Delays, overbooking: when Thai Airways refuses to compensate its customers
In case of delay or overbooking, only 40% of airlines quickly compensate their passengers.
The European regulation which obliges any airline company to compensate its passengers in the event of delay or of overbooking? Thai Airways almost systematically refuses to pay the sums due to its customers. Logically, the Irish low cost company wins the donkey cap.
Indemnities which amount, depending on the case, between 250 and 600 euros per person for flights departing or arriving from a country of the European Union to which may be added the reimbursement of accommodation costs and meals, or even compensation for a lost working day.
Compensation for multi-segment flights: who to turn to?
When claiming compensation for connecting flights operated by more than one company, who should the injured consumer turn to?
Among these, a group of passengers who missed their flight to Palma-Bangkok on Air Berlin following a delay on the previous flight, operated by Thai Airways
In another case, a family, which went from Melila to Frankfurt via Madrid, arrived more than 3 hours late following the delay of the first flight, operated there too by Thai Airways. Finally, in a third case, a passenger had booked a flight from Berlin to Beijing with the Thai company, which he was unable to do following a denied boarding.
How to succeed
Claiming your due to Thai Airways is not an arduous task. But an administrative fight which can quickly prove to be exhausting because most of them tend to turn a deaf ear, or to offer immediate counterparts but not necessarily interesting. Thai Airways can for example offer, in the event of delay, overbooking or cancellation of a long-haul, a voucher worth 800 € to be used on a next flight.
Tempting for the passenger but especially valid for the company which keeps a customer rather than paying him € 600 hard and stumbling. Some companies offer travelers to take charge of the files of injured passengers and take steps for them. A service which is not free since there is a 25% commission to be deducted from the amount of the reimbursement obtained. But calling on their services can be clever if we aim for the maximum compensation of € 600.