YOU HAVE YOUR SAY

EVERY week, Money Mail receives hundreds of your letters and emails about our stories. Here’s what you had to say about our report on airlines that still refuse to pay flight delay compensation . . .

AIRLINES are taking their refusals to a whole new level, but never, never give up with a claim. A friend was delayed for seven hours while waiting for a twohour flight. It took her three years of letters and emails to get her entitled compensation.

J. M., Claygate, Surrey.

PERSISTENCE is key. Too many people have been put off lodging a complaint by airlines stalling — that excuse about waiting on the result of a Dutch compensation case was the worst. Always lodge a dated complaint as soon as possible, then update the airline regularly by letter (irrespective of any delaying tactics) that you’re still waiting for them to respond.

N. T., Wiltshire.

IF AN airline claims a manufacturing defect caused a delay, it obviously has a claim with whoever supplied it with that product or service. The carrier’s contract with each passenger is entirely separate — so they are owed compensation because that contract for a timely flight has been broken. The manufacturer should be sued to cover it.

L.H., Basingstoke.

YOUR entitlement to compensation is not just for the inconvenience caused at the time, but also to compensate you for the knock-on effect. When I was delayed all day en route to Spain for the weekend, I lost out on a third of my holiday and the use of my hotel and car hire I had paid for. It took me years to claim my compensation.

N. R., London.

EUROPEAN airports regularly have compensation rights displayed on large posters. By comparison, airports here in the UK don’t do anything like as much promotion — it’s shameful.

T. T., via email .

BUDGET airlines operate on low margins. If they have to cough up for every delay, then prices will rocket. I would rather a plane was grounded than fly unsafely. Be careful what you wish for.

J. E., London.

THIS won’t be a popular view, but if you wait two years to complain, you could not have been that inconvenienced!

K. H, by email.