about people's dreadful experiences of delays and lack of response or compensation from airlines etc.

Please remember that anyone can take an airline/travel company to the Small Claims Court where such matters are dealt with easily and often, generously.

It is so easy to do - no soliciter needed and average cost is about £80 which is refunded if you win.

You cannot be asked to pay costs etc. You can claim up to £6000. Just phone your local Count Court for a pack - the pack guides you through each step and the Court itself is very informal.

My experience has been that airlines and travel companies usually pay up before the hearing.

we have just returned from a great holiday in majorca spoilt only by a 7and half hour delay coming home we had 1 and half delay going ouy not to bad we arrived at palma airport to be told we had at least a 5 hour delay and was told to go to bar ponet at 130 for a meal and drink this was only 1 and 3quarter hours after we should have taken off information was terrible at 5 pm the screen was still showing departure 330 we tried to find a rep for airtours no one around we found a rep for thomas cook ben maddison who got us as much information as possible our 3yr old grandaughter cut her forhead in the airport and we tried to get assistance from airport staff and no one would help us thomas cook rep phoned for airtours rep to come and see there customers and they refused have we a case to claim something back? i have rang going places and they said we can only claim after 12hrs on our holiday insurance any advice would help
jac

I was bumped off BA long haul flight at LHR. This was part of package arranged by tour operator.I got compensation from BA & o/night hotel.I had to fight to get on next flight 24 hrs later as this was o/booked also.Tour opp. disclaims any responsibility even tho I lost part of tour.What basis does tour opp. book scheduled flights?It seems like a lottery The itinery "package" is meaningless and tour opp. claims "Force Majeure" Any comments?