Flight cancellation due to fire at Rome airport May 2015- further compensation?

[danfin]

I am hoping that you well-versed guys can help me.

 

My wife and I were married in Italy in May 2015. However, the outbound flight (07/05/2015) from Manchester was delayed for around 3 hours, then ultimately cancelled due to a fire at the destination airport (Roma Fiumicino).

 

We were given a full refund (around £175) and the Jet2 staff were amazing in trying to help us find alternative flights. Eventually we found the last two seats on a RyanAir flight leaving the next morning from Gatwick. We hired a car (£30 +£25 fuel), a hotel (£90) and the flights (£490). I also incurred around £15 in telephone costs.

 

I telephoned the travel insurer immediately on finding out about the cancellation, as per the terms and conditions.

 

Upon returning to the UK we were refused any sort of compensation due to the extraordinary nature of the cancellation. I sent a forceful reply citing their lack of meaning description regarding the 'extraordinary conditions' section of their terms and conditions. Eventually, they paid up £140 as a gesture of good will under a delayed flight rather than a cancellation. However, they would not pay out on the extra costs we had to fork out just to get out of the country. It is these that were most costly and I would like to get the money back.

 

Any thoughts?

[Conniff]

Denied boarding

 

When an air carrier reasonably expects to deny boarding on a flight, it first calls for volunteers to surrender their reservations in exchange for certain benefits. If an insufficient number of volunteers come forward to allow the remaining passengers to board the flight, the air carrier may then deny boarding to passengers against their will, in which case it must compensate them.

 

Air carriers give priority to persons with reduced mobility and any persons accompanying them.

 

In the event of flight cancellation or denied boarding, the passengers concerned have the right to:

reimbursement of the cost of the ticket within seven days or a return flight to the first point of departure or re-routing to their final destination;

care (refreshments, meals, hotel accommodation, transport between the airport and place of accommodation, two free telephone calls, telex or fax messages, or e-mails);

compensation totalling:- EUR 250 for all flights of 1500 kilometres or less;- EUR 400 for all intra-Community flights of more than 1500 kilometres, and for all other flights between 1500 and 3500 kilometres;- EUR 600 for all other flights.

 

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=URISERV%3Al24173

 

Extraordinary circumstances

 

If the airline can prove the delay was caused by ‘extraordinary circumstances exist’, then no compensation is payable.

Extraordinary circumstances are situations beyond the control of the airline, for example, security risk, political instability or severe weather that makes flying dangerous.

The 'extraordinary circumstances' defence does not affect your other rights to assistance (as outlined above).

Edited January 18, 2016 by Conniff

[steampowered]

I'm a little bit confused - 'extraordinary circumstances' is something usually quoted by the airline when you approach the airline for compensation.

 

Reimbursement from your insurer is a different. Your insurer is liable to reimburse you under the terms of your insurance policy (which will not usually cover payment of the fixed compensation required from airlines).

 

Can you clarify who you received the 'extraordinary circumstances' response from and exactly what they said? Did you arrange travel insurance through your airline?

[danfin]

I'm a little bit confused - 'extraordinary circumstances' is something usually quoted by the airline when you approach the airline for compensation.

 

Reimbursement from your insurer is a different. Your insurer is liable to reimburse you under the terms of your insurance policy (which will not usually cover payment of the fixed compensation required from airlines).

 

Can you clarify who you received the 'extraordinary circumstances' response from and exactly what they said? Did you arrange travel insurance through your airline?

 

@steampowered- We arranged travel insurance independently from our flights. Here's their original response:

 

Thank you for registering your intention to claim under your CoverForYou Travel Insurance Policy.

 

Having carefully reviewed your claim we would refer you to the terms and conditions of your policy;

 

Section E1 – Travel delay What you are covered for under section E1. We will pay up to the amount shown in the table of benefits if your final international departure from or to the United Kingdom by aircraft, sea vessel, coach or train is delayed for more than 12 hours due to poor weather conditions (but not including weather conditions defined as natural catastrophe), a strike, industrial action or mechanical breakdown. We will pay a benefit for each complete 12 hour period that you are delayed, as long as you eventually go on the holiday or eventually return to the United Kingdom following your holiday.

 

Regretfully the reason for your delay in departure is not one for which cover is provided, and although with sympathise with your situation, we cannot on this occasion be of any assistance.

[Conniff]

More excuses by a money grabbing insurance company. They really are the pits.