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The airline has been accused of mistreating passengers whose flights have been cancelled
Consumer watchdog Which? has reported easyJet to the Civil Aviation Authority for mistreating passengers whose flights have been recently cancelled and not informing them of their rights to compensation and alternative travel.
By law, when airlines axe flights they are obliged to offer passengers an alternative flight at the earliest possible opportunity, even if this is with a rival carrier. Depending on the length of the delay, travellers are usually entitled to compensation as well as reimbursement for any re-routing expenses.
However, Which? has accused easyJet of “abandoning” its customers and has demanded that the CAA take action against airlines found to be “systematically letting consumers down.”
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: “EasyJet has treated its passengers appallingly, but this is just the latest example of a systemic problem in the aviation sector – some airlines routinely ignore their legal obligations because they know they won’t face any consequences.
“With thousands more flight cancellations potentially to come, passengers face a miserable summer unless the CAA and government act on their promises to stamp out consumer rights abuses.”
According to the consumer watchdog, when a flight is cancelled, easyJet directs customers to the ‘manage my booking’ section of their website, which only allows passengers to reroute with easyJet; this goes against their rights, which permits travellers to pick up an alternative flight with other airlines.
Which? has called for “a major overhaul” of the system so that the CAA can hit operators with heavy fines when necessary.
An easyJet spokesperson hit back at the accusations, claiming that the airline provides customers with all the necessary tools to quickly and easily book an alternative flight.
“Where we are unable to offer a direct flight on easyJet within 24 hours, customers are able to secure flights by alternative carriers via our customer contact centres, however, we generally advise passengers to book these flights themselves, as this offers more flexibility and is the quickest way to secure a seat on the alternative flight.
“In these circumstances, we reimburse customers for the full cost of the alternative transport. This information is clearly displayed on our delays and cancellations help page.”
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