Update on Icelandic Ash Event in April/ May 2010
The Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) continues to receive enquiries regarding the timing of ticket refunds and reimbursement of expenses from airlines following the widespread cancellation of flights due to volcanic ash earlier this year.
The eruption of the volcano was an exceptional event which resulted in unparalleled disruption to the aviation industry. The millions of passengers affected by this disruption were requested by enforcement bodies across Europe, to be patient in dealing with airlines who were placed in an unprecedented situation in terms of the demand on their own resources.
The CAR is in ongoing contact with the four principal Irish carriers and, based on the information received, is satisfied that to date each airline is responding adequately to the exceptional burden the events of April and May placed upon it. The current position of each of these air carriers can be summarised as follows:
Aer Arann advises that all ticket refund requests received have been completed and that all expense claims received to date have been concluded.
Aer Lingus advises that all ticket refund requests received have been completed and that approximately 95% of all expense claims received have been processed. It anticipates that those expense claims remaining will be completed in the coming weeks.
City Jet advises that all ticket refund requests received have been completed and that all expense claims received to date have been concluded.
Ryanair advises that all ticket refund requests received have been completed and that approximately 50% of all expense claims received to date have been processed. The air carrier states that all outstanding expense claims have been acknowledged and it advises that it hopes to have these processed before the end of the year. Passengers who have received acknowledgements are therefore asked to continue to be patient.
Notwithstanding the information received, if there are any passengers who requested ticket refunds and/ or submitted expenses claims but who have not received any response, they should contact their air carriers immediately.
The CAR reminds passengers to retain copies of all relevant documentation i.e. booking confirmations, e-tickets, receipts etc. until claims have been concluded.
The CAR also advises that where, in the passenger’s view, the response/ reimbursement received from an air carrier is not compliant with the entitlements set out in the legislation, a complaint may be submitted to the appropriate enforcement body. In the case of complaints relating to flights scheduled to depart from Irish airports, as well as those complaints arising from flights into Irish airports from countries outside the EU/ EEA, the CAR is the relevant enforcement body.
Complaints relating to departures from airports situated in other EU/ EEA countries should be directed to the national enforcement of the relevant country. Contact details for all the national enforcement bodies for EC Regulation No. 261/ 2004 can be accessed by clicking here.