Aer Lingus passengers entitled to full refund

AIR TRAVEL:A SPOKESMAN for the Commission for Aviation Regulation has reminded Aer Lingus passengers who have had their travel plans disrupted by this week's industrial dispute that they have rights under EU law which offer them some degree of protection.

While passengers will not be entitled to compensation if flights have been cancelled or delayed, as the airline can say the circumstances are beyond its control, they are entitled to a full refund or a rerouting on the next available flight.

If a passenger chooses a refund then the airline’s responsibility to them ends immediately. If, however, a passenger decides to be put on the next available flight, EU rules explicitly state that airlines are obliged to provide accommodation and refreshment until the passenger can be accommodated on an alternative flight.

Any money reimbursed to affected passengers is to cover “reasonable” expenses incurred as a result of the cancellation and nothing else.

It is difficult to say how long affected passengers will have to wait to be reimbursed for any out of pocket expenses although, if the experience of many people who made applications to the airline following the ash crisis last spring is anything to go by, it may take a considerable time before all claims are dealt with.

People making claims for out of pocket expenses as a result of the industrial dispute should, in the first instance, send copies of all relevant receipts along with booking references, passenger names, original flight details and new flight details to the airline.

Aer Lingus has hired planes from Ryanair and other carriers to ensure it is able to operate normally, but thousands of the airline’s passengers faced significant disruption for much of this week as over 50 flights were cancelled as a result of the current dispute with cabin crew.

The Irish Travel Agents Association has laid the blame for the current dispute at the feet of Aer Lingus cabin crew and accused them of “apparently backtracking” on an agreement with the airline to work 850 flying hours a year.

It also accused the airline of failing to put contingency plans in place to avoid travel disruption.