Jenbel

I do have to say, I would be surprised if London is open tomorrow at all - predictions don't show much change over London There may be some airlines start to route out of the Scottish airports if they can establish an operation there that quickly...

dddc

As expected! (and to be honest I wouldn't want it any other way!)

But thankfully my workmate's girlfriend has taken her blackberry with us and she's emailed us an update (my workmate didn't his mobile as he didn't want to pay the roaming charges!).

Virgin have taken them to the Harbour Grand Kowloon for the night and they are thrilled. Dinner was apparently very good and they are looking forward to breakfast. A shuttle bus will be taking them to the airport at 8am (assumng its all over by then. Scotland is apparently ok for 7am tomorrow now according to NATS).

Sohan

DAMN. I hope it opens back up asap.

Jenbel

I've updated thread title - I'll concentrate on the situation at the London airports, even though some airports in Scotland are currently open.

Sohan

Trying to rebook or cancel my flight, spent an hour on the 0844 number without any luck

HIDDY

I read on another forum that VS072 from Orlando is due to arrive in at GLA at 09.50 on Sat 17th.
However, according to the VS site no flights are currently operating so I don't know how reliable my information is.

Sohan

After calling back and waiting another hour, got through to some one who fully refunded me.

Duty Manager at the intercontinental at SFO also fully refunded my advanced booking.

paoloUK

Hello everybody,

I am hoping someone can help me to clarify a few things regarding cancelled flights. I am currently in Tokyo, and I was supposed to fly back to London tomorrow with Virgin Atlantic. The flight has been cancelled, and it seems that the earliest I can fly out of Tokyo will be on the 30th April !

My ticket is with All Nippon Airways, and the flight is operated by Virgin Atlantic. So technically I'm an ANA's customer.

ANA has provided me with a new ticket for the 30th April, but they refuse to provide an accommodation and meal vouchers, saying that these are extraordinary circumstances and they cannot be held responsible for the flight cancellations. I tried to be a bit aggressive on the phone and threaten them with legal action but it did not help.

What is your take on this? Is it my right to ask for an accommodation? I'm stuck here for two weeks and since I will have to take an unpaid leave at work, financially this is a nightmare for me and I'm trying not to have to pay for a hotel while I wait to board a plane.

Many thanks for any suggestions you may have

Paolo

Jenbel

You are asking the wrong airline for the accommodation.

The EU compensation regulations clearly state

and
In other words, ANA are quite correct, they have no obligation to you. VS on the other hand, because of the EU regs, have to provide hotel accommodation and meals for you because they are the operating carrier who have cancelled the flight.

If Virgin try the extraordinary circumstances, they don't have a leg to stand on - as a airline operator based in a Member state, they are bound by Article 9 of the EU compensation regulation, which establishes the right of care under all circumstances.

Link to the actual regulation: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cg...004&nu_doc=261

LuvAirFrance

Ah, the exciting uncertainty of international aviation. Guess I'm glad I'm learning about it here, not sitting in some airport on the other side of the world.

paoloUK

Jenbel thank you very much for your valuable and informative post.

Earlier today I talked to somebody at Virgin customer service in Japan, and they advised I keep all the receipts from the hotel and breakfast/lunch/dinner, so that I can ask for a refund once I am back in the UK. They also stressed the fact that I have an ANA ticket and sort of implied that they are doing me a favour by granting a refund. Actually the EU regulation you have quoted requires them to provide me with an accommodation and meals. Still, I am a bit nervous that I might not get the refund once I’m back in the UK..

Just for your information, this is what they are offering:
Hotel : basically any hotel under 11,000 yen (approx. £78)
Breakfast : 1000 yen (£7.10)
Lunch : 1500 yen (£10.60)
Dinner : 2500 yen (£17.60)

The only thing that I do not quite understand is why point (6) uses the word “should” instead of “must” (see below)

(6) The protection accorded to passengers departing from an airport located in a Member State should be extended to those leaving an airport in a third country for one situated in a Member State, when a Community carrier operates the flight.

Thanks again for your help, much appreciated.

Paolo

RightSideNov

Because we had one aircraft here in MCO (landed on 15APR as VS27) and because Scottish airspace was the only thing open last night, we were trying to get at least some people home. We had all intentions of sending the aircraft on it's way. However, just after everyone got on board operations called and said it was getting worse in Scotland and the flight was canceled.

Sohan

Looks like it's extended to Sunday 7AM GMT. I hope this .... clears up soon and it doesn't end up errupting for a year.

dddc

Hello Jenbel, the link didn't work for me. I'm trying to send it to my mate in HK as VS cancelled his flight finally and they put a note under his door this morning to say they would pay for one more night at the hotel. Perhaps it's worded badly but he's concerned that the airline won't continue to pay out for this. They'd even consider returning to Oz and waiting there as they have family they can stay with - provided VS agrees to fly them back to the UK for no additional charge.

Oh, and now VS can't find their bags! I'm surprised they even got to check them in! But with a 3 year old in tow, this isn't good for them!

WarrenUK

While it has not impacted me its interesting to talk to VS passengers here in Miami. Some have been given the "full monty" of hotels and meal vouchers etc. but others have been given nothing. In my case, although I had already booked a hotel to cover the layover before I got to MIA, when I arrived at the upper class desk I was surprised to be offered a "discounted rate" at the Hyatt (it was a good rate actually $69 per night).

A very mixed approach is the summary here in MIA.

On a separate note, has anyone managed to get through on the telephone? I have left a few "call backs" on the virgin UC line.

UPDATED As I have nothing else to do I took the shuttle back to the Terminal and enquired what Virgin were required to do under the "EC/EU Regulations". The reponse took me quite by surprise to be honest. First I was given a letter which said that Virgin would not be arranging accommodation for ANYONE from Friday onwards but they would reimburse reasonable expenses. When I queried how this met their duty of care and for amusement showed them some of the comments here as the desk area was pretty deserted. The Desk "Manager" who refused to provide his name, said he didn't need a leg stand on as far as the regulations were concerned, he could simply refuse to make arrangements. They referred me to a Caroline Lynam who is apparently a Customer Relations person.

I spoke to some of the passengers who were sat on seats near the desk. The reason they were sat around was that they couldn't actually afford accommodation locally and a few were pretty distraught. They said they had been given a similar story by the desk. one young family with two small kids had been ignored by the desk for 3 hours apparently (I managed to help them out for the night at least). Not good service from Virgin in Miami I am afraid.