Flight rescheduled by 24 hours

[Crafty]

Hi everyone,

We have a long weekend away booked in October, with Friday to Monday flights booked.

Unfortunately, we were contacted today by the airline to say that the Monday return has now been rescheduled to the Sunday, shortening our break by 24 hours and effectively making it unattractive.

There are no longer any flights doing our route on the airline booked on the day desired, but there are on other airlines.

Are there any options open to us other than a refund?

[SamG]

Yes – assuming this is Uk airline or Europe you have a right to a rerouting. IF you share the airline you’ve booked / who are flying we can further advise but essentially if you contact your airline and tell you what you want and they say no, have them log their refusal in your booking. DO NOT take the refund, then send them the receipt for your rerouting once you are home

Expect a battle so personally if the cost is near comparible then I’d just take the refund and rebook myself

[ChrisC]

I’m noting an increase in people asking for advice but not giving info such as airline and route because both matter to getting an accurate reply on what remedies are available to you.

A definitive answer would be dependent on us having both pieces of information.

[Crafty]

My apologies, I had felt it might be uncouth. The airline is EasyJet and the route is Manchester – Bilbao. It’s the return leg they have brought forward by 24 hours.

SamG, I had thought (based on a confusingly worded TPG article) that a right to rerouting would only apply if this scheduling change had been made within 14 days of the flight. Have I misunderstood?

[SamG]

Crafty wrote:

My apologies, I had felt it might be uncouth. The airline is EasyJet and the route is Manchester – Bilbao. It’s the return leg they have brought forward by 24 hours.

SamG, I had thought (based on a confusingly worded TPG article) that a right to rerouting would only apply if this scheduling change had been made within 14 days of the flight. Have I misunderstood?

Yes – that is the compensation aspect. Right to reroute (or refund) always applies

I know that Easyjet always upfront deny a reroute claim where they had an alternative within 24hrs but personally I’d be happy fighting them over anything on a different day

The other thing is duty of care also always applies – you’d be welcome to submit Mondays hotel cost + a reasonable dinner if you’re schedule allows you to extend to Tuesday

[Crafty]

Nice one. Thanks.

[yonasl]

I am going to drop it here once more to help:

If you are flying from the UK/EU or on a UK/EU airline:

– you have to get a refund or be put on a new flight (at “your convenience”). You also have to be taken care off (food, hotel if you stay overnight, etc.) The airline responsibility towards you because of the change/cancellation finishes when you make a choice SO DON’T until you are certain you got the best option for you

– compensation: this is a different matter. Just an amount of £££ paid to you for the trouble. For this to be triggered, the delay or cancellation has to take place 14 days before you fly (I understand now there is also compensation if you need to fly earlier but have never personally tested that case in UK)

[Lady London]

Crafty check your flight numbers – as booked and what they are calling a reschedule? Easyjet has admitted to cancelling your booked flight? At an earlier stage in Covid Easyjet was cancelling flights but trying to present the cancellation as simply a timing change

[polly]

@yonasi
We tested that recently returning from Prague. And because we took a flight before our cancelled scheduled one, they paid us 50% of the EU compensation, accompanied by a very nice polite email….

[Crafty]

Lady London wrote:

Crafty check your flight numbers – as booked and what they are calling a reschedule? Easyjet has admitted to cancelling your booked flight? At an earlier stage in Covid Easyjet was cancelling flights but trying to present the cancellation as simply a timing change

I was previously going off what my wife told me. In fact, having checked, it’s a straight cancellation, and they’re trying to push the flight 24 hours sooner as an alternative. So, it sounds like I get in touch and tell them the flight I want, even if it’s on another carrier; and under no circumstances accept the one they have offered.

What if they refuse? Still don’t accept what they’re giving me, buy a new flight out of pocket, and reclaim?

[Lady London]

Yes
It’s open and shut a cancellation from what you’ve just said. So now you have the full range of rights.

Anecdotally if best alternative for timing you need is on someone else you have to pay and claim. Which as @JDB says should never be entered into lightly as there are always risks. Plus you must absolutely keep records of having asked them for the flight timing you do need,and having the airline refuse. With EJ make a point of touching base with them ( or trying ie use the Manage Disruption stuff they put on their system if you are in a position to, try to phone, etc.). Ditto for hotel if needed though usually t’s reasonable to stay where you did your earlier nights.

Note also that Easyjet is generous in that you can still change route as well as timing – just book it yourself via Manage Disruption. To and from same countries.

I wouldn’t be able to cut short my weekend but in ypur shoes I’d look into @SamG’s suggestion about seeing if Tuesday can work for you.

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