Passengers Warned about Volcanic Ash Compensation Scams
Wednesday 5, May 2010
The CAA is aware of scam emails asking passengers who had their travel plans disrupted by volcanic ash for personal details, including passport information, in return for money. These scam emails purport to be sent on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority.
These messages have not been sent by the CAA. Passengers are asked to delete these messages immediately. There is a high risk that any personal information received will be misused. There is no CAA fund for compensating passengers affected by the volcanic ash disruption.
The CAA has notified the Office of Fair Trading about these scams for further investigation.
The CAA's advice to passengers affected by volcanic ash disruption remains unchanged. Passengers claiming reimbursement of expenses should contact their airline in the first instance.
The EU Regulation (EC)261/2004 on Denied Boarding, Cancellation and Long Delays continues to apply to the disruption created by the volcanic ash cloud. Although passengers are not entitled to additional financial compensation as would be the case if the cause of the disruption were the responsibility of the airline, passengers affected by flight delays may be entitled to care and assistance from their airline. This assistance would be proportionate to the delay and would include accommodation, refreshments, and some telephone calls if their flight was due to depart from a European airport and the disruption to your flight occurred in Europe. In addition if your flight was with a European airline these rights also cover flights from an airport outside Europe to a European airport. Further information about passenger rights under Regulation 261/2004 can be found on the Air Transport Users Council's website www.auc.co.uk
Complaints about how an airline is dealing with claims should be directed to the Air Transport Users Council if the incident occurred in the UK. If the incident occurred in another European country you should contact the National Enforcement Body in that country. A list of these authorities can be found on the European Commission's website by clicking on the following link: European Commission
Passengers who are travelling as part of a package holiday should contact their tour operator.
If your flight is not covered by the Regulation you should check the airlines terms and conditions. Most airlines will provide a refund or an alternative flight and some may also provide assistance during the disruption. You should also check your travel insurance as this may cover you for the cost of accommodation and some other essential expenses.
Plan your trips with the help of great resources
More and more travellers think that researching and planning a European city break is half the fun and they're not interested in pre-arranged trips or escorted tours. Self-guided tours offer a lot of advantages but require some guidance and good resources.
Top 10 most environmentally pure countries
With the recent wild fires, disrupting flights and increasing air pollution, environmental quality is a growing factor in attracting tourists.
Top 15 most spectacular hotel rooftop views
The hotel price comparison site www.trivago.co.uk has put together a list of the fifteen most spectacular hotel rooftop terraces in the world.
Latest offers, discounts and more...