Help Please - Advice for best recovering losses in the following situation from 23rd August 2013

[Juzz33]

Help Please - Advice for best recovering losses in the following situation from 23rd August 2013

Overview

Flight from Bristol to Dublin (EI3285) eventually cancelled due to technical issue with aircraft after a 4 hour delay. Technical issue was a dent in the nose of the plane. Suspected bird-strike!

Alternative routes where provided on first come 1st serve basis during period of delay. This involved a bus trip to Gatwick then an onward flight to Dublin. Apparently this bus got mixed up in traffic and missed the connecting flight.

£3 each for refreshments was issued after 3 hours delay

Alternative arrangements offered on cancellation of flight @ 17.45 the next day. Not accepted as wedding over by then.

Details

Travellers - My mother & I.

Reason for travel - friend’s wedding.

I Booked flights for 23rd August from Bristol coming back Sunday 25th August

I booked flights on credit card.

Mum booked hotel and paid deposit. I will be invoiced the balance.

I booked car hire on the morning of the 23rd. I have tried to cancel this with rentalcars.com they have said within 48 hours they take 3 days hire off!! I booked for 2 days.

I am insured with greatcover ‘supercover’

Mum did not have travel insurance.

We incurred a number of expenses.

We have been promised a (full) refund from Aer Lingus for the flights. Aer Lingus, on questioning said that no compensation would be paid as it was a technical issue which supposedly counts as ‘extraordinary circumstances’

 

Questions

1. Broadly the best way to approach the situation

a. All through Insurance company?

b. Through all avenues? i.e

i. Insurance

ii. Aer lingus complaints

iii. Credit card

2. The expenses I can legitimately claim as related to the flight/holiday and from whom!?

a. Flights

b. Hotel

c. Car hire

d. Clothes brought for the wedding

e. Pay as you go sim to use abroad

f. Airport refreshment expenses

g. Travel expenses to and from airport

h. Phone costs cancelling and making other arrangements

i. Time completing all these calims!!

j. Other?

3. Position relating to compensation – is Aer lingus claim of ‘extraordinary circumstances’ valid?

4. Can I claim for the cost of the flights from my insurance?

5. Can you claim for delay & cancellation?

Many many thanks for any help/advice

Julian

[labrat]

i think a bird strike comes under extraordinary circumstances

[stifle]

i think a bird strike comes under extraordinary circumstances

Agreed. Aer Lingus is liable to refund in full the cost of the unused flights, refreshments (although this appears to have been paid in part) and (if applicable) accommodation in BRS, up until you decided to abandon your journey, plus the cost of two reasonable-length phone calls, and no more.

 

Your travel insurance, if it's any good, should cover the hotel and car hire costs (though they may say your mother's half is uninsured and only pay your half). Claims in respect of clothes, PAYG SIM, travel to and from the airport, phone costs beyond the two calls, and your time are unlikely to be successful.

[Juzz33]

Thanks very much both