I accept that the ash cloud is unprictable and must be causing the airlines unbelievable logistical problems but in the case of Ryanair there failure to communicate is appaling.

http://www.flypark.co.uk/airport-parking-news/ryanair-shambles.htm

Report this comment

Glad you made it home safe and sound. As you know, my sister had a similar issue and was stuck in Sharm when the first ash cloud stuck. She was stranded for 6 days with no contact from Jet2.

Eventually got her home and she is still waiting for the refund for the two canceled flights with Jet2 blankly refusing to pay any other reasonable costs leaving my sister to claim against Jet2 in the civil courts with the help of her legal assistance from her home insurance policy.

I have used Jet2 on numerous occasions and never had any trouble myself, but they do say it is not until you have to complain to a company when you truly find out how good they are.

My friends wife was cabin crew with Jet2 and they even have to buy their own uniforms so it is obvious that there is a very fine balance between profit and loss and I just hope that items such as this do not end in the smaller budget airlines going out of business.

I am interested to see how you get on with Jet2 as I know you will follow this through.

I am already worried about the 8 seats I have booked to Venice in July!

Thanks,

Report this comment

This is disgusting – these people don’t deserve our business. I’m due to fly to Iceland at the beginning of June so I’m on tenterhooks every time I switch the TV on…

I’d advise anyone with travel plans already booked to make more than one ‘phone call to the airline/insurance broker/insurance company/airport. Sometimes you’ll get different stories depending on who answers.

If anything seems inconsistent, pursue it doggedly until you know exactly what your rights are. (Can you tell I’m speaking from experience?)

As well as the practical aspect of getting home, you need to make sure your travel’s covered by your insurance policy. I use a firm of travel insurance brokers in Lancashire – they’re a family firm so in many cases they’re cheaper than the bigger brokers. Certainly worth a look.

Report this comment

That is so annoying – especially the “ask us questions” with no response scenario. Glad you got home ok, and look forward to your future rant on claiming back your expenses.

Report this comment

Airlines seem to be in chaos at the moment. I can’t really see a end to all this in the short term, especially as the valcanoe is still spewing all the ash out. I dread to think what it will be like for all the flyers over the summer holidays!

Goodluck on getting your compensation

Report this comment

Hi
Whilst it is reasonable that Jet2 reimburse your flight home as it was cancelled, i dont think they owe you any other expenses.
I think in all the cancellations due to the ash cloud, it is good you managed to get home ok, which cannot be said for many others.

AL

Report this comment

I booked a return flight Amsterdam-Leeds (13 may, 16 may) with Jet2. My returnflight on the 16th (6pm) was cancelled because of the volcanic ash. Fortunately I saw this on the news when having a coffee, instead of being at a busy airport. Later I saw Jet2 had sent an email at 10.30am that morning.
On the newssection on their website I found that I could call Jet2 for a free of charge rebooking on the next available flight. They apologised for the fact that they wouldn’t be able to answer calls quickly and advised to book and pay another flight through their website and email the original and new booking reference to a special email address (volcano@jet2.com) so they could refund the new flight to my creditcard. I followed this procedure on May 17th and so far I haven’t seen a refund yet, but I did get an automated reply that the processingtime could be up to 10 workingdays.
For the other costs I advised my (Dutch) travel insurance, they do have a policy for ‘cancelled transport’ involving paying for hotelcosts and telecomcosts. Not sure what will come from that, but it sounds hopeful. Not sure what the polcies are in the UK though.
Anyone else experiences with the Jet2 volcano mailaddress?

Report this comment

Darren

It has been a week, have you had a reply?

Report this comment

Jet2 have refunded my flight costs from mid-April, but their customer service is worse than awful. They have ignored a letter I sent at the end of April when I got home, and only today have I received an ‘Exceptional Circumstances Claim Form’ after discovering they would not consider claims unless made via this form. It took them 3 weeks and 3 requests to send me the required form.
They are required under EU Regulation 261/04 to consider reasonable claims for accommodation and travel. It seems to me they are trying to dissuade customers from applying for this reimbursement and actually state (p4 of the claim form) that

“successful claims may be reimbursed to the lead passengerin the form of a credit voucher valid for 12 months from the date of issue and which may be used towards payment or part payment for any flight or holiday booked with Jet2.com or Jet2holidays.com”

This stinks. I urge all claimants to indicate they will reject such vouchers – after all they won’t pay the credit card bills – and to indicate that they will pursue claims through the courts.

I for one will never travel with Jet2 ever again.

Report this comment

I stil have not received my money bak from jet2 from my flight from amsterdam and it is impossible to make a complaint, there is no email address to get them on and all the phonelines put u on hole for over a 1.50 a minute i am getting very annoyed with this and doesnt seem to be anything i can do as i cant even send threts to them, any1 any information please email me on above thanx

Report this comment

Well, some good news. I got a full refund for my tickets back to my creditcard, and my travelinsurance paid my extra hotel-, telephone- and taxicosts.
I also received a claim form from Jet2 by regular mail. I guess my letter did help. The downside is that if the claim is accepted you don’t get a money refund, but just Jet2 vouchers.
Jet2 does have a (at least it worked up to a few days ago) mailaddress: CallCentre(at)jet2.com
If you like a scanned copy of the claim form, let me know, I’ll be happy to email it to you.

Report this comment

We were stuck in Portugal from April 15th to 24th. Jet2 again cancelled flights and, in effect, abandonned their passengers. They were totally unreachable despite allegedly putting on two phone lines to deal with the emergency. They apparently put on a flight from Faro to somewhere in France and provided coaches for the remainder of the journey. That had to be booked online and filled within minutes (I would think). If you couldn’t constantly monitor the website, you missed any developments. (The internet cafe in Praia da Luz did wonderful business). When we eventually returned we put in our claim for living costs and transport etc. We received the refund for the original cancelled flight as a straight credit to our credit card. Yesterday we received vouchers for what Jet2 considered a reasonable amount. They reckon that £20 was reasonable transport costs. We spent that in the internet cafe checking the website. We also spent a good half of it trying to hold of Jet2 on the phone. Naturally the vouchers are only redeemable against Jet2 product. Does this contravene the EU laws? To my mind, these vouchers don’t constitute a refund.
Anybody got any ideas?

Report this comment

Seems that a voucher refund is being tried on by Jet2 with some (ex-) customers. As I indicated in my earlier blog I for one will reject any attempt to fob me off with vouchers and have stated to Jet2 that I will pursue the claim through the courts if this is their way of attempting to ‘compensate’ me. Its now 5 weeks since I submitted my claim and I have had no response. Is this typical?

Report this comment

A partial result. Jet2 have refunded ALL the additional accommodation and subsistence costs associated with our extended family stay overseas due to volcanic ash (by cheque not vouchers). But they have rejected the travel element of our claim, citing the fact that they refunded the ‘unused’ portion of the (return) flight.

So, they take you abroad cancel (3) flights back – then abandon you, to make your own way ‘home’ (via any method you chose). We had no choice (Jet2 were not rebooking flights) so had to book Eurostar and trains – costing over £1000. Their refunded flight was c£200. So I’m still £800 out of pocket and will be pursuing this with them (through the courts if necessary).

Presumably had we stayed put for an extra week or two incurring accommodation and subsistence costs and then flown back at their convenience this would have been refunded?! Anyone spot the flaw in the logic here? No account taken of our prudence and need to get back home!!

So they are refunding partially but you have to pursue them (it took over a month) – and will – it appears – try to absolve themselves of refunding any ‘alternative’ travel by claiming they have refunded the unused portion of your travel with them. Not acceptable Jet2. See you in court.

Report this comment

They also appear to think that a £5 refund for ‘phone calls’ will adequately cover the cost of trying to rebook / get info / pursue. We were abroad Jet2 – get real!!

Report this comment

After further exchanges of letters and the threat of legal action, letters which never arrived and errors made in calculations, Jet2 finally accepted our claim and have refunded in full all our subsistence, food and travel for the period that we were abandoned abroad due to volcanic ash in April. It’s taken them over 3 months and it’s not been easy dealing with them, but they have at least done the honourable thing.

My advice to anyone still waiting on them to make a refund is to threaten court action – there are standard letter templates on the web to help. When I did this I got a telephone call from them the following day – so it seems like this is the way to get their attention.

Good luck.

Report this comment