Peter wanted to see Jerusalem for his only week of summer vacation, he saw Jerusalem. But at what cost ? Like thousands of travelers, the young man of 31 years, an analyst in an investment bank, lived this summer a succession of galleys to succeed in taking his plane. “And it continues now to get the refund! he gets annoyed. I have been fighting for over a month. I have just had an answer and again, it is only a promise of compensation within two to three weeks, and which does not cover without all the costs that I have incurred…”
While working between Paris and Brussels, he was originally due to fly from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv with the low-cost airline, Transavia on Sunday July 3. First delayed by 24 hours, due in particular to the chaotic situation in the understaffed Dutch airport, his flight was finally canceled on Friday. “The company couldn’t rebook me. I asked if there was a flight from Paris. I was told yes, but only on Saturday, the next day, and on condition that I pay 165 euros, the difference in price between the two tickets, ”he says. He takes, at his own expense, a BlaBlaCar from Brussels to Paris on the night of Friday to Saturday, determined to join his group of friends, already there.
“More than 450 euros in additional costs”
Arriving in the French capital at 2 a.m., he went to Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport by taxi and booked a room in a youth hostel for the night from Saturday to Sunday in Israel. “My hotel was only booked from Sunday evening, the day of my original arrival,” explains Pierre. In all, I had to take out more than 450 euros in ancillary costs. More than the price of the return ticket that I had paid at the base: 400 euros. »
As provided for in European regulations, for his canceled flight, Transavia owes him fixed compensation of 400 euros (since he had to travel between 1,500 and 3,500 km). After several reminders, the company has finally agreed to pay him.
On the other hand, weary, Pierre ended up giving up the reimbursement of the ancillary costs (the additional 165 euros for the second ticket, the taxi, BlaBlaCar, youth hostel, etc.), i.e. more than 600 euros. Even if European regulations require, in principle, the company to reimburse it. “They refused, saying it couldn’t be considered. Without really understanding why, he breathes. I already had to harass them for a month to get compensation, to manage to have a contact on the phone. I’m not going to fight them forever. It’s a lot of time and energy. »