Originally Posted by
RoaminRoman
Finally, eight weeks after my initial request for compensation, I received an official denial by snail mail (the letter was dated April 13, but I received it on May 4). Here is the reason they gave:
"Please let me explain why cash compensation is not applicable under European Regulation EC261. Because all routine preventative maintenance actions were performed on the aircraft as scheduled, and the extended delay could not have been reasonably predicted or avoided, the event is considered force majeure and exclusionary to the mandatory compensation rules."
In other words, it's God's fault that they had a faulty aircraft. Perhaps I should apply to the Vatican for compensation!
With this kind of reasoning, it is difficult to imagine a probable scenario in which an airline would ever be required to provide compensation. Let's see if ENAC agrees that this falls under force majeure.
Wow. Good luck with your follow-through. Please post the results. This really does look like a new low.
Perhaps you could also demand that UA provide the specific regulations that allow them to try to wiggle out of their responsibilities this way. Not that I think it will get you anything but more obfuscation, but it still might come in handy as you follow through with the relevant authorities.
Wow. So the only way to collect such compensation is if the airline knowingly flys a defective aircraft???
Or if the delay could have been reasonably predicted or avoided, whatever that means.
