Airlines agree to compensate delayed passengers after CAA intervention

UK air passengers are getting greater support from airlines during disruption following recent intervention from the Civil Aviation Authority, said the governing body.

It said that three major airlines which were previously refusing to compensate passengers for delays and cancellations were now toeing the line following its intervention.

The CAA said that an investigation in March found that Jet2 and Wizz Air were not paying compensation for flights disrupted by ordinary technical faults, despite a Court of Appeal ruling against Jet2 last year that meant airlines couldn’t use mechanical breakdowns as a blanket excuse to avoid payouts.

The authority also found that both airlines were imposing a two-year time limit on passengers making claims following disruption,  despite a separate Court of Appeal decision last year, which clarified that passengers have up to six years from the date of disruption to make a claim.

In addition, the CAA’s review of airline policies found issues with the way Jet2 and Aer Lingus, the third airline to face enforcement action, provided information to passengers during disruption.

Under European regulations, airlines must provide proactive information to passengers about their rights during long delays and cancellations.

"Following this action, the CAA is pleased to announce that Jet2 and Wizz Air have individually confirmed they are now paying compensation for ordinary technical faults," said a spokesman.

"Jet2 is also now processing compensation claims dating back six years and both Jet2 and Aer Lingus have now agreed to improve the quality of information they provide to passengers during disruptions and have signed legal undertakings confirming this."

However, Hungary-based Wizz Air has refused to consider claims that are more than two years old. The CAA has now referred this matter to the Hungarian Authority for Consumer Protection, which has agreed to investigate.

A Wizz Air spokesperson said: "Wizz is and always has been compliant with regulation EC261 requirements."

The CAA said it will continue to monitor airlines to ensure compliance with the law.

"Later this year the CAA will publish its second compliance review of airlines’ policies. In line with the CAA’s enforcement policy we will stand up for passengers’ interests and will not hesitate to take action against airlines, if we believe operators are not acting as they should," it said.

CAA chief executive Andrew Haines added:  "We’re now in the busiest time of the year for air travel and UK passengers are right to expect that if they experience disruption their airline will look after them. Our work is about making sure that is exactly what happens.

"During the last year we’ve stepped in to make sure a number of major airlines change their approaches and improve the support provided to their passengers.

"The results of our recent action are a further boost for UK passengers and we are very pleased to see the changes the airlines involved have made. But our work is not done.

"We are determined to stand up for passengers and will continue to review how airlines are treating, and responding to, their customers in practice.

"Furthermore, while we recognise not every claim for compensation will be eligible, we are keen to hear from people who feel they have not been treated fairly and where we believe airlines are not complying with the law, we will pursue all available enforcement options."