Britain’s biggest budget airline has apologised after a passenger promised compensation for volunteering to leave an overbooked flight had her claim rejected twice.
Jo Webb was booked to fly from Bristol airport to Faro in Portugal in June. As passengers were waiting to board, easyJet staff revealed that a smaller aircraft than planned was being used.
Ms Webb told The Independent: “They waited till boarding to tell us the aircraft type had changed and asked for 30 volunteers to get bumped.
“I thought about it but had friends waiting in Faro so decided not to volunteer.”
The smaller plane, seating 150 rather than 180 passengers, was deployed because a cabin crew member was unavailable. By using an Airbus A319 with the rear row of seats taken out, easyJet is able to deploy only three cabin crew rather than four.
Ms Webb continued: “We boarded. Settled, all good – until the crew realised there was one extra passenger on board without a seat.
“Cue lengthy discussions. Someone would have to be offloaded – and the longer that process took, the more likely that crew would be up to their legal limits, time-wise and the whole flight would therefore be cancelled.”
By this time, around 10pm, the flight was heavily delayed already, with many families with young children on board.
“Being a solo traveller with no hold luggage, I decided to do the decent thing,” said Ms Webb.
“I got a round of applause from the whole plane as I disembarked.
“The warm glow lasted until I got back to the gate to be told I’d have to fend for myself.
“I had to stay overnight in a Bristol hotel and make my own way to Gatwick the following day, losing a day of my six-day holiday.”
Ms Webb then applied online for her out-of-pocket expenses as well as cash compensation, but was told: “You were not denied boarding due to commercial or operational reasons.
“These are the only two conditions where you can claim for reimbursement. As such, we have rejected your claim you have sent us.”
Ms Webb tried again, and this time was told: “You have opted for free flight change option and made the amendments for the next day. Unfortunately, we are unable to reimburse you for any expenses incurred due to this reason.”
She told The Independent: “I am livid. Words fail me. So, I am at least £250 out of pocket, lost 24 hours of my holiday and my claim is rejected?
“I personally saved not only my own flight from being cancelled but the return flight from Faro as…
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