Easyjet Cancellation

[homesick rae]

Hi,

Friends of mine were travelling to Bordeaux on the 05th August 2017 on EZY8015. Flight was delayed for 2 hours then cancelled due to crew exceeding hours. When challenged the EZY staff said it wasn't due to this and gave another excuse.

Anyone any ideas or knows what happened? EZY refusing refund etc...

Thanks in advance

HR

[Binder]

Many Airlines use lots of fake facts to avoid paying compensation.

Once had a flight cancelled due to " Birdstrike". I watched the aircraft taxi out empty as it had been 're allocated' to rescue another aircraft. This other aircraft was grounded, yes due to a strike......but it was down in North Africa!

I wouldn't waste time I would go straight online and register a claim with the Small Claims Court.

Good luck!

[richardnei]

As you say the cancellation was due to the crew being out of hours due the aircraft running late. The airline has prob looked at the reason why it was delayed in the 1st place. This could have been due to ATC slots on previously flights or a weather related delay. So they've said it was outside of there control so nothing to pay.

[Harry Wayfarers]

As you say the cancellation was due to the crew being out of hours due the aircraft running late. The airline has prob looked at the reason why it was delayed in the 1st place. This could have been due to ATC slots on previously flights or a weather related delay. So they've said it was outside of there control so nothing to pay.

So call out a standby crew ... "What do you mean you don't have a standby crew, who's fault is that?"

[RAT 5]

So call out a standby crew ... "What do you mean you don't have a standby crew, who's fault is that?"

depends where the flight was originating from; and there is no requirement to have a SBY crew for every flight: Impossible.

[runway30]

So call out a standby crew ... "What do you mean you don't have a standby crew, who's fault is that?"

depends where the flight was originating from; and there is no requirement to have a SBY crew for every flight: Impossible.

No, providing a crew is a normal part of airline operations.

[DaveReidUK]

When challenged the EZY staff said it wasn't due to this and gave another excuse.

Anyone any ideas or knows what happened?

What was the other excuse?

How do you know it wasn't true?

[Harry Wayfarers]

So call out a standby crew ... "What do you mean you don't have a standby crew, who's fault is that?"

depends where the flight was originating from; and there is no requirement to have a SBY crew for every flight: Impossible.

The flight number provided by the OP is a LGW departure, a significant crew base for EZY and, with just a little forward thinking, had they no standby crew at LGW they had other crew bases of STN & LTN within a taxi journey away.

I did Crew Scheduling for a living, I managed my own Crew Scheduling department for a number of years, I know what is possible and I know what is reasonable and for an operator the size of EZY not to have a standby crew available at, apparently, their largest operating base, except in EXCEPTIONAL circumstances, would be nothing less than bungling incompetence!

From what the OP says, and I know him to be ex crew himself he and I having worked together some 30 years ago, the passengers made a very similar challenge to the EZY staff as I have made here, to the effect "Call out a standby crew", and that is when the staff felt themselves cornered and came up with a different excuse as to why the flight had been cancelled.

[compton3bravo]

As a layman on crewing the only logical thing I can think of is that they just had no crew left including standby crew to operate the flight so the only thing left was to cancel the flight. It is August and everybody working to full capacity with no slack.

[Harry Wayfarers]

As a layman on crewing the only logical thing I can think of is that they just had no crew left including standby crew to operate the flight so the only thing left was to cancel the flight. It is August and everybody working to full capacity with no slack.

An airline with some 250 aircraft in service, and it's a long time since I did this, should be employing some 6 or 7 crews per aircraft, that would be some 1,625 crews none of which, it seems, were available to operate a mere 3 hour (ish) round trip to BOD and back!

Google 'Money Claim Online' and sue the b@stards for not employing sufficient crews!

[Walnut]

One problem you have with Easyjet is all operations are out and back crew wise, unlike BA. Thus FTL limiting operations eg Cyprus can be canx at the drop of a hat when the w/x is bad or during major slot delays. I am aware of this and having been caught out.
I rarely book with them on time limiting sectors
I dont buy at a major base like LGW that they could not use creative scheduling ie swap an earlier a/c or move a crew from their second rotation to operate the affected service, and then calling in a home standby to operate the later flight

[rog747]

does the OP want a refund on his cancelled flight tickets or the EU compo?

2 different scenarios here -
he mentions no refund is forthcoming...
of course it is - if the airline cancels the flight after check in they have to rebook you, or refund your tickets -

if you decide to accept the rebooking then the airline has a duty of care for hotac meals etc (for whatever reasons) until the new departure time

if the OP is after EU compo that applies if the scenario means the pax is delayed more than 3 hours at his arrival airport

if the crew announced here that his flight was cancelled due to being OOH then EU compo should apply as this is an operational reason and not an exceptional circumstance usually -
but what was the reason for initial 2 hour delay prior to cancelling the flight?

so what is it OP?
....no point in pontificating any further until the OP expands his scenario

[lederhosen]

Claim your compensation on line through the Easyjet web site. It works well and is a substantially easier process than with BA for example. None of the usual delaying tactics, I got a short apology and in my case the money within a week.

[Mr A Tis]

My last flight ever with EZY was due to "weather at destination"- whilst I sat at home watching normal ops into destination on FR24, with not a single go around. EZY were the only flights cancelled.
The flight operated the next day with exactly the same wx METARS as the cancelled day.
The lack lustre response resulted in small claims court success.

[RAT 5]

If easyjet has allowed this to become a company culture; i.e. cancel at the drop of a hat with little information to pax, then who is responsible for it being so? the BBC published that ez has a bad record regarding delays & cancellations. It can't be at the whim of the daily OPs controller. There is huge financial & PR implications. It has to have come from high up. It which era of management did this become so? If prior to the current one, then has this culture been reviewed. I would have thought that a business offering what is only a 'customer service' and no tangible product, needs to protect its image and promote the excellence of that service if it wants to survive & grow. Once doubts creep into the customers' mind then they start to look for alternatives. It's like a bad review on a Trip Advisor hotel or restaurant. It's difficult to counter it quickly.
There is soon to be a change at the top in ez. Who's coming in? Will they start be reversing this criticism? Are they even aware of it or is the collective ez head in the sand?
Those on the inside can inform us. It would be sad to see what is basically a sound service become tarnished with a smelly brush.

[Harry Wayfarers]

If easyjet has allowed this to become a company culture; i.e. cancel at the drop of a hat with little information to pax, then who is responsible for it being so? the BBC published that ez has a bad record regarding delays & cancellations. It can't be at the whim of the daily OPs controller. There is huge financial & PR implications. It has to have come from high up. It which era of management did this become so? If prior to the current one, then has this culture been reviewed. I would have thought that a business offering what is only a 'customer service' and no tangible product, needs to protect its image and promote the excellence of that service if it wants to survive & grow. Once doubts creep into the customers' mind then they start to look for alternatives. It's like a bad review on a Trip Advisor hotel or restaurant. It's difficult to counter it quickly.
There is soon to be a change at the top in ez. Who's coming in? Will they start be reversing this criticism? Are they even aware of it or is the collective ez head in the sand?
Those on the inside can inform us. It would be sad to see what is basically a sound service become tarnished with a smelly brush.

RAT 5,

First of all I can assure you that Trip Advisor is fake ...

I am a hotelier, my place averages 4 star (very good) reviews yet, because there are so many fake reviews, my place is pretty much the worst place, despite being 'very good', in town yet I am regularly fully booked and turning people away ... Just shows you how many people actually read and take notice of Tripe Advisor!

I worked in airline ops for many years, I would be the decision maker in delaying/cancelling flights and for deciding the reasons why, I know how it works, and I can see straight thru a lie as I have done previously with BA and Cebu Pacific to name but two.

And EZY are clearly lying thru their teeth on this one also.

[ssflyer]

[First of all I can assure you that Trip Advisor is fake ...]

Rubbish-yes there are fake reviews (but millions of genuine ones ) but any TA user can spot them a mile off
Just check the posters history-easy.
And as an "Owner" you have the right to respond if you believe them false
SSF
ps.Have you checked their new(ish) feature? Over 15000 easyjet reviews,I didn't see many obvious "fakes"
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Airlines

[RAT 5]

Let's keep the eye on the ball. This is not about Trip Advisor; It has been published, even on BBC, that ez are high up on the delay & cancellation list. There have also been many comments about their lacking/poor customer service department. It will be financially damaging and dangerous to allow this perception to gain traction. My question is how this performance has happened and who has allowed it; and will it be reversed with new blood at the top?

[Harry Wayfarers]

Let's keep the eye on the ball. This is not about Trip Advisor; It has been published, even on BBC, that ez are high up on the delay & cancellation list. There have also been many comments about their lacking/poor customer service department. It will be financially damaging and dangerous to allow this perception to gain traction. My question is how this performance has happened and who has allowed it; and will it be reversed with new blood at the top?

I recall an ex employer of mine, and we were equal distances from LTN and BHX, who swore blind that EZY were cheapest for her trips to friends in the city of Belfast.

I explained to her that BHX was a much more pleasant airport experience than LTN could ever dream of being, I even demonstrated to her that BACON from BHX were slightly cheaper in to BHD than EZY from LTN in to BFS but she wouldn't have it, I presume that it had been that TV series that had brainwashed her, and millions of others, in to believing that EZY shall always be cheapest.

Come on, the CEO of RYR's most famous quote is "What part of Foxtrot Oscar do you not understand?" and just look at how successful RYR have become!

[racedo]

Met some fellow tourists in a European city over weekend....... they delayed on way out and at 2hrs 40 from originial departure time, staff were rushing them onto the plane so took off below 3 hours. No reasonable reason given either it appears.

[homesick rae]

Thanks for the responses. When challenged they said it wasn't crew issue but ATC but I guess, as previously mentioned in this thread, ATC issue could cause the crew to exceed duty time.

EZY website seems to be the best choice here.

Cheers

HR

[Del Prado]

"Weather was pretty bad on 5th August. TAF and Metar probably don't show much as visibility was unaffected but lots of CBs throughout TMA and especially along south coast.

It's not the weather that causes the problems per se but the pilots dodging the weather that's the problem! ;-)

With aircraft unwilling to navigate through the worst of the weather and on to the approach then lots of flights would have been late. This has a knock on effect and flow control would be applied.

A stop on all departures from Gatwick, Heathrow, Southampton and Farnborough was put in place due to the CB activity.

One flight reported losing 600 feet when he was supposed to be in level flight.

The weather was pretty bad throughout the afternoon.

So sorry you've been affected but I can imagine Easyjet have done their best to keep to their schedules as it's a complete pain for them to cancel flights and they don't do it lightly.

There are huge up and down drafts associated with CBs, possibly damaging hail and moderate to severe turbulence. Lots of images around if you google aircraft hail damage"

The above are edited highlights of a text I sent to a cousin who was stuck in Toulouse on 5th August after his EasyJet flight back to Gatwick was cancelled. He thought EasyJet were using the weather as an excuse for cancellation to avoid paying compensation because he'd looked at the forecast for Gatwick and it was fine.

A severe weather event at an airline's main base, which is scheduled close to capacity in the summer, will cause massive disruption to the schedules.
Crew hours, aircraft availability, stand availability could all be symptoms of the delay but the initial cause was almost certainly the severe and sustained CB activity from 1130 onwards.

[Harry Wayfarers]

"Weather was pretty bad on 5th August. TAF and Metar probably don't show much as visibility was unaffected but lots of CBs throughout TMA and especially along south coast.

It's not the weather that causes the problems per se but the pilots dodging the weather that's the problem! ;-)

With aircraft unwilling to navigate through the worst of the weather and on to the approach then lots of flights would have been late. This has a knock on effect and flow control would be applied.

A stop on all departures from Gatwick, Heathrow, Southampton and Farnborough was put in place due to the CB activity.

One flight reported losing 600 feet when he was supposed to be in level flight.

The weather was pretty bad throughout the afternoon.

So sorry you've been affected but I can imagine Easyjet have done their best to keep to their schedules as it's a complete pain for them to cancel flights and they don't do it lightly.

There are huge up and down drafts associated with CBs, possibly damaging hail and moderate to severe turbulence. Lots of images around if you google aircraft hail damage"

The above are edited highlights of a text I sent to a cousin who was stuck in Toulouse on 5th August after his EasyJet flight back to Gatwick was cancelled. He thought EasyJet were using the weather as an excuse for cancellation to avoid paying compensation because he'd looked at the forecast for Gatwick and it was fine.

A severe weather event at an airline's main base, which is scheduled close to capacity in the summer, will cause massive disruption to the schedules.
Crew hours, aircraft availability, stand availability could all be symptoms of the delay but the initial cause was almost certainly the severe and sustained CB activity from 1130 onwards.

If the weather on the day was as you describe it than a, literally, automatic delay reason of "WEATHER" would be repeatedly uttered throughout the period, it's not a difficult word to forget.

But someone decided it was a "crew hours" problem, where had that person or people been all day if they didn't realise that every delay was due to weather?

I used to do this for a living, weather is an act of god, the best get out clause possible of not feeding pax etc., as I say "WEATHER" isn't a difficult word to forget when not wanting to feed pax etc.

[DaveReidUK]

But someone decided it was a "crew hours" problem, where had that person or people been all day if they didn't realise that every delay was due to weather?

Nowhere in the thread does it say that EZY claimed that.

[Harry Wayfarers]

Hi,

Friends of mine were travelling to Bordeaux on the 05th August 2017 on EZY8015. Flight was delayed for 2 hours then cancelled due to crew exceeding hours. When challenged the EZY staff said it wasn't due to this and gave another excuse.

Anyone any ideas or knows what happened? EZY refusing refund etc...

Thanks in advance

HR

The OP quoted a crew hours problem.

[Expressflight]

In post #21 the OP says "When challenged they said it wasn't crew issue but ATC ....". The hypothesis posted by Del Prado seems the most likely causal factor to me.

[Del Prado]

Crew hours, aircraft availability, stand availability could all be symptoms of the delay but the initial cause was almost certainly the severe and sustained CB activity from 1130 onwards.

Harry, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that crew hours were a secondary cause here.
Or that there was a new shift on duty which hadn't experienced the worst of the weather and weren't completely aware of the earlier disruption.
That would certainly fit with the first person saying 'crew hours' (which may have been the knock on effect) and that then being corrected to weather or ATC (primary cause).

But since Gatwick was scheduled to around 95% capacity that day and only managed a movement rate of about 50% for 2/3 hours there was significant disruption and cancellations across the network for the rest of that day.