EasyJet Passenger Denied £472 Refund Following Gatwick Air Traffic Control Disruption
Passengers travelling with EasyJet faced significant disruption last year due to problems with air traffic control at London Gatwick Airport. The incident, which occurred in July, led to hundreds of flight cancellations and delays across the UK aviation network.
Passenger Stranded After Aircraft Downgrade
One traveller, booked on an EasyJet flight to Budapest, arrived at Gatwick to discover that their aircraft had been substituted with a smaller model due to the air traffic control outage. This downgrade resulted in thirty-five passengers, including the complainant, being unable to board their scheduled flight.
EasyJet staff at the airport advised the passenger to book an alternative flight and subsequently claim the cost through the airline's official website. The next available option was a British Airways service, which cost £472.
Months of Contradictory Excuses from EasyJet
Despite following the instructions provided, EasyJet refused to honour the refund for several months. The airline's customer service team offered a series of conflicting explanations for the rejection.
- Initially, EasyJet denied that the aircraft had been downgraded.
- They then claimed the claim was invalid because the original booking was made through a third-party travel agent.
- Subsequently, the passenger was incorrectly marked as a 'no-show' in the system because they were prevented from checking in at the airport.
Internal webchats revealed further inconsistencies, with one agent stating the rejection was due to an email address mismatch, while another confirmed the passenger was denied boarding before contradicting this by saying there was no commercial or operational reason for the denial.
Refund Finally Secured After Media Intervention
The situation only changed when the matter was escalated to consumer champions. Four months after the initial claim was lodged, EasyJet changed its position and promised the refund. However, the payment took an additional month to process because the airline then demanded proof of payment for the British Airways ticket, despite the booking being made through an agent.
This case highlights significant issues with EasyJet's customer service protocols and system flexibility during operational disruptions. The air traffic control chaos at Gatwick caused widespread inconvenience, and the airline's initial obduracy in addressing legitimate claims has drawn criticism.
For future travel, passengers are advised to check in online whenever possible to improve their chances of boarding during similar incidents, though this does not absolve airlines of their responsibilities under consumer rights regulations.
