'Which?' target BA for EC261 petition - please sign
#16
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Leicestershire
Posts: 350
I accept that if it were automatic for everyone it would simply add to the ticket cost so perhaps what is actually needed is to penalise any airline that wrongly refuses a claim to make it difficult for the consmuer. So if you make a valid claim the amount payable doubles each time the airline fobs you off, customer services would be much more motivated to only deny claims which genuinely weren't eligible if their bosses knew that each letter or email which incorrectly denied payment would add to the total bill. I guess the one flaw with this is that it is only those in the know i.e. FT'ers that would know to pursue the claim and then what they would finally be entitled to!
#17
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,676
They might - but I think we all the know the likely outcome is that airlines would increase their ticket prices in the short term, work to lower delays/cancellations in the medium term and then leave the ticket prices at the higher level.
#19
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,721
I accept that if it were automatic for everyone it would simply add to the ticket cost so perhaps what is actually needed is to penalise any airline that wrongly refuses a claim to make it difficult for the consmuer. So if you make a valid claim the amount payable doubles each time the airline fobs you off, customer services would be much more motivated to only deny claims which genuinely weren't eligible if their bosses knew that each letter or email which incorrectly denied payment would add to the total bill. I guess the one flaw with this is that it is only those in the know i.e. FT'ers that would know to pursue the claim and then what they would finally be entitled to!
If the airline believes it has an arguable case it should be entitled to argue it.
The ADR route and the courts do of course provide a process for consumers to argue theirs too.
#21
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,190
I do think that the regs could be improved by penalising airlines who refuse to pay what later turns out to be a legitimate claim. Similar to a parking ticket: pay in 14 days and it's less expensive. You can argue your case but if you lose then you'll pay the full whack.
I also think having some multiplier to penalise airlines for delays that are very significant would be sensible. The attitude seems to be that after 3h there is little incentive for them to reduce the delay as much as possible as comp is due anyway.
#22
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brexile in ADB
Programs: BA, TK, HHonours, Le Club, Best Western Rewards
Posts: 7,067
#23
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,721
Of course it affects that, much like the cost of oil affects that! I think you need to revisit your understanding of supply and demand.
#24
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brexile in ADB
Programs: BA, TK, HHonours, Le Club, Best Western Rewards
Posts: 7,067
Profitability determines the amount of investment (i.e. the number of aircraft) but also new aircraft are less likely to go tech so I doubt that BA would cut investment.
If BA have the aircraft it has to fill those seats, against competition from other airlines. They supply of seats is thus independent of cost in the short to medium term. And demand is entirely independent of BAs cost.
If BA have the aircraft it has to fill those seats, against competition from other airlines. They supply of seats is thus independent of cost in the short to medium term. And demand is entirely independent of BAs cost.
#25
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,190
So by your theory a tripling of the minimum wage paid to airline workers flying out of the UK would not drive up supply costs at all?
#26
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, HH Diamond, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,219
My experiences:
- Paid up the EU261 compensation on two separate occasions when I applied, albeit it took a bit of back-and-forth of me pressing my point before I 'won'.
- Happily refunded my hotel and costs when I was stuck in Berlin for an extra night due to strikes. Didn't have to use my insurance at all.
So generally I've found them pretty reasonable. I've also completely failed in the past to get EU261 money out of Wizzair and Ryanair, but I suppose that's not surprising for LCCs!
- Paid up the EU261 compensation on two separate occasions when I applied, albeit it took a bit of back-and-forth of me pressing my point before I 'won'.
- Happily refunded my hotel and costs when I was stuck in Berlin for an extra night due to strikes. Didn't have to use my insurance at all.
So generally I've found them pretty reasonable. I've also completely failed in the past to get EU261 money out of Wizzair and Ryanair, but I suppose that's not surprising for LCCs!
#27
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brexile in ADB
Programs: BA, TK, HHonours, Le Club, Best Western Rewards
Posts: 7,067
No my "theory" is that the price is set by the market, very interested to see any economics textbook which says different for a product like airtravel.
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,549
The spectacularly bad news is the PR disaster; not that there is any actionable outcome here for the CMA to get involved with.
Last edited by irishguy28; Jun 29, 2017 at 2:20 am
#29
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,190
Price isn't a factor that is independent from the underlying costs of supply as you seem to be suggesting. A mandatory automatic payout system would increase operating costs for all airlines substantially.
#30
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: BAEC, Flying Blue, Eurobonus
Posts: 180
I made a BA claim for a delayed LHR - IAH flight and got the correct compensation paid into my bank account within 10 days of starting the claim process. (just last month)
No quibble, no challenge, just correct compensation for a plane that went tech with an engine oil seal leak. Delay was 3 1/2 hours so 300. They also offered 30,000 avios which I declined.
There was a guy on the flight though who really made it his mission to spread the word, he went round many many people at the gate telling them they would all get 600 if they made a claim, however they all would get the 300 as I did.
No quibble, no challenge, just correct compensation for a plane that went tech with an engine oil seal leak. Delay was 3 1/2 hours so 300. They also offered 30,000 avios which I declined.
There was a guy on the flight though who really made it his mission to spread the word, he went round many many people at the gate telling them they would all get 600 if they made a claim, however they all would get the 300 as I did.