Travellers across the world have been thrown into chaos over the past week due to the recent volcanic ash cloud eruption and, even though the skies have reopened and passengers are being returned home, airlines are facing financial woes after having to shell out compensation claims to passengers in the form of accommodation and other support whilst they were stranded abroad.
According to an article in the Daily Telegraph, trade organisation the ‘International Air Transport Association’ has claimed that the air space shutdown will cost airlines more than one billion pounds in lost business alone.
This figure could rise even further when airlines take into account the cost of looking after their stranded passengers during the chaos. These passenger compensation claims have already taken place in the form of accommodation, refreshments and telephone calls to relatives in the UK, although a large number of those affected by the airspace closure have felt insufficiently looked after by their travel operator. These laws apply to anyone travelling to and from Europe, along with passengers travelling with a European airline.
According to European law, under normal circumstances travellers could now pursue some form of compensation claims due to their flights being cancelled or delayed. As the recent chaos has been caused by extreme weather conditions, many are not entitled to pay out for the flight itself, but consumers can still pursue financial recompense should they feel the accommodation, or general assistance, provided by their airline or travel operator was insufficient.
Airlines have already appealed to the UK government to provide emergency funding for the losses they have suffered, totalling more than 130 million pounds per day, whilst package holiday operators claim that they have lost around twelve million pounds each day. There is also a possibility that they could seek compensation from air traffic control body, the NATS.
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