1In the evening paper.......
10 December 2007
Cancelled flights refund assuranceThe partner of flyWhoosh airline has assured the UK airline regulator that air passengers affected by recent cancellations are to receive refunds (writes David Clegg).Last week saw almost all of the firm’s flights to and from Dundee cancelled after a malfunctioning wing caused the company’s only plane to be grounded.
Matters went from bad to worse on Friday when Whoosh’s partner in the operation, White Eagle Aviation, decided to pull out of the deal.
The Warsaw-based company — which had provided the plane and crew for the flights — removed their ATR42 from Dundee Airport on Friday and announced they would no longer run flights for “commercial reasons”.
Stranded customers began to fear they would be left out of pocket when Whoosh chief executive Aden Murcutt claimed they were not an airline but an agency selling tickets for White Eagle Aviation, who, he said, would be liable for any monies owed.
One concerned passenger told the Tele, “I had two flights cancelled last week and am owed nearly £500. It is now proving impossible to contact flyWhoosh. Their phones seemed to have been switched to answer phone — I just can’t get a response from them at all.
“They are saying you have to contact Poland to get a refund but when I got hold of them I was told it was in the hands of their lawyers.”
Another said she had already “written the money off” as lost.
The Tele today highlighted these concerns to the UK’s airline regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority.
A spokesperson confirmed Whoosh was the UK trade name for White Eagle Aviation and said that as the firm are registered in Poland the CAA has no mandate over them.
However he added that they had received assurances from White Eagle that all payments would be made.
“We have received a letter from the company telling us what happened,” he said.
“They have assured us they will be making the appropriate refunds and payments to anyone affected.”
He added that anyone whose flight was cancelled with less than seven days notice were also due compensation under EU regulations. Mr Murcutt was contacted by the Tele today but said he “did not have time to speak”. He has maintained that flights would restart from December 17 thanks to a new carrier which he has refused to identify.