jamess88

ITA scheduled 2 months ago my flight to Vietnam from Barcelona via Rome and Paris with only 20 minutes for the connection in Paris. This was due to a schedule change on the Rome to Paris leg.

Paris to Vietnam leg was with Vietnam Airlines codeshare. Ticket is entirely ITA.

I discussed it with them at the time and they did not cancel my flights and suggested there were multiple passengers on the flight so the flight to Vietnam would wait and we would be chaparoned through security and immigration.

I spoke with them yesterday and no issues on the flight but I was unable to select seats on the Paris to Vietnam leg.

I called again today to double check and I was told I had a missed connection and they could not re-route me with any other airline. They also (not consistently as I spoke to several different people) said that the Paris to Vietnam flight was cancelled as well. (Vietnam airlines website still has the flight flying)

I had not received any email or notifcation of issues since the original schedule change.

I phoned up and asked for a refund which has been provided but I still have not received an email confirming cancellation and they pivot to "missing connection" rather than it being outright cancelled which is the effect and why they refunded.

How should I go about claiming EU 261 given this?

Thanks

ringingup

By accepting a refund you've waved your right to obtain a replacement flight. The best way to go about this would've been to pressure them to rebook you. Upon refusal, state that you'd rebook yourself and then claim retrospectively.

I think you're still eligible for compensation as long as your flight was cancelled less than 14 days before departure.

jamess88

Ok, they refused to re route or rebook as all nearby dates were full and one agent (out of 4) claimed there was no cancellation/ missing connection so I was concerned they were not going to acknowledge refunding. VN10 just left Paris so wasn't cancelled even though an agent multiple times said it was.

tomillo

got similar flight here but from Madrid instead of BCN. I was rerouted day after, so 24 h delay.. On the return back, also 7 hours delay plus 2 bags lost.

You are entitled to compensation anyway, doesn't matter if you applied for a refund. You can do it yourself and save your money, or use any of these complain companies (airhelp, flightright, reclamador...) that will drain around a 30% of your compensation, nearly 60% if you got to court.. I got experience with this, because I travel a lot and happened to me multiple times in the past. Let me know by if you need help

dont let Ita Airways go away with something that belongs to you. It is your right

tjmurf78

I'm not sure if this is the right place, but I have lodged a complaint with ITA over missed connection out bound and then bags not arriving at destination inbound. They have not replied. Any advice on a next move?

tomillo

were r u based?

tjmurf78

The UK.

tomillo

basically, ITA wont care a duck about your complain. they will amke you lost timw with nonsense anawe.. mate I am trying to write with the phone and it is a pain in the .... Write me again on sunday, I will be back at home with my pc and I will let y know how to address this to drain their pockets and get the compensation u deserve

tjmurf78

Cheers I'll await your response, I was thinking next of either the resolver website or the small claims court.



Don't forget that info for me. Cheers.

tomillo

hey mate. Now I am back at home and can write comfortably from my laptop. Whatmatters is when did you arrived at destination. Depending on the distance and time you will be eligible for different amounts ranging form 250 to 600.

• Short distance (up to 1500km): departure delayed over 2 hours, or flight cancelled – free drinks and food, and 2 telephone calls, emails or faxes
• Medium distance (between 1500 and 3500km): departure delayed over 3 hours, or flight cancelled – free drinks and food, and 2 telephone calls, emails or faxes
• Long-haul (over 3500km): departure delayed over 4 hours, or flight cancelled – free drinks and food, and 2 telephone calls, emails or faxes

This is fixed and there is no way the airline can avoid it. As said, this usually works like this.
YOu complain to the airline, they won't answer, you complain again, they remain silent. TIme goes by and then you got enough proofs to f¨¨k them in the court because they forced you to go sue them despite your claim is reasonable and entitled as stated by 261/2004 EU regulation. I was checking how can you do it being UK based, but the legal stuff changes a little bit depending on compensation amount requested, the institution in charge of it, etc..The spanish institution in charge f that (AESA) can only claim a compensation for the flight delay, not the rest (baggage delay). So my advice, is to just complain to ITA requesting the flight delays + bag.. don't mention anything like EU regulation or threat them with a lawsuit. You will try just to appear the average Joe without much clue and they won't expect you to sue them. Let's send them one more email if you already complained in the past, wait 1 month. Then, if they still remain silent, go ahead with court. As said, the flight delay compensation is fixed, there is no deal.. As they force you to go to court, aware of the fact that most people is scared about getting involved in a lawsuit, judge will make them pay all court costs (your lawyer fee too).

I will sue them for 2 delays (24 hours from Madrid to Vietnam, and 7 hours back home again, over 3500km),delays of my bags (1 week the first, 3 weeks the second), a bag damaged, lunch expenses (they just paid me a diner, breakfast and hotel). They ruined my holidays but that won't be cheap for them.