Flight Delay and missing connecting flight

[Al1x]

Hi, I wondered if anyone can point me in the right direction with this.

The short story is 8 family members flying with Delta from London Heathrow to Cincinnati (USA) with a change over at JFK New York. Our plane was late leaving London, Only around half an hour but that meant the plane missed its space at the gate in JFK so we were kept waiting on the runway for almost an hour. This meant we missed our connecting flight to Cincinnati. Delta were terrible in the way they treated us but they eventually booked us on a flight the next day. We finally arrived in Cincinnati around 24 hours late.

I have tried claiming compensation through Delta. KLM seemed to deal with our complaint. They said because our connecting flight was outside the EU then its not covered by the EU regulations and so we can't claim.

From what I understand is that if you book the ticket as a whole and not 2 separate ones then you are covered.

Also if the first flight from Heathrow wasn't delayed then we wouldn't have missed the connecting flight.

I don't really know where to go from here.

[Wombats]

Re: Flight Delay and missing connecting flight

How did you book? Is there a copy of the T&C's from booking? How did you pay? Did you in cur extra expense for the overnight stay? How were these expenses paid for?

Sorry to bombard you with questions.

[Al1x]

Re: Flight Delay and missing connecting flight

We booked through 'dial-a-flight' as Heathrow to Cincinnati. Paid by credit card I think. I'll have to have a look for T&Cs.

The overnight stay was a big mess as well. Delta said booked us into a hotel but when we got there the hotel said they hadn't booked a room as there were no rooms available. The hotel were very good though as they felt sorry for us and let us stay in a couple of the rooms kept aside for staff. They also gave us some food for the children as we hadn't eaten anything since lunch time and it was after midnight by the time we got to the hotel. (there was no food to buy in the area of the airport we were stuck in and all Delta offered us was some peanuts and cans of coke!) We didn't pay for the hotel or the food they provided.

Edit: I did have to make several phone calls on my mobile to family who were picking us up from the airport. We weren't given a phone call.

[Wombats]

Re: Flight Delay and missing connecting flight

I was hoping something in the T&C's might cover delays, but they seem to cover the website here:

3. Disclaimer

1. The materials on http://www.dial-a-flight.co.uk/’s web site are provided “as is”. http://www.dial-a-flight.co.uk/ makes no warranties, expressed or implied, and hereby disclaims and negates all other warranties, including without limitation, implied warranties or conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement of intellectual property or other violation of rights. Further, http://www.dial-a-flight.co.uk/ does not warrant or make any representations concerning the accuracy, likely results, or reliability of the use of the materials on its Internet web site or otherwise relating to such materials or on any sites linked to this site.

4. Limitations

In no event shall http://www.dial-a-flight.co.uk/ or its suppliers be liable for any damages (including, without limitation, damages for loss of data or profit, or due to business interruption,) arising out of the use or inability to use the materials on http://www.dial-a-flight.co.uk/’s Internet site, even if http://www.dial-a-flight.co.uk/ or a http://www.dial-a-flight.co.uk/ authorized representative has been notified orally or in writing of the possibility of such damage. Because some jurisdictions do not allow limitations on implied warranties, or limitations of liability for consequential or incidental damages, these limitations may not apply to you.


I don't think this is something that would be covered by a Section 75 claim, so your best bet/hope would be any insurance you took out to cover the trip.

[Al1x]

Re: Flight Delay and missing connecting flight

Is it not the airline we claim against rather than dial-a-flight?

I'm sure we looked at our holiday insurance and it would only pay out if we had incurred any expenses. But as there was no where to buy food and no rooms at the hotel there was nothing to claim. I could have claimed the couple of £ I spent on the phone calls but it doesn't seem much point.

[Al1x]

Re: Flight Delay and missing connecting flight

Is it not the airline we claim against rather than dial-a-flight?

can anyone confirm this for me? thanks

[des8]

Re: Flight Delay and missing connecting flight

Don' know if this is of an help from: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/flight-delays:

"If the initial disruption causes you to arrive at your final destination over three hours late, then depending on what caused the disruption, you can claim compensation. What matters is when you arrive at the final destination on your ticket. So if you book a London to Las Vegas flight via New York, where both legs are on the same ticket, what counts is when you get to Las Vegas."