Quote:
Originally Posted by Hugh
CityBoy,
Re the re-routing point via other airlines-does there need to be any change in the Regulation?
The view could be taken that EC 261/2004 might already anticipate that a carrier should offer a re-routing on another carrier-or possibly also on another mode of transport. Maybe the passenger doesn't wish to travel on another airline.
The issue may then be if the carrier doesn't offer this facility of choice to the passenger to travel to their destination in a timely manner. Does this, in itself, open up an exposure on the part of the carrier?
Maybe the recent disruption in the UK can be explored to illustrate this.
As you say-if you have your flight cancelled and there is another flight on another carrier performing the same (or similar?) routing with spare seats on that flight.
I don't think necessarily therefore that the Regulation itself needs any formal change in its wording regarding this aspect-but rather exploration of these matters-if they needs exploration-by the courts.
It might be just as useful to observe what carriers-in fact-do and compare and contrast that performance.
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You are quite right, I also think the regualtion is quite clear about this.
The problem is the air carriers persist they dont have to reroute on other air carriers and in their usual way read the regulation to their own advantage.
Preferably they want to just refund your ticket and hope you go away.
They will even state that the unusual circumstances may exonerate them from performimg the contracted flight.
As I have mentioned previously the case Ombudsverket v Ryanair will hopefully resolve this once the 2 parties cease to appeal the court verdicts or the ECJ judges the case.