Cannot get refund from cancelled flight

Hi,

My sister is looking to go to college in England and about 2 months ago was due to get a BMI flight from Cork.

There was a heavy fog (not unusual in Cork airport) on the day of the flight and it was cancelled. She went up to the airport and was told that she should get a refund and this would be automatically credited to her mastercard.

Weeks passed and nothing happened, tried to ring them but virtually impossible to get your call through to a human being. So my father returned to Cork airport on a day when BMI Baby fly and was told that it would not get automatically refunded and you need to contact Customer Services.

Eventually got through to them and they said you need to apply in writing. Did this 6 weeks ago and no reply or acknowledgement of receipt of letter.

Amount involved is over 300 euros which is substantial for a student.

At this stage I think I will get a solicitor's letter sent as sometimes this helps to hasten the process.

Also I will get my sister to ring mastercard as perhaps they refund the cost similar to Visa, this is merely a guess so not sure if this is true?

Has anyone else experienced something like this and if so do they have any advice on what else I could do?

Tks,
InfoSeeker

Wouldn't waste the money on a solicitor's letter for a €300 claim. Write another letter, querying their failure to respond and add that should they fail to respond to this letter you will be taking them to the small claims court.

When making your application to the small claims be sure to include copies of the letters sent and postal receipts.

Tks Room305 for the prompt reply, one thing I forgot to mention is that my fiance is a solicitor so hoping there is no fee

There will be a fee of sorts even if not monetory!!!

No financial compensation required for cancellations caused by bad weather.

[broken link removed]

I don't think the person is looking for compensation, just a refund of monies spent.

Soy - All I want is a refund.

BMI Baby could not fly from Cork on that day because of fog. I have no problem with that.

My sister paid over 300 euros for the flight and was told she would be refunded by BMI on the day it was cancelled and she still has not received any response.

The thought of a solicitor's letter is merely an act to hasten the process.

junior cu booked return london flights with bmi baby. thursday morning of the outward flight was the morning that the security alert over the liquids etc happened. she did actually go to dn airport on advice of bmi but at the airport she was informed that it was unlikely the flight would depart and to try again later. she too thought it was an automatic refund but when she rang bmi they put her through to customer services who also asked her put her claim in writing. but they also stated that they would not be refunding the return flight as it operated as scheduled. So she emailed them asking for a full refund and explained that it was for a wedding ( little white lie ), that the wedding took place on the friday and that there was no point in her travelling as the wedding as over. email reply by return stating they would look into it and come back within 7 days. no further reply but full refund on credit card around that time. so try emailing them. say it was for a wedding or employment appointment and that once the flight was delayed the event was 'missed'. they should pick up that you are not looking for compensation for missing the wedding etc and just make a refund.
good luck

Tks a million for that, can you find out what the email address that junior cu used if it is not too much hassle please?

I checked their website and the 2 obvious links would be 'Contact Us' http://www.bmibaby.com/bmibaby/en/index.aspx?p=31

and Customer Relations but there was no email addresses listed.

Well there was one for Spanish customers

Don't confuse bmi with bmibaby.

bmi is relatively easy to get in touch with - there are several contact numbers available at www.flybmi.com under "Contact Us" including a refunds department (who you can actually call!).

bmibaby on the other hand seem to offer no such numbers other than their reservations call centre. I believe it's because bmi is a "full service carrier" unlike bmibaby which is their low-cost subsidiary.

You may want to ask the call centre for an email address - perhaps they could give it to you.

cu junior cant remember the email address unfortunately. but she says she rang the castle donnington number and it was a girl there who asked her to email with the claim. I would try that bmi address above and address the email to their customer services dept. if receive an acknowledgement within a few hours saying they will look into it you should be ok.

Tks again, I called and got their email address and have sent on the details, fingers crossed that they might reply and that in time we might get a refund.

Info

The Commission for Aviation Regulation has been appointed by the Department of Transport as the enforcement body of new EU Regulation 261/2004 legislation that reinforces a consumers rights with regard to over booking, delayed or cancelled flights. There is compensation offerd, phonecalls, faxes, meal vouchers etc and financial under certain situations. But cancelation due to weather is not one. Any further queries contact the commission at http://www.aviationreg.ie/ or as Soy said the ECC.

J

BMI fowarded my emails to BMIBaby and to be fair they replied very promptly to say (I have xxx out personal references):

13th February 2007


WWD/T21RAF-AS


Dear Mr XXXX

Thank you for your recent correspondence in respect of travel with bmibaby from Cork to Manchester on 19th December 2006.

As you may already be aware, this disruption was brought about as a direct result of adverse weather conditions.

The bmibaby current policy has been drawn up from the new EU legislation that came into effect on 17th February 2005. It states, passengers whose flights are disrupted due to extraordinary circumstances are entitled to re routing to their destination, or a refund of any unused travel should they elect not to travel. I have instructed our accounts department to issue a full refund. Refunds are applied to the original form of payment.

On behalf of bmibaby, may I thank you for taking the time to contact us with your comments and apologise once again for any dissatisfaction caused.

Yours sincerely

Jemma
bmibaby customer relations

good for bmi baby. Cu junior got a full refund also. good for pubic relations and it inspires confidence in future dealings.

agreed, still waiting for refund but based on email 99.99% that all will end well.

Sister re-arranged the interview for the end of this month and is going with bmi baby again as our faith is restored