navylad

Contacting on behalf of a friend, who has been in DXB prior to the lockdown where his dad lives. He needs to return to the UK. He was booked on tomorrow flight in J to MAN. The flight has been cancelled and he has been booked in Y to BHX. They have offered LHR but not the connection up to MAN. They are saying they won’t pay for the train from BHX or LHR. Help!

m3red

it’s not eks fault so not sure they are liable for onward expenses...I’m guessing your friend has no travel insurance given he’s not suppose to be in Dubai in the first place...

Mwenenzi

If he wants to get to UK, take what they offer. Then just buy a train ticket.
Is possible EK will not fly. Link-->UAE added to UK list of high risk countries

navylad

sorry but I disagree. The cancellation is before the flight ban and obviously flights are going to other UK destinations. They have made a commercial decision to cancel the flight due to the light load.

As for your comment that he shouldn’t be in Dubai in the first place, this is just not true. He travelled to Dubai to see his Dad and his 1 year old step brother for the first time when international travel was permitted. The fact that things have progressed in the UK since is not his fault. He has not at any time breached any rules.

Thanks. I’ve got him a BA flight up from LHR, the EK flight is delayed but with the delay it’s showing as a 2hr 23 connection, hopefully the boarder isn’t as horrendous as I fear.

Obviously the conditions of carriage state their resolution is travel on later date (not possible), travel to your destination by an agreed alternative route or a full refund. I’m not used to an airline that wouldn’t have just booked him on to the domestic connection in the event of IRROPS, but I get the impression that EK’s customer service here will be lacking if we complain afterwards and asks for the cost back?

DYKWIA

Your best bet here is to contact CS after the flight and ask them to refund the price of the LHR-MAN flight. As it's not an EU/UK airline, there's no other way to force it, so the worst you can lose is a few minutes time.

I seriously doubt the EK17 flight was cancelled due to low loads. Everybody has been scrambling around trying to get flights back. As per the BA forum - all their flights sold out very quickly after the news.

navylad

Thanks. Will do.

sealsgod

at least they give you a ticket back to UK, if you saw the update from EK seems like this suspend are with short notice. only 2 LHR and 1 BHX will be operate today and stop. for me it smell like travel ban to France on last summer this time. good luck for your friend back to UK on tomorrow flight, suppose to be full.

skywardhunter

Cancelled for commercial reasons? How do you know the load? Consider that the aircraft needs to also return to DXB and while it might arrive before the ban it might not be able to depart back to DXB in time.

KARFA

I think just to clarify this part, the ban only relates to inbound direct passenger flights. After 1300 airlines can still operate passenger flights departing the UK to the UAE, there would be no legal reason the plane had to depart by 1300.

skywardhunter

I wasn't aware of that being the wording. Most accurate source I could find: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-ad...-arab-emirates
Specifies flights "from UAE to England, Scotland..." Which does sound like inbound but could potentially imply both ways. Regardless there's still no evidence that the cancellation was due to light load. If anything I'd imagine those flights would've been packed with people trying to get home.

Often1

Bottom line is that EK has cancelled its flight. The underlying reason is not important. It is also not an EU (UK) carrier and thius, EC 261/2004 does not apply for flights originating outside the EU (UK). In the circumstances, I would take any reasonable itinerary back to the UK and sort the local costs afterwards with travel insurance or EK's customer service (which will likely be unavailing). My strongest advice is simply to get back to the UK soonest as the travel situation is tightening rather than loosening and that includes not only legal but practical commercial ones too.

Alternatively, the passenger is of course entitled to a full refund. If there is some routing into MAN at or about the cost of his EK ticket, he could take the refund and purchase a new ticket (recognizing that this means laying out the funds while the refund processes).

skywardhunter

Further digging found this NOTAM:

KARFA

The law is very clear on this tbh. Direct commercial passenger flights inbound from the UAE were fine until 1300, but prohibited from 1300 onwards. From 1300 the airline can still operate in to the UK but it would have to be cargo only.

The prohibition applies to flights landing in the UK and not departing. So airlines are free to fly direct passenger flights still from UK->UAE at any time.

The EK flight could have operated to MAN on schedule landing before 1300 with passengers, and departed at any point later with passengers. Going forward EK can still operate flights in to the UK without passengers but with cargo, and take passengers back to DXB.

Apologies for the detail. Tbh I just wanted to pick up on your point that they may have had to depart by 1300.

There is more information on the thread in the coronavirus board for UK arrivals requirements.

m3red

can’t ek cover the cost of the chauffeur drive extra distance?

if this is a cheap upgrade to miles ticket then you won’t get the car and EK won’t be interested I’m afraid

suley

Since its past the event, it would be good if you gave us an update. Would be good to know was the ticket a paid upgrade, points or cash booking. If cash I would have thought asking for the chauffeur drive extension its only an extra 30 miles give or take. EK is not regulated by EU261 on the inbound and can choose to ignore and offer a partial refund for the fare differance but you might find its not much. Personally I would be happy I was back home and not stuck in DXB