Will Qantas pay EU261 compo for QF2 LHR 4hr+ delays?

[MEL_Traveller]

I ask Qantas about simply reinstating my points instead of a cash payment. The response was "Our Conditions of Carriage do state that we do not guarantee flight times, and we do not offer any form of recompense for flight delays. By way of explanation, Regulation EC261/2004 is a regulation applied to non-Community carriers in relation to flights they operate that depart from an airport located within the European Union.
This regulation is not under our control and is an European law. I am sorry I unable to reinstate the points used for your booking."
Would have been nice to get some points back as a goodwill gesture.. but happy with this payment outcome and nice QF staff who assisted.
So yeap, thanks to EU law for something back.

Yeah. So QF are at pains to point out that you'd have got nothing if not for EU261. The cost of your ticket (227,000 points) was pretty steep - under other circumstances the same number of points would almost get you business class return to/from Europe/Australia.

 

[tobefree]

In hindsight the points plus pay' path was definitely not a great way to burn 227000 points in economy one way! But I needed to get back to AU urgently and no other point options open, just booked the next available flight fully paid for with QFF points (and that worked out extra dandy with the 24hr delay and all!). Happy with the EU compo and outcome but as said, would have been nice to get some points back as a "unforced' gesture on QF's part...

 

[serfty]

But I needed to get back to AU urgently and no other point options open, just booked the next available flight fully paid for with QFF points (and that worked out extra dandy with the 24hr delay and all!).

What happened to the original fare you were traveling on?

 

[serfty]

EUR-Lex - 32004R0261 - EN

(iii) when the delay is at least five hours, the assistance specified in Article 8(1)(a).

Article 8

Right to reimbursement or re-routing

1. Where reference is made to this Article, passengers shall be offered the choice between:

(a) - reimbursement within seven days, by the means provided for in Article 7(3), of the full cost of the ticket at the price at which it was bought, for the part or parts of the journey not made, ...

 

[tobefree]

I probably didn't correctly explained the fare used from the start, sorry.
Was points plus pay .. I just cranked that slider to $0 and paid 227000. (That hurts now!)
There were no other award options available on this flight at the time of booking. Cheers.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

What happened to the original fare you were traveling on?

I think this was the only fare purchased? The OP needed to get back home and booked the 227K point fare (being the only one available). They then incurred the delay.

Just out of interest tobefree - did you check if any cheaper FF tickets came available during the 24 hours after return to London?

 

[serfty]

I think this was the only fare purchased?

I had believed it was how the OP eventually got back to Oz; abandoning a previous booking, but from their most recent post this was incorrect.

 

[tobefree]

Wasn't thinking clearly and didn't check for other FF flights/awards on return back to Heathrow. I just stayed with the QF2D flight that evening to get me home .
Definitely been a learning curve and now aware of delay / cancellation policies on my usual routes / airlines - just in case it happens again!

 

[italianlover]

Hi just wondering if you have heard anything from Qantas re compensation? I am assisting my 23 year old daughter with a claim. 12 hr delay to QF2 LHR-SYD 6/8 which resulted in costs for hotel overnight and meals. Passengers were issued with EU261 information at check in. Delay apparently a crew issue nothing to do with weather or an "extraordinary event". We have contacted customer care and now get this message when trying to attach documents despite using correct email.
Hello,

Thanks for getting in touch with Qantas.

It appears your reference ID is not valid. If this is in regards to a current case, please reply to the email associated to the case in order to ensure action. If this is new feedback, please submit this through the Customer Care form on Qantas.com

Kind regards,
Qantas Customer Care

Just a stalling tactic hoping we will go away???



I have sent another message via twitter as it seems they do eventually respond. Grateful for any feedback. Thanks[/QUOTAs

Here is an update, my daughter and her companion have now received replies from Qantas that €600 compensation will be paid, but not extra compensation for hotel and meals.

In regards to your additional expenses incurred from this delay, as per Article 12 of Regulation EC261/2004, no additional compensation applies to the compensation already being paid with any expenses to be deducted from the compensation received.

Hope this assists others seeking compensation for long EU flight delays.

 

[serfty]

In regards to your additional expenses incurred from this delay, as per Article 12 of Regulation EC261/2004, no additional compensation applies to the compensation already being paid with any expenses to be deducted from the compensation received.

That's rubbish!

Refund of Duty of care costs is not compensation.

The "Right to Care" in section 9 refers to "Free of Charge" and is not related to any compensation, including that of section 8.

To put it another way, "Free of Charge" in the case where a passenger has provided their own "Duty of Care" and paid for food and lodging means the airline needs to re-reimburse the passenger for reasonable costs - this is not compensation as referred to in section 8 and section 12 does not apply to this reimbursement.

EUR-Lex - 32004R0261 - EN

 

[italianlover]

Thanks as that’s what I was thinking but wanted feedback from someone like yourself!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Agree. Qantas has completely misinterpreted Article 12.

 

[tobefree]

The 600 Euros should be separate from any receipted ground expenses you may rack up from the delay. (I'm pretty sure food / lodging had a cap of AU$250)
In my case I just went with the Qantas supplied hotel room, a £15 Heathrow dinner voucher and a Singapore $20 dinner voucher.
Still waiting for EC261 payment to land in my bank account - but all approved and noted it could take up to 15 days.

 

[Quickstatus]

Thank you European Union! Without them no ‘thank you Qantas’!

A lot of passengers don’t know about EU261 apart from the airline’s version which includes their interpretation.

I spoke to a TA (FC - no not doing a booking) a few days ago. Quite a senior TA been in business for many years
“Nope never heard about EU261, what’s that”.

 

[tobefree]

Ditto!.. was in the same boat. I had no idea that EC261 was available until I read about it on this wonderful website - AFF.
Luckily never had a extended (and unwelcomed) delay like QF2. But now educated on what's available should it happen again out of Europe.
When air travel goes pear-shaped, AU should have something similar to EC261.
Very happy to receive some kind of fixed payment because of a law that benefits all passengers.

 

[tobefree]

Sorry - EU261!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Ditto!.. was in the same boat. I had no idea that EC261 was available until I read about it on this wonderful website - AFF.
Luckily never had a extended (and unwelcomed) delay like QF2. But now educated on what's available should it happen again out of Europe.
When air travel goes pear-shaped, AU should have something similar to EC261.
Very happy to receive some kind of fixed payment because of a law that benefits all passengers.

Article 14 states that airlines are required to provide information, at check-in, on EU261 in the event that flights are delayed by more than 2 hours, or cancelled.

Perhaps, if you feel so inclined, you could drop a short email to the UK regulator to get them to check that information pertaining to EU261 is prominently displayed and subsequently made available in the event of delays (it's possible there was a notice at check-in that you didn't pay attention to).

 

[docjames]

I spoke to a TA (FC - no not doing a booking) a few days ago. Quite a senior TA been in business for many years
“Nope never heard about EU261, what’s that”.

You've just added to the list of reasons to avoid FC.....

 

[Quickstatus]

You've just added to the list of reasons to avoid FC.....

You only need 1 reason

 

[italianlover]

Thanks

Here is an update, my daughter and her companion have now received replies from Qantas that €600 compensation will be paid, but not extra compensation for hotel and meals.

In regards to your additional expenses incurred from this delay, as per Article 12 of Regulation EC261/2004, no additional compensation applies to the compensation already being paid with any expenses to be deducted from the compensation received.

Hope this assists others seeking compensation for long EU flight delays.

UPDATE

Thank you for your additional correspondence
I can confirm that the payment of 600EUR (940 AUD) has been processed to your bank account provided.

This settles the EC261/2004 claim received

Please allow up to 15 business days for this to clear into your account



Just waiting for the €600 to land in my daughters account, did not want to jeopardise that. Once the COMPENSATION has been received will start another claim for REIMBURSEMENT of the self provided "Duty of Care"! We are not wanting to be greedy but it's the false info and delay tactics from Qantas I so dislike. My daughter shared a hotel room and meals with her friend a saving to Qantas! They were at least given the EU261 paperwork at check in, I was already aware thanks to this wonderful community!