The Sun: Cheater Flights

We reveal air-faced cheek of airlines trying cut compo bills as we test how long it takes to ask for money you’re owed.

Researchers tested how long it took to discover how to claim by browsing firms’ websites, without typing in 'claim form'. The Sun wrote an article about it. 

AIRLINES use “dirty tricks” to put off flyers claiming compensation, such as making claim forms hard to find.

Complex legal jargon is another common tactic, according to researchers.

Airline websites are making it complex for customers to claim compensation

They tested how long it took to discover how to claim by browsing firms’ websites, without typing in “claim form”, or by phoning them up.

They found the likes of Thomson, the world’s largest charter airline, buries information on delay or cancellation claims deep in their websites.

Finding the relevant form took an average of 13.21 minutes.

For Jet2, the team gave up after 24.29 minutes. They then spent 7.04 minutes phoning customer services before being told the only way to claim was by email or in writing.

Monarch’s form took 8.91 minutes to find but then an error message said: “The resource you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable”.

It took 15:21 minutes with Virgin Atlantic. And they said Ryanair had changed its terms and conditions to illegally limit passengers’ rights to claim compensation using lawyers or claims firms.

Tjitze Noorderhaven of EUclaim, which commissioned the study, said confusing language and legal jargon was common.

He said: “Passengers had better have a degree in law to understand.

“Airlines will do all they can to not have to pay out compensation that is legally due if your flight is delayed three hours or more or cancelled.

“Dirty tactics include having to wait eight weeks for a response, illegal charges and restrictions, buried website pages and legal gibberish.

“These tactics highlight the real contempt with which airlines hold the rights of passengers.”

Read the full article on thesun.co.uk