Hi all, had this recent issue with flights and wondering if I'd be entitled to compensation and if it's worth following up.
I booked a long-haul flight with an airline (not sure if it is EU registered but it does operate direct flights out of Ireland) which had a connecting flight from Ireland to UK with a partner Irish airline, and then from the UK to the final, non-EU, destination.
The flight from Ireland to UK was delayed, and thus missed the original direct flight from the UK to my destination, but I was automatically rebooked on another flight by the main airline which was leaving shortly after I arrived. I was told by the airline that that's the best they could do (in fairness it probably was), but the flight was going to take roughly twice the length of time as the original flight (18+ hours). I was told by the representative of the main airline that I should contact the Irish airline if I wasn't happy with going on this new flight (which maybe was kinda weird in retrospect, since I made the initial booking with them, not the partner airline).
Since my accommodation for that night was located in an area that was not easy to travel to late at night, by the time my flight arrived (assuming no further delays), I would not have been able to make it there. Additionally, it had a layover in the destination country, and because I had to visit immigration in the first stop of the country, I wasn't sure I'd be able to make the connecting flight and didn't want even more complications.
I decided to go to the Irish airline connecting flight helpdesk in the UK airport, and see what my options were. I informed them of the situation, that I probably wouldn't make my accommodation and I was already booked on a replacement flight etc., seeing if there was maybe another flight I could go on or if I could potentially get accommodation covered when i got there. I was told to go all the way out of the airport and back into arrivals to go to reservations to see if there was another flight I could take. Upon reaching the reservations area, I was told I should have got on the original re-booked flight etc, which I had since missed because it took so long to get to talk to someone, and there were no further flights out that day to my destination. In the end, they rebooked me on the original direct flight I was due to take, but for the next day. They did cover my hotel for that night, although not travel to/from it. The rep I was talking to made it seem like I was lucky this was arranged for me, which may have been true?
The rest of the journey went OK, except my luggage didn't arrive since I think it was placed on the original re-booked flight and not removed when I didn't board it. I talked to the main airline rep in the destination airport who was extremely helpful and apologetic, and said it would be delivered to me and I could do an interim expenses claim if I wanted to buy some articles in the meantime. It is probably not the main airline's fault this happened (although I did raise potential luggage issues before I left the UK airport with them and wasn't informed of any issues). I did buy a few things, and have submitted an interim expenses claim with the main airline separately (even though technically it may not have ben their fault - I guess I will follow up later once my request is processed).
If you read to the end, thanks! Just wondering if it's worth trying to make a claim for the inconvenience here - I don't want to feel too entitled as everything worked out ok in the end and they covered the hotel etc, and probably the main issue was being advised to go try rebook a new flight at the reservation desk. I had travel insurance covering the trip too so I am wondering (if I do have a case), do I follow up with the main airline, the Irish airline, and/or the travel insurance company? Additionally, is there any time limits on making these claims?
Thanks for any advice!
I booked a long-haul flight with an airline (not sure if it is EU registered but it does operate direct flights out of Ireland) which had a connecting flight from Ireland to UK with a partner Irish airline, and then from the UK to the final, non-EU, destination.
The flight from Ireland to UK was delayed, and thus missed the original direct flight from the UK to my destination, but I was automatically rebooked on another flight by the main airline which was leaving shortly after I arrived. I was told by the airline that that's the best they could do (in fairness it probably was), but the flight was going to take roughly twice the length of time as the original flight (18+ hours). I was told by the representative of the main airline that I should contact the Irish airline if I wasn't happy with going on this new flight (which maybe was kinda weird in retrospect, since I made the initial booking with them, not the partner airline).
Since my accommodation for that night was located in an area that was not easy to travel to late at night, by the time my flight arrived (assuming no further delays), I would not have been able to make it there. Additionally, it had a layover in the destination country, and because I had to visit immigration in the first stop of the country, I wasn't sure I'd be able to make the connecting flight and didn't want even more complications.
I decided to go to the Irish airline connecting flight helpdesk in the UK airport, and see what my options were. I informed them of the situation, that I probably wouldn't make my accommodation and I was already booked on a replacement flight etc., seeing if there was maybe another flight I could go on or if I could potentially get accommodation covered when i got there. I was told to go all the way out of the airport and back into arrivals to go to reservations to see if there was another flight I could take. Upon reaching the reservations area, I was told I should have got on the original re-booked flight etc, which I had since missed because it took so long to get to talk to someone, and there were no further flights out that day to my destination. In the end, they rebooked me on the original direct flight I was due to take, but for the next day. They did cover my hotel for that night, although not travel to/from it. The rep I was talking to made it seem like I was lucky this was arranged for me, which may have been true?
The rest of the journey went OK, except my luggage didn't arrive since I think it was placed on the original re-booked flight and not removed when I didn't board it. I talked to the main airline rep in the destination airport who was extremely helpful and apologetic, and said it would be delivered to me and I could do an interim expenses claim if I wanted to buy some articles in the meantime. It is probably not the main airline's fault this happened (although I did raise potential luggage issues before I left the UK airport with them and wasn't informed of any issues). I did buy a few things, and have submitted an interim expenses claim with the main airline separately (even though technically it may not have ben their fault - I guess I will follow up later once my request is processed).
If you read to the end, thanks! Just wondering if it's worth trying to make a claim for the inconvenience here - I don't want to feel too entitled as everything worked out ok in the end and they covered the hotel etc, and probably the main issue was being advised to go try rebook a new flight at the reservation desk. I had travel insurance covering the trip too so I am wondering (if I do have a case), do I follow up with the main airline, the Irish airline, and/or the travel insurance company? Additionally, is there any time limits on making these claims?
Thanks for any advice!
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