Hundreds of flights have been canceled by EasyJet and British Airways in the past week, but some travelers have found it impossible to book again or talk to customer service.
Both EasyJet and British Airways have canceled a large number of flights over the past week, causing massive disruption for travelers over the Easter holiday.
EasyJet canceled 62 flights scheduled for Monday, after canceling at least 222 flights on Saturday and Sunday, blaming the disruption on staff shortages due to Covid.
British Airways is still canceling flights because of a major IT meltdown on March 30 that caused massive disruptions. It also cited staffing issues and meteorological disruption,
To whom else have the passengers of both the airlines complained on social media? Regarding poor communication, with long lines for customer service at airports and long waits on the phone.
Some customers have also been told that the airline cannot rebook them on alternate carriers that can get them to their destination sooner, despite the law requiring them to do so.
Will EasyJet and BA have to rebook me if my flight is cancelled?
Yes. If an airline cancels your flight, it should offer to rebook you on any reasonable route that gets you to your destination as close to your arrival time as possible – even if it’s a different airline altogether. be with The airline should also inform you of your rights to assistance and compensation, which may occur depending on the level of disruption you have encountered.
According to the affected passengers, neither EasyJet nor BA are consistently following this rule.
For example, some customers have found that BA offers to rebook only on its own services or on ‘partner airlines’. Not allowed if earlier service is available on an alternate airline.
Who told this?:
“While we were able to resolve the temporary technical issue we experienced earlier today and resume flight operations at Heathrow Terminal 5, we are deeply sorry that we have had to cancel some of our flights this evening. We are taking steps to ensure maximum number of customers travel accordingly. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience caused to them, are offering them refunds or rebooking on alternate flights, and where necessary There are refreshment vouchers and hotel accommodations provided.
But it declined to comment when we asked it to clarify the experiences of passengers who were refused rebooking on non-partner airlines.
If the airline refuses to rebook you, you can potentially do it yourself, but your carrier is likely to dispute this and you may need to go through alternative dispute resolution or small claims court to get your money back. may have to claim.
EasyJet told us that it offers customers re-routing options in the event of a cancellation and aims to do so within 24 hours. It also clarified that it is unable to rebook on behalf of the customer. It said customers would not be denied the option of re-route with alternate carriers where necessary, but would be advised to book it directly, to be reimbursed by 2026 and, in the event of any cancellation, It is directly contacting all affected customers and providing they have their options which include rebooking on alternate flight, or getting voucher or full refund.
It said there are no restrictions on what airline customers can rebook where the same class of travel is available for their booking, and pointed customers to its delay and cancellation help page for more details. does.
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Should I accept a refund for a canceled or delayed flight?
depends on. You can only claim refund or rebooking – not both. Airlines are often quite willing to refund, as it is usually cheaper than the cost of a new ticket.
You should choose the one that best suits your plans.
Regardless of whether you choose a rebooking or a refund, if the delay is not due to ‘extraordinary circumstances’, you are entitled to claim flight delay compensation.
What are my rights to compensation?
What the airline owes you depends on two factors: the length of your original flight (i.e. short haul, medium haul or long haul), and the length of delay in reaching your destination.
In general, if your flight is delayed by at least two hours and depending on how far you are flying, your airline will require you to:
- Two free phone calls, fax or email
- Free food and refreshments suitable for the delay
- Free hotel accommodation and hotel transfers if overnight stay is required
Read more about your rights to assistance and compensation from us flight compensation? – advice guide, you can also use our Which one? compensation calculator To find out how much you owe.
Claim British Airways Compensation Via BA Compensation Webpage
Claim Compensation Via EasyJet EasyJet Compensation Claim Form
Is a technical problem classified as an exceptional circumstance?
No, this is important to keep in mind, because if an airline can prove that your delay was caused by an exceptional circumstance, it is no longer required to pay compensation.
Exceptional circumstances are situations beyond the control of the airline, such as security risks, severe weather, and drone disruption. View the full list through our Flight Delay and Compensation Compensation Guide,
What if I’m stuck overnight?
If a flight cancellation or delay means you are stranded and you need to book a hotel room, the airline will have to pay for your accommodation. Keep in mind that in practice travelers have reported difficulties reaching BA and EasyJet to resolve such remuneration claims, so it may take some time for these costs to be offset.
- Step 1: Contact the airline first to try and make hotel arrangements
- Phase 2: If you can’t reach them, book yourself in a hotel. British Airways has said it will pay a total of up to £200 to cover costs. Stick to three or four star options.
- step 3: Keep proof of payment for your hotel booking, along with all other reasonable expenses you paid out of pocket, such as late night taxis.
- step 4: Claim money back through the airline.
For British Airways: Claim through BA Expense Claims Webpage,
For EasyJet: Claim through EasyJet Expense Claim Form
EasyJet Response:
u201c As a result of the current high rate of COVID infections across Europe, EasyJet, like all businesses, is experiencing higher than normal levels of employee illness and therefore we have decided to cancel some flights in advance to give notice to customers. is processed.
u201c We have focused on consolidating flights where we have multiple frequencies so that customers have more options to rebook their travel, often on the same day, and we are looking forward to the ongoing high of illness in the coming days. Because of the level expect the same level of pre-emptive cancellations. ,
u201c We are deeply sorry for any inconvenience this may cause to customers on affected flights. We are directly contacting the customers and providing them with their options which include rebooking on alternate flight, or getting a voucher or full refund.u201d
